I wouldn't dare to take our cat on any trip with us but we are moving in August. My husband and I will be driving two cars from Lake Placid to Asheville so we are planning on making two overnight stops. One along route I-88 near Albany, NY and another one somewhere in West Virginia or Virginia along I-81. Any recommendations how to make this trip tolerable for us and our cat? Did you ever travel a long distance with your cat? Our cat never walked on a leash. She is 17 year old and has her own well established habits.

From your personal experience can you recommend hotels to stay that accept small pets? It doesn't need to be a budget hotel but it should have a secured parking as we are going to have lots of valuable things we do not want to place on a moving truck. Any suggestions, recommendations, ideas regarding moving to another place, traveling with a cat, hotels, routes, places to stop, places to snack, keeping things secured at night in a car? Your opinions and help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Check out LaQuinta Hotels. I have started traveling with my small dog and have fallen in love with LaQuinta Inns and Suites. The rooms are beautiful, the breakfast is great and they make me and my dog feel welcome. I have directories for the Choice group of hotels and Holiday Inns, but chose LaQuinta's first. The website is www.lq.com.

I would take the cat on short rides around home to see how it acts in the car and then make decisions. I had to get something from my vet to calm my cat down for my move.

I STRONGLY recommend that you buy a carrier that uses screws to hold the top and bottom parts together - not plastic latches. I heard a sad story at my vet's last month. A couple was driving up from their Florida home to the mountains. The wife's SUV rolled and it was carrying the pets. The wife and dog were fine - although banged up and bruised. The cat carrier popped open and the cat has not been seen since. They stayed in the area for 5 days, visiting shelters, posting signs and walking the streets around the area, but so far...no cat.

Their cat was not "chipped". All of my pets have the microchips implanted just in case they ever get lost. They can be scanned and you will be contacted.

Good luck. Callie was NOT a good traveler. She had to be on the cat equivalent of Valium!

I moved from RI to Texas last year with my 11-year old. She absolutely hates car rides, but there's really nothing I can do. Like graceib says, some people recommend taking the cat on shorter car rides first, but to me that's makes little sense. It's not like she'll ride in the car anymore after the move, so why torture her for more days?

Anyways, it was a rough trip for my cat. We get caught in stop-and-go traffic for a long stretch in MA the first day, and she threw up. So, she has to take a bath too (another thing she hated).

This was what I did to accomodate her, and she seemed to like it - stop often. Every two hours or so, instead of a whole tank (3-4 hours) without her. I'd either let her roam around inside the car, or put her on a leash and let her walk around. She had little appetite, but drank lots of water. So, give her water at every stop. I also limited my travel time to only about 10 hours per day, instead of my usual 12-14, so she had lots of time to recover.

Anyways, she calmed down on the 3rd day, around the time we crossed the Mississippi in Memphis. Not a happy trip, but she's fine immediately out of the car.

The safest place for the cat is in the cat carrier. We know that. That said, we had to take a cat many years ago on a 6 hour trip. Stuck in traffic with a cat that had been howling for 2 hours, we were going nuts. So we let it out of the cat carrier. It wedged itself under the driver's seat and slept there for several hours. When we arrived at our destination, we could not get it out. It stayed there for the next 2 days - I can not understand how it did not need to pee or eat, but it lived for many years after that.

On another board, many sad stories about pets that escaped from car thru window, door when passengers needed to get out - so be especially careful of that. Also, on much shorter moves our cats become so distressed that they try to escape house when movers are hauling stuff in and out - so another somewhat unrelated warning.

I would appreciate more suggestions, too, not only on how to move the cat but how to acclimate the cat to the new area so he/she doesn't run away the first day, trying to "get home." We don't want to make career decisions based on a skittish cat, but this is an outdoor cat who has adopted us and made us family over the last 10 years -- is now a laptop and bedfellow cat but gets extremely antsy if escape to the outdoors is ever blocked. I've never even tried to get a leash on him, have a major hassle getting him into a carrier (do it every 2 years, just about). I suspect he's not movable, but would love hints, suggestions, successful experiences.

