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Awwwww, he’s so adorable ❤️🐱🙏. Gabapentin prescription from your veterinarian to calm kitty for the ride. Also bring favorite toys, food, treats and a box with litter. Good luck 🍀
Agree 100% on the gabapentin. It was a miracle when we moved and had to take our nervous nelly cat on an 8 hour car ride. He slept like a baby except for letting out a random, loud, solitary meow every couple hours 😂
Can I ask how you give your cat the Gabapentin? It’s so bitter I’ve been unsuccessful at mixing it in with food for my high anxiety guy.
Edit: SO many people responded!! Thank you all so much for taking the time to leave me your wisdom. I really appreciate it!
I empty the capsule into a little tuna juice then draw up into a medicine/kitten feeding syringe (the one without a needle) and slide the syringe in the side of their mouth, direct towards the throat and push in.
Make it's the water can tuna. Some cans come in oil. Also I recommend the reduced sodium cans. Correct me if I'm wrong but it feels like the healthy option
Always go for no salt added if it’s available! I know Trader Joe’s has some salt free tuna cans (I believe they are red) and we’ll always grab a couple when we’re up there
Also pill pockets/pill paste! It totally covers the outside of the pill so they can’t taste it. I use it even if I have to pill one of our cats so it won’t be bitter.
Mine uses the tuna and cheese pill pockets from greenies and he BEGS to take his pills every morning/evening. Such a lifesaver. The cat ones I find really small though so if you have a long pill like mine take half the dog version works even better. Mine loves peanut butter so I used those in a pinch.
I can’t get any of my kitties to take meds so it’s either this or just pushing the pill down their throat. The syringe is more time consuming but obviously a bit less stressful for them. Good luck!
We have 7 cats and when we have to give them any type of medication in pill form I bought a pill syringe. You put the pill in it stick in their mouth and press the plunger. It shoots the pill down the throat easy. I mean I guess it could still be traumatic but it's alot faster than by hand.
I’ve unfortunately tried the actual liquid medication compounds but they *really* freak out my cat. He has heart issues, and the three times I’ve tried to give him liquid meds he totally panics, foams at the mouth and then ends up in a coughing fit. He’s kind of a hot mess and I don’t know why that stresses him SO much 🥴
I will say that I've found that it's really hit or miss. I have 2 cats... No problem with the liquid mixed in... Another figured it out (maybe the smell)... Never fell for that trick after about 3 tries. My 7 mo kitten had to have it for pain... I tried it straight... Stupidly... 3 times. He simply waits a second and opens his mouth and let's it roll out. Other oral meds like doxycycline... None of my cats like it. You'd think I was killing them ... The hacking, the foaming, even pawing at their mouth... The reactions never cease to amaze me lol
It’s so dramatic looking that the first time he foamed at the mouth I had absolutely no idea what was happening! It scared me!
This is Joey is (on the right) and he is the *worst* about medicating. Like come on, I’m trying to help your heart, dude! ♥️
https://preview.redd.it/s8vmfkzt5r1b1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f541d7547198afb7173cceb9816d2c54bb181d1
They foam when all the meds don't go all the way down and some get on their tongue and palate. Ya have to try to get them in the back of their throat. Use a plastic syringe made for meds. No glass!!!
My one cat had no issues, ate the powdered stuff up like it was a sprinkle of sugar. My other one didn't even take a bite, just sniffed it, backed away, and gave me an accusing stare. I eventually just had to pill her. She refused to eat anything I gave her for a good day or two, but had no problem eating if it was my husband. That's what I get for him being the fun dad.
My cat has heart issues and the vet is not giving him what his siblings get (Tramadol). Have you asked your vet to make sure the Gabapentin is safe for his ❤️?
Yes! My vet is awesome and wouldn’t prescribe it if it wasn’t safe for him. This definitely isn’t a daily med! It’s for when he has to be in the car and we are moving very soon 🥴♥️
You should try tablets.
Also get a pill shooter. Much easier to give pills that way. Just make sure it's a small one because if it is too big the pills will just fall out.
Be careful with the feliway sprays especially if you and/or your cat have asthma or allergies. The feliway spray acts up my asthma and I’m a runner and gardener as hobbies. Good luck 🍀
Did some research. Apparently, they use ethanol for an evaporative in the diffuser. (Think 180 proof Vodka),That can be toxic if ingested. I have no idea why a cat would kick it, but they also make a spray for bedding. Once the alcohol evaporates, it's apparently safe, but you do NOT spray it on the animal or into the carrier when the kitty is there. There is plenty of stuff on line about how to use it.
