Anyone have advice for moving a cat cross-country?

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My brother is getting ready to move back to NWOH from the DFW area. The biggest question (besides how much it costs to transport a car) is moving his cat, Bronson. Bronson only likes him, she hides, hisses, and slinks away from anyone else, for him, she's a lap cat.

Anyway, it's an 1100 mi drive, usually split over 2 days. No room for a cage w/litter pan in his car(2015 Challenger), maybe in the back of Dad's escape... But then dad has to listen to her...caterwaul... For 2 days.( he won't let Dad drive the Challenger, he'd let me, but I can't get the time off, no vacation days left until after my work anniversary, 5/29, he plans on being here by then.)

Suggestions anyone?
 
Pet transport or fly the cat and your brother together on a plane where the carrier would be on his lap or in the next seat. Here's another thread on here about it:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3663157/Moving_cross-country_(with_cat#Post3663157

That's what my neighbor did moving a cat from Ohio to California. Also your brother should start taking the cat on many small trips in the to get her ready for moving day.
 
with the temperment of the cat it probably wont eat or drink/defecate during those 2 days anyways.. I would look into getting xanax and start with .5mg. Let the dad with the escape haul the cat with the xanax cat..offer water every 4 hrs or so laced with xanax.
 
He should talk to his vet about how well the cat will tolerate the trip, how to prepare and if the cat should be tranquilized.

Don't just give the cat water laced with drugs. Jesus.
 
You can get a mild sedative at the vets office. We did that when we moved from Mississippi back to Pennsylvania with our 4 cats. Although we did the 1,000 mi trip in one day.
 
Originally Posted By: krismoriah72
with the temperment of the cat it probably wont eat or drink/defecate during those 2 days anyways.. I would look into getting xanax and start with .5mg. Let the dad with the escape haul the cat with the xanax cat..offer water every 4 hrs or so laced with xanax.


he was up here for 10 days looking at houses at the beginning of April, she was boarded at the vet's office...she wouldn't eat for the first 6 days. they called him up asking what food he feeds,so they could go buy the same one, still nothing....

I doubt any of us would feel comfortable drugging her.
 
Originally Posted By: earlyre

Anyway, it's an 1100 mi drive, usually split over 2 days. No room for a cage w/litter pan in his car(2015 Challenger), maybe in the back of Dad's escape... But then dad has to listen to her...caterwaul... For 2 days.( he won't let Dad drive the Challenger, he'd let me, but I can't get the time off, no vacation days left until after my work anniversary, 5/29, he plans on being here by then.)

Suggestions anyone?


I drove from florida to massachusetts in my 1998 BMW M3 with four dogs in the back seat, two in cages and two chillin on the floor board.

There is enough room in his challenger.
 
Originally Posted By: Delta
You can get a mild sedative at the vets office. We did that when we moved from Mississippi back to Pennsylvania with our 4 cats. Although we did the 1,000 mi trip in one day.


I have a buddy who just moved 2 cats, only 100 mi, he offered me some of his "stash" of "Tranq Treats", and knowing him, they'd be "vet approved".
 
We have a Basenji ( tiny, fox like, very high strung dog ). She gets so upset in a car she pukes. This is not normal motion sickness, she just hates riding in a car. Our vet gave us Zanax in a tiny dog size dose. The stuff is amazing. We give the dog a pill two hours before travel and she sleeps for about 4 hours. We drove 600 miles to North Carolina with no problems, just a pill about every 4 hours.

How about checking with your vet about " cat safe " tranquilizers?
 
Originally Posted By: earlyre
Originally Posted By: krismoriah72
with the temperment of the cat it probably wont eat or drink/defecate during those 2 days anyways.. I would look into getting xanax and start with .5mg. Let the dad with the escape haul the cat with the xanax cat..offer water every 4 hrs or so laced with xanax.


he was up here for 10 days looking at houses at the beginning of April, she was boarded at the vet's office...she wouldn't eat for the first 6 days. they called him up asking what food he feeds,so they could go buy the same one, still nothing....

I doubt any of us would feel comfortable drugging her.
It is a cat Drug it.
 
I am really at a loss here. It's his cat, take the cat with him in the car. I drove to Pennsylvania and back with a cat. They just lay in your lap. Usually they hide their head. Sometimes they look out. It's not a big deal as he is making it, especially if it's his cat. I used to be a dog person, now I am becoming more of a cat guy. I'd much rather travel with a cat than a dog.
 
Originally Posted By: earlyre
Originally Posted By: krismoriah72
with the temperment of the cat it probably wont eat or drink/defecate during those 2 days anyways.. I would look into getting xanax and start with .5mg. Let the dad with the escape haul the cat with the xanax cat..offer water every 4 hrs or so laced with xanax.


he was up here for 10 days looking at houses at the beginning of April, she was boarded at the vet's office...she wouldn't eat for the first 6 days. they called him up asking what food he feeds,so they could go buy the same one, still nothing....

I doubt any of us would feel comfortable drugging her.


It's not a fun thing, for sure. The problem with cats in general, and particularly ones that are high-strung like the one you described, is that they get extremely stressed out - so much so that it can harm them, or worse. This is why the cat's vet is the best source for how to handle such a big stressor like moving. Drugging the cat isn't fun, but it may be the kindest and best alternative to ease the cat through the move and into a new environment without harmful health problems.
 
How does the cat travel in general? If not well, start with the vet.

My cat has gone 12+ hours traveling without needing to use the litter box.

Wish I could say the same.
 
One of our cats doesn't travel well at all, he literally has torn his claws out of his paws by clawing at the gate so hard.

Our vet prescribed Diazapam (SP) but it's basically Xanax. It calms him down enough to not cause him to harm himself.
 
My brother sent his Norwegian Forest cat from Alaska to Virginia by air. I believe the cat was sedated and flew 'as cargo'

Not really optimal, but it was the only option @ the time.

He never bothered to retrieve the cat after returning from Iraq. My parents enjoyed having it around for maybe 7 years after that.

Smartest cat I have ever met.
 
Originally Posted By: Oldtom
We have a Basenji ( tiny, fox like, very high strung dog ). She gets so upset in a car she pukes. This is not normal motion sickness, she just hates riding in a car. Our vet gave us Zanax in a tiny dog size dose. The stuff is amazing. We give the dog a pill two hours before travel and she sleeps for about 4 hours. We drove 600 miles to North Carolina with no problems, just a pill about every 4 hours.

How about checking with your vet about " cat safe " tranquilizers?


I agree, if the cat has a high strung personality that makes your brother think she won't travel well, check with the vet and get a professional opinion. A pill to help her anxiety is probably the way to go.
 
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