I used to road trip with my cats quite frequently and I hate to say this but your cats will dictate to you their best way of travel.

In the carrier. Constant howling and screaming. I let them out, they crawl on my lap and go right to sleep. Peaceful angels until they go back into the carrier.

Bowl of water (deep bowl with about 1/4 water) on floor of backseat and small bowl of dry food.

This tip served me best. Your cat's litter box with newspaper only in the bottom. If they use it, and mine did, you can wad up the paper and immediately stop and throw it away.

I wouldn't try and get out of the car without putting the cat back in the carrier.

I have traveled hundreds of times with cats, with very few problems. I would recommend buying the largest hard plastic carrier you have room for, then putting a thick pad or cushion in the bottom for the cat's comfort. Also take a dry pad or 2 in case of an accident. Make sure the carrier is in a location in the car where there is adequate air flow. Having traveled to many cat shows, we often had 4, 5 or 6 carriers stacked in the back. (I once rode from Austin, TX to Monterrey, Mexico in a large van with 8 people and 11 cats. In spite of some long waits crossing the border, everyone did fine.)

If you can wedge the carrier securely "up high", the cat will be able to see out (or see YOU) as you drive, which will make it more interesting for him/her. Unless they needed to potty or got carsick, most of ours slept much of the trip, after the car got moving. I think it would be quite rare if your cat wanted to eat or drink during the drive; we usually didn't feed ours for at least 8 hours before a trip. Being a little hungry is a lot better than being carsick, which will happen if you feed him/her before you leave.

Also, if you have a small soft-sided carrier, we found that some restaurants would let us discreetly place it under our table. Otherwise, you won't be able to stop to eat, unless it is early a.m. or late p.m., due to the heat (and then only with your windows cracked, in which case you'll be worrying about someone stealing your valuables or your cat!).

No matter how much kitty protests, don't let him/her out of the carrier while you're driving. Whining usually just tells you they need to potty, and it's better if they do their business in the carrier than in the floorboard.

Letting a cat out inside the car while you're driving is dangerous, as well. Years ago, I used to do this, and it seems they would always want to sit on the dashboard, right in front of me (the driver), which can obstruct your view. Also, I transported a friend's cat for her once. The cat kept pawing at the carrier, so I let it out in the car. As I was driving down the highway at 70 mph, the cat stepped on the electric window button and rolled the window down, right next to where she was standing. I grabbed her back from the window, and after that, I never let one out in a moving car again.

As for finding pet-friendly hotels, there are many, but some charge a "pet fee." (To avoid having to pay this, you could call ahead and ask, but don't make a reservation. When you arrive, don't tell them you have a cat with you.) We've had a couple of hotels tell us they accept pets, but that we couldn't leave them in the room unattended. Now, who wants to take their cat to WalMart? Just put kitty back in the carrier, or in the restroom, while you're gone, so he/she won't be sitting on the windowsill or peeing behind the TV while you're out.

One more thing. This may sound funny, but it's not. Several times, I've had cats crawl up inside the box spring under the bed. If you wake up in the morning and can't find them, that's almost always where they are (or inside/under the dresser or night stand), and it's a bitch dismantling the bed to get them out. They will hold on for dear life, even with the mattress standing on end.

Also, inspect the room carefully before you let your cat out of its carrier. Sometimes, there is an opening in the wall under the sink for the plumbing pipes. I once had a cat spend the night inside the wall via this hole, and I've heard of this happening to other people too.

I am sure your kitty will be fine, and I wish you the best of luck.

Donna

They sell harnesses to attach to a leash - sort of a figure-8 contraption. Our cats are able to get out of any collar - but even Houdini could not get out of a harness. Cat will probably hiss and protest when you first put it on, but I might consider traveling with him in it - so you can attach a leash easily and are not wrestling cat into it in the car. Then you can let him out on leash for exercise - even though I find it somewhat humiliating to a cat to be on a leash.