You need to make sure the Felliway is dry before allowing the cat to use the cat carrier. Personally, I swear by Felliway. I had to take my two cats on a 6 hour journey across the country, both hating being in the car. I will admit one cat did cry for the whole journey, but she was settled in her carrier, with her paws tucked in, so I felt that she wasn’t stressed really, she was just making a fuss. The other cat had a tendency to do all her business in the cat carrier at the early leg of the journey. I took a spare cat carrier (they were in separate carriers anyway because the didn’t get on) so I stopped when I could and swapped her into a clean dry carrier. No other issues during the journey. I think she curled up and went to sleep. My cat carriers have dishes for food and water. I’m pretty sure I just put water in for them, but still a good idea that they have access for long journeys.
Definitely gabapentin or, if your baby is very easily stressed, trazodone. We have a very confident little boy who, coincidentally, gets extremely stressed and, as the vet said to me, "over thinks" his situations when there is a lot of change. We moved north for the summer last year (3.5 hour car ride) and he ended up getting a very serious UTI (despite me trying to make sure *everything* was perfect).
We got a prescription for trazodone to move him back home and he slept the whole time. it was amazing. the effects lasted around 15-24 hours.
For most kitties gabapentin works and isn't quite as sedative, but works more as an anxiolytic - I just wanted to throw this out there!
Man, I tried trazadone for one of my cats once and all it did was turn him into a mean drunk, wobbling everywhere while hissing and batting at my other cat as she just stared at him like, "What I do, friend?"
Agree with this. I moved my two boys 8 hours away by car and the gabapentin helped a lot. I boarded them before the movers came so they wouldn't face the stress of seeing their world dismantled piece by piece and had them administer the meds before I picked them up for the drive. There were only a couple of indignant meows from them the whole time.
We drove 3000 miles with our three cats. They cried for about 45 minutes, and I thought that it was going to be hell. They stopped crying and either slept or chilled out the rest of the time. We did 7 days on the road with hotels and it was fairly easy. I bought a large dog crate and put two in that, and the other in a collapsible nylon crate on Amazon that came with a collapsible litter box. We didn’t have to give them meds. I think they just resigned to knowing that the car ride was not going to end. Good luck. Just give it time.
When I moved I was able to take 3 days which made 3 hour chunks in the car. That left lots of time to play and snuggle in the hotel each night. It was still a miserable experience for all of us (2 cats).
And they could make it that long without a potty stop - although we had one in-crate accident along the way. Definitely had a box with their favorite toys and pulled their blankness out of the carrier each day for a familiar scent.
https://preview.redd.it/1orju1bw0p1b1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecb22207e7517f8b5ce5059df902722244f9f00b
He looks so much like my almost 2 year old boy!
https://preview.redd.it/ngqiqxkmvq1b1.jpeg?width=2320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d921b346e911dad51fb2084cd2fd036f90b8d2ed
Just took a 4hr round trip with my little girl and she did great. I wish you the best!!! Congrats!!
My cat doesn't like traveling in a crate but does fine in my grandchild's car seat. I buckle him in using a technique like they do for dogs. He likes to see out, and is harness trained. Also, frequent breaks. The noise and vibration is exhausting.
https://preview.redd.it/ew5057lgcr1b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1177493d4db4e6734ac3e5e5ec0337c6a49cd6f2
You can't see the harness, but it has a loop attached and that is buckled through the straps
I got anti anxiety meds from my vet for my kitties for a drive of a similar length. Worked wonders for one, but turned the other to a monster. If you are going to use calming aids, try them in advance.
Every cat is different. I've made the 4 hour drive multiple times when visiting my family for extended period of times. Calming sprays didn't help for my cats but I think it's worth a try. My favorite vet left leaving a less than satisfactory vet who never prescribed anything. My cats are restless when not in a carrier and will climb all over the place, so I couldn't let them loose to hopefully settle on the seat. Having two cats climb on my arms while steering was less than ideal so I scrapped that idea quick haha.
