Cross-Country Travel with my 2 Cats

Question
I'll be relocating from California to Pennsylvania in 2, maybe 3 weeks.  I have two cats, age 3 and 7, both female, that I'll be taking with me when I drive cross-country to our new home.

What can I do to make the trip easier on them?  Should I setup their litter box & food/water bowl in the trunk and let that be their little area of the car?  (I drive a Prius, which is a hatchback, so the trunk is part of the interior of the car, not a sperated/sealed compartment).  If I should put them in carriers, what would be better, seperate carriers or one big one for both of them?

Also, the older one, on trips to the vet, usually a short 15 min ride, sometimes starts panting, like a dog.  Is this something I should be worried about or is it something that she will stop doing after a little while?

Thanks for any advice in advance!


Answer
Hi Thomas.  Usually, panting is a sign of extreme stress.  It will usually stop if her nerves calm down, but some cats get so stressed by travel that they may benefit from a sedative.  This is generally a last resort but is necessary in some cases.  I would ask the vet for his or her opinion.

A carrier is the safest place for a cat while traveling.  It shouldn't matter if you keep them separate or together.  If they're very close with each other, keeping them in one larger carrier might help reduce stress.

But I would set them up with a litter box in the back, and allow them out when the car isn't moving.  Try to stop at least once every couple of hours.  And don't forget to offer them fresh water and food.

You might want to pick up a bottle of Feliway.  It's a synthetic pheromone that helps reduce stress.  Spraying the inside of the carrier should help to calm them.  Then spray it around the new house to help it feel more like home.  You can get it at pet stores or www.felineway.com.

Also, lining their carrier with a worn, unwashed t-shirt of yours may be comforting to them, too.