Cat will find a "safe" and probably difficult place to hide in the new house - we always "lose" our cats when we move - are sure they have escaped - and we find them someplace like the boxspring a previous poster mentioned.

When movers are in your house, lock cat in the bathroom with big sign on the door, or else escape is a certainty. Do same at destination. All sorts of stories about cats trying to find their way home after move - I would be concerned about letting him out for a while.

Other concern I would have would be for maid service while in hotel - like if you are out to dinner - put cat in carrier in case someone needs to come into your room while you are out or hang Do Not Disturb sign.

Lots of really good advice here! I have moved across the country several times with 3-5 cats--yes, I'm a slow learner. Anyway, my guys HATE to get out of their carrier in the car, or in a parking lot, they won't walk on a leash/harness, and have never shown any interest in food or water during the drive time. So we take up the food and water about an hour before we leave in the morning, to give everyone a chance in the liiterbox--at this point, they usually all hide, often under the bed. Once we've got them in their carriers and into the car, there they stay until we stop for the night; I should point out that we never go for more than about 6 hours straight, so it isn't such a long confinement. In the hotel, we unpack food, water and litter box, the cats chill out, and the next morning, we do it all over again.

Tricky thing: we have to be verrry careful that they don't escape out the hotel room door, even though they're indoor cats, so we've learned to prefer hotels w/indoor corridors.

Another point: I gave them mild sedatives on one such journey, to bad results. One cat stayed frighteningly groggy all night long, even when we gave him just 1/4 pill, and didn't eat or drink at all. He made it, but I'll never resort to those again.

Also, I know vets recommend it, but I would not take the cat for "trial rides". In my experience, it prolongs their anxiety without acclimating them at all. GoTravel said it best: let your cat show you what it wants, be alert and careful not to lose the critter, and all will be well.

Wildflower, good luck!

On another note, Cassandra, we acclimated 3 indoor/outdoor cats to become indoor critters after we moved to Texas, and they adapted just fine. I did not want them to have to fight the cats in the new neighborhood for territory; I did not have confidence that these Virginia cats would know a rattlesnake if they saw one, or could outrun a coyote; I hated that they killed songbirds for sport; and I was sick to death of fleas, dirt, and the moinor wounds they occasionally came home with.

For the first 3 months or so, we had to be careful when opening and closing doors to the outside, lest a kitty slip out; and we couldn't leave windows open if we left the house, because they tended to claw at the screens. But after that, it was smooth sailing--they all got healthier, in fact, and are 16 years old now and still going strong. They are not neurotic or bored.

So my advice to you is, after you move, keep your kitty indoors--it will be best for everyone.

Having moved 14 times with a cat, several of those cross country, we know this all too well, lol!

We use a pet carrier for in the car. Tried tranquilizers once...never again. Just not good for our cat, although for others it seems to work.

In hotel rooms we keep the cat in the bathroom, that way we dont have to worry about her escaping or hiding under a bed.

At new homes, we keep her in her carrier until the movers are gone. She doesnt even want to go outside for a few days. Then we take her out in the yard with us for a few minutes at a time, then she is happy to go back inside. Our last move, which was just a few months ago, it took her just under a week til she went outside on her own and was fine and knew where home was.

Hope some of this helps.

Moving a cat Part II: when you arrive at your new home, put the cat and her/his litter box, bedding, food dish, and water bowl in a bathroom. Keep the cat shut in there (with visits from you) for at least a day or two so it has a chance to calm down and get used to new smells. On the third day let the kitty out for a brief exploration of the house, but return it to the bathroom if there are any signs of distress. The old wive's remedy of butter on the paws seems to work--gives the cat something to occupy its mind while settling down.

DO NOT let the cat outside for at least a week, and then only for short, supervised visits. Keeping the cat inside permanently is best: much safer.