I ended up just having them in crates, use the calming spray even though I don't think it does anything, talk to them, and occasionally give them treats. One cat tolerates it well and will just meow for the first 30 mins. My other cat will usually poop 30 minutes into the drive, as if on a damn timer, forcing me to pull into a rest station to clean it. Again, I can't have a litter box on the floor b/c the cats can't be out of the crate, lest the climb on the dashboard or block my rear view mirrors. After the first 30-45 minutes of meowing and pooping, they usually sleep for the rest of the ride though. Try everything you can to find what works for your cats. Bring cleaning supplies in case you need them. I'm finding a new vet.
Random statement: The only time I bathed my cats, other than when I first rescued them off of the streets, was when my nervous cat pooped during the 4 hour drive and got it all over her fur... so yea... she needed a bath. She also didn't go limp with scruff holding during bathing and left me some nice scars from her flailing... so I just got in the tub with her and closed the sliding door. She calmed down a lot more with my supposedly suffering in water with her... it was a weirder moment in my time learning how to care for cats.
Co pilot with litter and water in the back.
https://preview.redd.it/sihmw7zv6p1b1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=684544abbc93723f986a064ec2992a815387efd5
This is what I do! I am realizing though that I’m lucky my cat absolutely loves car rides haha. She drives with me to my partner’s house weekly, which is an hour and a half away, and her only complaint is I won’t let her out of the car to play outside during our drives.😂
I moved from NY to Kansas City and back with my two cats (almost 10 now). I searched “cat condo” on Amazon and got a collapsible soft crate that took up the entire back seat.
It meant I could fit less for my move but my girls got to move around, drink, and use the litter box. They were upset for the first hour or so each day (I split it up into 3 days) but then the road lulled them to kitty slumber.
One major tip when staying at hotels with cats - once you get into your room try to think like a feline and check any cracks behind the bed, between a desk and TV stand, and even gaps between a mattress and bedframe. Block off what you can with luggage. THEN let your cat out of the carrier.
My cats hid very creatively and it’s hard to lift an entire mattress while urging your cat to come out. lol
I moved from Los Angeles to Portland with three cats a few years back. I took them to the vet and got a prescription medication to calm them. After being on the road for an hour, they calmed down and slept. But that hour was tough!
If you're going to use a sedative, give it to your cat a couple hours before you leave so that it has time to do it's thing.
Also, as others mentioned, secure your hotel room before letting your cat out. You could make a bed for him in the bathroom if you think he might hide. A medium sized dog kennel is another alternative.
If I had to do it again, I would probably make two trips. I would ask a sitter to watch them while I moved my stuff (which is very stressful without worrying about the animals), then make a second trip with the pets. Also, I'd ask a friend to help with the driving so that you can comfort your little buddy.
Above all else, give yourself plenty of time, make frequent rest stops, and drive carefully. Moving is stressful.
Because it will reduce any stress they feel when going on a long trip? Before making a 12 hour move with my 3 cats I took them out on a car ride once or twice a week for a whole month. Yes it was very stressful but the day of the drive they knew exactly what to do and what was going on.They cried for maybe 5 minutes and all just went to sleep. It makes it easier in the long run.
But this is just one 4 hour drive. It seems like it's way more than 4 hours of stress to do it that way when you could just do it the one time.. So yea, maybe it saves a little stress on the day of, but at what cost? By adding unnecessary stress to a lot of the days before that.
I regularly take my cat on \~2.5 hour trips and have done so since she was young. She doesn't love it but is fine with it. Last time we did the trip (on Sunday...) she just buried her head in my elbow after I let her out of her carrier and she tried to ignore the world. Note: I was not driving and I trust her not to dive into the foot well with the peddles.
Now, our prior cat only started on these trips when she was an adult, and it took her several trips before she realized each time after 5 min, we *weren't* headed to the vet so maybe she should stop crying. She also left many holes in our seats, in part because she was a little demon when it came to trimming nails.
I don't really understand why you'd stress the cat with multiple car trips just because you have one 4 hour trip coming up.. They're going to be stressed enough with all the packing and moving. Imo, it makes more sense to just do it once instead of trying to get the used to it, which may not even work. If you have to do multiple drives with them like you're talking about, that makes sense. But I think for op, better one bad afternoon than weeks of stressful drives to no where..
I agree with you, I’d rather just get a reliable prescription from the vet to make it as stress-free as possible if they’re only anticipating putting him in the car once. Getting him used to the car would’ve been helpful twelve years ago…at this point it seems unnecessary. I’d be very hesitant at stressing out a cat that age for the sake of one move.
I’ve had one cat that didn’t mind the car - the rest have hated it. And I couldn’t let them out of the carrier as we were all in a U-Haul cab. I don’t think anything would have conditioned them to be in the crates for 3 hours at a time.
