Question
Jeeves recumbant
I will have to move from Los Angeles to Portland, ORE. sometime in the next year. It will be a huge project. II have a 9 year old male )neutered) cat names JEEVES. We have a great relationship and he is in excellent health. But I must confess he is a tad high strung. He likes to make noise ! And he's been known to be CRANKY when he feels slighted. And though he hops right into his little carrying cage once each year for our annual trip to the vet, he yells neurotically the hole time we our in the car in transit. ANd he usually has himself a good upchuck the minute we get back home from the doctor';s office (which pretty much sums up how he feels about TRAVEL -- at least as far as the 4 minute car ride goes. I have never attempted to take him further affield to see if he ever calms down.
My vet has prescribed a seditive pilkl I can give him to make him drowsy for about 4-5 hours at a time he says. I have not yet tested it on him (will do so sometime this month and put him through a ride around the neighborhood to see how he handles things)
But ultimately to get him up to Portland with me I will either have to put him in the VOIlkswagon with me for 1000 mile trip (which I would want to break up over 2-3 days with overnight stays at pet-friendly motels with me) I would imagine That I would have to sedate him at the beginning of the trip each day. The other option is to fly him with me on Alaska Airlines. I believe his little cat carrier which has to fit under the seat in front of me would be his world for the 4-5 hours that the trip to the airport and eventually to my Mom's place in Portland would take. And he would HAVE to be more or less knocked out but GOOD the whole time I think because, believe me, Jeeves can be LOUD and STRIDENT and PERSISTENT when he gets nervouse in that cage otherwise.
So which of those two options do you SUSPECT would be easier on him health wise ? I will have to pick one and commit to it a couple months in advance and once we set out there will be no way to switch to a plan "B". Moving is going to be a stressful and weird time for us any way you look at it but I couldn't bare it if the physical journey so freakedhim oput that it cause him physical illness or worse. I know - I am a worrier. But he is incredibly close to me and vice-versa.
Do you have any good advice for me on the city to city move and uprooting in general ? Anything I can do to keep him the happy cat and faithful friend that he is to me now would be appreciated.
- DAVE KINNICK
West Hollywood, CA
email: "mondop@sbcglobal.net"(if you wouldn't mind slipping a copy of whatever reply you might wish to make
to me into the direction of my email in-box I'd appreciate it - I rarely remembe rto come to this site.)
AnswerDavid,
Jeeves is quite a handsome boy. I would suggest that you talk things over with your vet because sedatives can be tough on a cat. If you take him on the plane you would be wise to check ahead to see that he would be allowed under the seat, some airlines only allow animals in the baggage hold which is unheated. For a cat who has been given a sedative and can't properly regulate their body temperature the results could be devastating. I have heard horror stories about animals who have been sedated dying in the baggage hold. As for travelling by car it may be easier for Jeeves simply because he is not being completely knocked out, just happy stoned. You are breaking up the trip if you drive which will also be better for Jeeves, granted it will take a few days, but at the end of each day he can use the box and curl up on a nice soft bed with you. I really do think that the choice is yours. There are risks to sedating any cat especially if it has to be done repeatedly or if they are travelling in an unheated baggage hold. Ultimately you have to decide what you are more comfortable with. If the airline is willing to let Jeeves fly in the passenger part of the airplane with you then I would vote for that. The way that I look at that is that he is knocked out once for a couple of hours and then he is done travelling. If Jeeves is not allowed to travel in the passenger hold of the plane then driving is your next best and safest option. Hope I was able to set your mind at ease. Good luck with your move, hope all goes well. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me again. I will do the best that I can to ensure that you are given honest, practical and accurate information.
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