I would second mms's point about keeping the cat in the bathroom, if possible. I once drove with my cat from Philadelphia to Seattle (also a move). He was fine in a crate in the car. Not so fine with walking on a leash. Somewhere in the middle of the country he had just had it. I went to breakfast, came back. No cat. Looked everywhere. No cat. Looked everywhere again. No cat. Realized the cat had probably sneaked out the door. Began to cry. Got in the car. Went back to the room one last time. And there, wedged between the dresser and the wall -- my 12-pound cat. When we came back the other way, we flew.

We moved just a few blocks when my cat (now 16) was 3 years old. She peed in front of us the actual day of the move - I guess she was letting us know she didn't like the disorder in the house. Then 2 days after we have moved into the new house, she peed in front of me again. Again she wasn't happy. She was good about it though - both times, she peed on a plastic bag that she found on the floor! After that, we had no further incidents until last summer. Our other cat (another senior citizen) had passed away and after a few weeks, we got 2 kittens. So what does the old cat do? She peed on my pillows! Nothing like letting me know she was unhappy.

She's an extremely nervous cat. I don't think we'll ever be able to move again as long as she's with us. I hate to think of what she would do in retaliation!

Forgive me for turning this into a discussion of "where the cat peed," but I have to tell a story that illustrates how intelligent cats really are.

My flight from Chicago to Dallas was cancelled, so we (my cats and I) were put on a flight to Atlanta, from where we would leave for Dallas early the next morning. We arrived at the hotel the airline sent us to in Atlanta, and I realized I had no cat litter. I managed to acquire a small cardboard box, and was tearing up newspaper into the box, when I looked across the room and saw my black cat sitting in the garbage can doing his business. Since there was a liner in the can, there was no mess, and I realized how resourceful cats can be.

Donna

Just want to add that after the move, I first kept the cat in the house. But then I walked her around the neighborhood with the leash/harness that I bought for the trip.

Keep in mind that cats don't walk like dogs do. They may decide to sit along a wall for 15 minutes, then dash across the street to search out a bush, and then dash to something else that interest them. You have to be very very patient with cats when walking them.

Another thing about moving from the north to south. My cat didn't need any flea medications while in RI, but absolutely needs it in TX. It'll be the same in NC, if you let the cat out. I now use Advantage, and it's been effective since, and no side effects.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you for many great ideas. After reading all your posts we decided our cat will do the best in the car without a carrier but with her familiar blankets on the seats with a box on the floor and her deep dish of water and another dish of her food in the front on the floor. We will buy a harness today and try to teach this old cat a new approach to walking outside. She spent 17 years of her life being an outdoor cat but we are moving to an apartment until we buy a new house with some acreage. We have no choice but to keep her inside at least for a while. I know I am going to have a hard time adjusting to so many changes and I hope she will do better. Thank you again for your outstanding help and giving me something to smile about in this stressful times of selling the property we love, contracts, closing, downpayments, usless real estate agent and on and on.

Being a dog person, I know nothing of cats. However, I think you're going to have a significant problem finding "secured" parking at any hotel along your route unless you stop at city hotels with parking decks.

Leaving visible items in your car overnight in a hotel parking lot is asking for it. Especially if they are valuable to you. Unfortunately, I don't have a solution other than to unpack your car each night.

Wildflower, good luck and I think your cat will be fine as an indoor kitty.

Explain the upside of things to Miss Kitty. Indoor cats have a much longer life expectancy than outdoor cats!

Hi!

As a cat owner who thought we would have to relocate at one time, I talked to my vet and was told that there is a prescription that can be given to pets to kind of "sedate" them and make them sleepy so they aren't as uncomfortable in the car. I was worried because I have three cats, and the idea of traveling cross country with them in the car was enough to drive me nuts! I'm not sure what it was or much about it, but you may want to check with your vet to see if they have any recommendations.

Good luck!
Tracy