Little bourbon can help ease the stress
https://preview.redd.it/35z4jiymrq1b1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8b85a9ad96bd4779f2300b4c4f0854628f6b7a4
I traveled 12 hrs with my tuxie and she didn’t do any meds. She settled in quickly. Had a bed, box and took breaks so she could walk around on her leash. But everyone’s different.
https://preview.redd.it/5igc3ivi8q1b1.jpeg?width=1972&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=373749c3ad1b389e7056361bf3020ea7b13fc9da
Off topic but your boy looks like my boy lol
I drove from California to Chicago with a cat of mine. I had him in a big dog carrier with a fuzzy blanket and food and water. I buckled him into the middle of the back seat because I had a passenger. That way I could reach behind me and stick my fingers into the front of the carrier and give him scratches while I was driving. I kept those plastic disposable pre loaded litterboxes with the peel back paper top in the car and when when would get to hotels, I would put one in the room and then put it in a trash bag and toss at at the hotel when we left. I found that any cats I have kind of shut down on long trips so having a litterbox in the carrier was not necessary. He was my little travel trooper.
https://preview.redd.it/cddopgx6dq1b1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5bf2fdf7ce28d06f4ae8b2a93368b8495b202adb
I guess it all depends on the cat…. My daughter drives 8 hours with her 2 cats when she comes home with no problem. Once she gets to the car she lets them out of the carrier and they just chill…they’re good travelers.
We just did a 12 hour drive (each way) with our two cats. We tried keeping’s them in the crates but one of them peed in theirs when we were leaving so we put them on harnesses and let them loose.
They cried for 30 mins and were trying to climb everywhere and then just slept the whole time. We stopped several times to see if they wanted to use the litter box but they were so out of their element they didn’t go. On the way back we only stopped for gas instead and they were fine.
I think just giving them blankets that smell like home and not blaring music went a long way.
Has he ever had churu? My cat was the same way about the vet. What I did was buy a soft-walled carrier and I started by leaving it open in the house for her to explore and get her scent on. Then I started giving her special extra yummy treats (churu) when she was in it— if she didn’t get in it herself, I lured her in with the treats. Eventually she would sleep in it herself. After a while, I would practice zipping it up partially with her inside. Then I would do fully, and afterwards, churu time. Next step was to move it across the room while she was in it a few times. Slowly acclimating her to the carrier itself. The next car ride with her in the carrier was much better— I brought churu and gave it to her on the ride as well. TLDR: Churu.
Last time I moved, I just let the cat sit in my lap...just played it like we were on the couch. Depending on how mellow your boy is, this could work for a 4hr drive.
i’m actually moving the same distance with my 6 yo boy in a few weeks and my vet said one thing i could try is elevating his carrier so he can see out the window. she said her cats love that but i also got gabapentin just in case.
you could probably try some feliway on a towel! it’s a calming spray my vet uses for pets who come in all frazzled
Yes, I've heard that cats are prone to motion sickness (the downside of all that balance and hearing ability--your cat's skills may vary), and being able to see out (especially out the front window) helps the brain process the motion sensation (not applicable to the orange boi models except when they have the braincell).
The thing with gabapentin is that it takes an hour or two to fully kick in, so by the time you’re on the road you won’t have much time left for it to have its effects.
Although, I think unless you have a very high anxiety cat, 4 hours shouldn’t be too bad. At worst, they’ll yowl a lot, but then it’ll be over.
Get a small or medium dog crate and secure it in the back. Watch that it stays out of the sun so it doesn’t get too hot. Can put a small litter pan or part of a box with a thin amount of litter in it along with a attachable food bowl and a cat bed. He’ll be the most comfortable.
We did a drive from Texas to Colorado and back with our cat when he was about 6 months, he screamed his lil head off the first 30-45 minutes. We did give him an anxiety chewie the first hour before the drive to let it kick in, but he mellowed out after we got onto the highway. We have gotten some prescription from his doctor for later trips this year, which we should've used for that trip honestly. But he slept in our laps and looked out the window most of the time. He had access to his carrier, litter box, his favorite blanket and toys. He also did wear his harness with his IDs the entire time and he went in the carrier when we stopped for gas in case he got scared and tried to bolt. He was pretty good for the 8hr trips. But if you are concerned about him getting in your lap while you're driving, they make larger car enclosures/carriers for the litter box and somewhere for them to lie down. Cat safety seats/harnesses are something that I believe to be a great investment as well.
Maybe a soft-sided carrier for safety? I'll consider this when we're on the go:
https://preview.redd.it/mtgk4kvisr1b1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2bd9e2e0b66ada65ceb0126d3bc3eae538f9f282
Had my cat bite/claw their way out of one of those once while going down the interstate… it was super stressful and I had to pull off and find a pet store to buy a new carrier.
I now only use a hardshell carrier with warm blankets in it and a toy or two and I make sure it’s facing so I can quickly glance in the back to see my kitty is okay.
Your vet can Rx you something that may be preferable to OTC supplements. They often reach for gabapentin because it’s safe and effective. You may want to try it out on him prior to the car ride to make sure you’ve got the dose right for him.
Not to be a bummer— but in your buddy’s best interest— remember that stressful events such as moving can *occasionally* lead to urethral obstruction, so may want to look up the location (and hours, importantly) of the nearby general practice/ER in your new city.
Good luck, handsome boy!
PS— please, please keep him secured in his carrier at all times. It’s just not worth the risk, and 4 hours isn’t too excessive.
He sploots! Ours did too. We moved him 12 hours by car and he was scared of them. Take him to the vet and get some gabapentin. Bring lots of those favourite treats too. He will complain but he’ll be far less stressed out as long as you keep talking to him.
His pose here😍 What a doll. I’d ask your vet about Gabapentin. Soft carriers are usually preferred! Large with a small litter box inside. Leave the carrier out in advance so he can explore it and leave treats inside for him to find. My cats do better when the carrier is covered except the front, facing me. That way they can see me — I talk and sing to them to calm them down. Good luck to you and the sweet boy🤍
My partner and i moved from city suburbs to small country town 6 years ago, 3hrs drive, with 3 cats and 2 rabbits.
Best thing we ever did, since we got out of the suburbs and into our own rental house with more space for the pets and us.
All of them were in the back seat of my car, confined in 4 collapsable zipper crates (bunnies together) with foam cushions for comfort and they were mostly good travellers.
One cat (most clingy one) escaped her bag about half way through the trip by nosing open the zipper, but that was because she couldn’t see me driving from where her crate was behind the seat.
We just had to shuffle the crates so she was able to see between the seats and i could reach behind me to touch her nose through the bag mesh. After a cuddle, she settled down for the rest of the trip.
The bunnies travelled well, except for peeing on the cushion and chewing a few holes in the cover, but they were fine otherwise.
OP, good luck with your 4hr trip, not too much longer than mine, and you’ve only got one to deal with. Your best bet is to place them in the car so they can see you during the trip so they know you’re nearby.
Maybe play some soft music on the stereo along the way and give them treats so they know it’s a positive experience. Safe travels!
CBD and take him on short rides. Sit in the car with it on for as long as you can to get him used to it. My girly is about the same age. I've taken her on countless rides, but only recently, she started to warm up. I put a harness on her with a leash and set her on my lap (ik it's not relatively safe, but it keeps her calm and happy to sit with me. Eventually, she had started to move back and forth between the passenger seat and my lap. The last time I had her in the car, I put her bed in the passenger seat and kept a hand by her at all times. Perfectly enough, she just vibed the whole time, did pant a little, but still a win.
Purchase some feliway, and spray the bedding and carrier. It’s a non toxic hot wine that helps them relax. I flew with my 2 cats from Detroit to Las Vegas with barely a peep :) you can buy on Amazon.
Gabapentin from the vet! Try giving it a few days before to see how best to administer it (my cats hate it). I usually have a cat carrier open for them if they want to go in there, and a litter box (freshly washed) but with some litter in it just in case they need to use the bathroom. Side note: last time I drove with my cats, one of them peed on my legs, so maybe the litter box is a moot point hahaha. Anyways, lots of blankets/smells they’re used to. I have two cats, one will just hide in the cat carrier, one won’t leave my lap - the entire 8 hour drive. Best of luck!
I moved 4 hrs away with my two. I put them together in a small dog create and had them on the front passenger seat next to me. The dog create gives much more visibility then a cat box so they could look around. They settled down and went to sleep.
When I take them to the vet or cattery they are in their cat boxes and cry the whole way.
https://preview.redd.it/y1s9fjjkss1b1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b0c7484b15aa1858270fc0293fdd2904a589547b
I made a 7 day drive from California to New York with my cat. I had a medium dog crate in the back seat that fit him and a small disposable litter box comfortably. He would “panic pee” in the litter box the first couple times we started driving, so I’m glad I had one in the crate. The first two days it was meowing nonstop until we realized that if we covered his crate with a blanket he just slept like a baby (pic is him passed out sleeping lol). I didn’t know about gabapentin at the time so I didn’t use it, but I use it now any time I take him to the vet. They recommended giving it to him the night before and the morning of the vet visit. Definitely keep trying things for your cat to see what works as they are all different.
I’ve moved so many times and hours on the road. I had car not so packed to allow room for litter and the trunk has those cup holes that used for food and water. He will be fine. Ensure to block areas on the drivers side. Last thing you want is a kitty by the breaks and accelerator of your car
Hi! I moved 5 hours away last December with my 14 year old diabetic cat. I had to same concern and talked to my vet. My vet told me since my cat was elderly, providing any type of sedative comes with a risk that it would do more harm than good. I made the decision not to give any type of prescribed medicine, and all the reviews on over the counter “calming” sprays and such were not great…
IMO, 4 hours of discomfort for your 12 year old kitty is better than risking giving him any medicine that could cause some serious issues. I wish you the best of luck - my 14 year old has settled in immediately and the ride was forgotten right away — though she sure did scream the whole way and make it known she wasn’t happy LOL
Thank you thank you thank you everyone! Gabapentin seems to be the popular vote, he has a vet visit in early June so I’ll definitely ask about it! Planning to use a combo of suggestions I’ve received! You’re all super helpful and appreciated! Glad everyone likes his chicken leggies, he loves to show them off lol
I put a tshirt in the carrier that I'd worn. I used the otc calming chews, just gave an extra one. Make sure you take a dirty cat box, or at least a bunch of dirty litter.
Keep him in the carrier, the whole time. Do not let him out at all until you arrive at your destination, and he can be kept in doors. Cats in the car loose are very dangerous to the driver. He will be fine. It is like a little cave for him.
Recently moved my cat from one country to another. It was car ride, plane, car ride. We used disposable baby changing pads in her carrier. It was so easy! She pooped, puked(think from the meds/stress) and peed on them and you just throw it out and place a new one. And we had a syringe to keep her hydrated. for eating/drinking herself she was too uncomfortable.. It’s not going to be pleasant most likely, but we do the best we can.
Ask to your vet about putting him on gabapentin for the trip. Make sure his carrier is a safe space for him if it isn’t already, so put a blanket in there, pheromones will also help relax him, and give him lots of love and treats. You might even try taking him on short car rides and rewarding him the entire time so he get used to the car a bit more. Covering his carrier with a blanket could also help relax him and make him feel more safe
Ask your vet for anti-anxiety meds and keep the carrier covered while traveling. Give him a potty and water/food break halfway, but make certain all vehicle doors and windows are kept fully closed while he's out of the carrier! I've heard of too many pets getting lost during a move! Once you arrive at your new place, put him in a room that has everything he needs, (litter, food, water, bed), and keep the door closed while you're moving things into the new place. If you can't do that, look up "pop-up pet tents" on Amazon and keep him in the tent with everything he needs. When moving into a new place, you don't want him suddenly shooting out an open door and getting lost.
I drove 1600mi with my two cats in a little Honda Civic. They cried for the first hour but eventually stopped. I setup a litter box on the floor in the back seat and gave them some wet food. I didn’t have them crated (my car was filled to the brim with stuff I was transporting) but they just hid underneath the car seats for most of the time.
I got hotels at night and let them roam around the hotel room to get their exercise in. It was a painful journey but we made do. And I’ll probably be doing it again within the next couple of years.
So my cat hates car rides too. And we did a 5 hour move. We used Feliway spray on a sweater my partner wore and put it in his carrier. Oddly enough… we moved on a day that it was 39 degrees. We blasted the AC worried he’d get hot. He started to get unsettled and crying. So we turned the ac down. The warmer it was in the car, the happier he was. So we humans had to just sweat it out on one of the hottest days of the year. My advice is to just be mindful of what he likes! Haha
Love him😽
I had this problem with one of my females.
Don’t drive fast, but don’t be the slowest car and impede traffic.
Talk to your baby throughout the trip. Not too loudly because you may scare him. Gentle talking , repeating his name or nicknames that you use at home.
Bring his favourite blanket, toy, anything that would soothe him or remind him of home
Including sweaters you’ve worn or even your hair scrunchies (elastic hair holders wrapped in fabric)
If he likes music or a song, play that on your cell.
It may soothe him.
Make sure he is in a cat carrier and locked up while you drive. You don’t need distractions.
Be calm and careful in your trip.
GODSPEED
🙏🫶🏻
*very important (just read it in one of the comments *
Bring his litterbox with clean litter and bring doggy bags to put the poop in to dispose in nearest garbage container (maybe at a rest stop)
Please do not throw your litter( including cat litter) out the window!!
As others have said, gabapentin helps! I recommend the liquid compounded form. It is more expensive, but the fact that it’s easier to give makes the cost a good investment. Just make sure to ask if the pharmacy has a base without xylitol, because xylitol is toxic to cats and dogs and must not be used in their medicine. A compounding pharmacy might have a chicken or tuna-flavored base. Try to squirt it down the back of the throat so your kitty won’t taste it. Swishing his mouth with water or a little broth squirted in with an oral syringe might be good if he reacts negatively to the taste or if you have to give pills instead of liquid. Handle him gently but firmly, and give positive reinforcement every time. If he doesn’t love treats, then pats, praise, brushing, and other things he loves are good as positive reinforcement.
I recommend having his claws clipped ahead of time because he may be anxious and you will have to handle him more often to give meds and move him in and out of the crate. Your move isn’t long, but for longer trips, breaking the trip into a few legs over several days helps keep everyone less stressed out. Good options for pet-friendly hotels include La Quinta, Best Western, and Motel 6. Spend your time off the road giving him a lot of attention unless he needs to hide. Pack the laser and his favorite toys and a brush and devote some extra time to him at the end of a travel day. Getting a Kitty Come With Me harness helped me a lot. I was able to give my cat breaks to get out of the car and pee or at least see what was out there and stretch her legs. It’s easier to use the harness if you have your cat practice wearing it ahead of time. As always, give him lots of treats and praise for even letting you show it to him.
You can get disposable cat boxes at PetSmart or PetCo so he can have a clean place to relieve himself along the way. I used a plastic grocery bag to store the scoop and carried that and the fresh litter bag inside the stacked disposable litter boxes so I had everything in one place and my cat could always have a good potty option. If possible, position his carrier so he can see you when you’re driving. This helps him feel less anxious. Talk to him often and let him smell your hand from time to time or have a little something that smells like you, such as a shirt you have worn, in his bed in the crate. Feliway is great, but it’s expensive, so another familiar smell of you or him from a blanket is a less expensive soothing smell option. As others have mention, treat any blankets or surfaces with Feliway in advance and let them dry before giving them to him because the ethanol is toxic and must be evaporated before he can use the items. A bigger crate is better, and lining it with puppy training pads and carrying cleaning wipes is really helpful in case you can’t get him to come out to use the kitty box or if you can’t fit a box in his crate.
I recommend getting a collapsible water bowl (they have good, affordable ones at Five Below) and having disposable paper bowls for food. Cats who are moving can get very stressed out and cats who are stressed might not eat and drink as much, so get him some very enticing wet food and treats in case he needs a bit of encouragement to eat and help staying hydrated. My recently-deceased cat couldn’t get enough of Fancy Feast Gems, even when she lost her appetite from cancer. Those things and the broths and cat food toppers are great to have on hand. Catnip relieves stress, so getting a little soft catnip toy for him to snuggle is a good idea.
When you get to the other end, he might either be very clingy or want to hide. Give him space to hide and consider putting a cat bed and a food and water dish in a closet so he has a safe cat cave. Get a couple of Feliway diffusers for your room and the living room or any area where you will be so he can feel comforted when spending time with you. He might benefit from taking a couple of days of gabapentin at a lower dose when you get to the other end to help him feel less anxiety about adjusting to the new space. Ask your vet for tips!
Don’t feed before trip so he doesn’t need bathroom, cover the carrier with a blanket so it’s quiet and dark, perhaps get some feliway and also see if the vet can give you some anti anxiety medication if you think it’s required
Every cat is different of course, but my babies respond well to bringing familiar toys and pillows/blankets from the room along for the ride. Building up the space to be as comfortable as possible is all you can really do other than introducing a medicine or alternative solution.
Call your Vet and ask them about Phermone blankets. Place it over the travel case like a net.
Sometimes our Vet brings one out to the sitting room for louder patients.
50mg of gabapentin 2 hours before you go and you’re all set. Then for the next month do that feliway plug into the wall, while giving gabapentin. I usually do once a day, but you may want to do twice per day to start if he isn’t sleeping
I use the rescue remedy pet stress drops when I take my kitty in trips! It takes about a half hour for it to kick in, then she sleeps lightly the rest of the way. Granted, these trips are only about 2 hours, but I’m sure you could re-administer if necessary
Besides the gabapentin, box, food and ect, make sure kitty has a place that they feel and are safe when they feel stressed as we did for our kitty on an 8 hour ride, though she stayed up with us most of the time (on a makeshift bed between the two of us) in a harness
So we also have a fuzzy love who cries on the way to the vet, but not on the way home. Over time we have taught them by using drive through, that some car rides go to the vet, and other car rides include a weird experience where people get food or coffee and then drive to a non vet related destination. Good luck!
Used to have to do 3 hour trips on weekends. Vet gave lorazepam. He slept the whole way and then some - talk to your vet. They will make your furry friend comfortable.
When I moved three hours with my baby, I put a fluffy blanket in his carrier as well as a toy he likes. Try to avoid loud music if you can (I have to have music playing when I’m driving or I get anxious). For my previous cat we gave her a pheromone collar that helped a lot
Felieay. Soray a bit in his cage. Have water, sandtray and treats on hand.
Also put a faverite item of his in the cage as well and his bed.
When yiu get to the new place spray feliway and put his faverite things in what will be his plave.
Travelled across 3 provinces last month 3300++ kms with our cat Penny - she always complains for a few minutes but eventually adapts to the travel… wear a harness - easier to grab if they get curious of the window in drive thrus… if you have a lock on the back windows have it on - Penny ‘accidentally’ pressed the window button 😆 keep a soft blanket or cat bed for them to sleep on… a small litter box use a plastic liner under the litter it makes for easy clean up- we had one on the backseat - a carrier bag/backpack is a good idea … we never gave our kitty meds at all… 4 hours isn’t too far… also make sure to have paper towel for any throw ups/messes… safe travels!
I found that when I did the same thing, 4 hr drive, if I let them loose in the car, they were fine, even having the cat carrier open, they could go in and out, and they were waaay more relaxed and it wasn't an issue. Take em for a few trips, just for 15 mins like that to adapt them to it
Talk to your vet, if car rides scare him, they can prescribe a mild, oral sedative to calm him down. It worked wonders for my boy, and his/our journey was multiple days. I put on some relaxing music on Spotify and he slept most of the way.
Catnip. I'm not being funny.
We use to help our cats relax, during stressful events, like thunder storms, 4 of July fireworks, travel...
I don't give them catnip before the vet though.
I give my ol' fella Bach Rescue Remedy for long trips. Works very well for him. Comes in dropper bottle. About 15 minutes before it's time to hit the road, I add it to food or a lickable treat so that administering it is stress free. He naps comfortably for a few hours at a time after settling in to the car.
I moved 2100 miles with my two kitties. I bought a bigger soft sided pet carrier and put it in my backseat along with a small litter box inside a moving box with a big hole, attached it the the opening of the carrier with duct tape so they could go back and forth with ease. I used the feliway spray to help with their anxiety. It was fine after the first day of travel. It took us 3 days.
Gabapentin if your vets will prescribe. (It's quite potent, so expect him to be a bit space cadet-ish for a bit) Otherwise rescue remedy or valerian.
And once you have moved set him up in a room he can't get out of for a day or two, then let him explore his new home, but don't let him out for about 2 weeks (if he an outside cat) just so he can establish that this is his home.
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Awwwww, he’s so adorable ❤️🐱🙏. Gabapentin prescription from your veterinarian to calm kitty for the ride. Also bring favorite toys, food, treats and a box with litter. Good luck 🍀
Agree 100% on the gabapentin. It was a miracle when we moved and had to take our nervous nelly cat on an 8 hour car ride. He slept like a baby except for letting out a random, loud, solitary meow every couple hours 😂
Can I ask how you give your cat the Gabapentin? It’s so bitter I’ve been unsuccessful at mixing it in with food for my high anxiety guy. Edit: SO many people responded!! Thank you all so much for taking the time to leave me your wisdom. I really appreciate it!
I empty the capsule into a little tuna juice then draw up into a medicine/kitten feeding syringe (the one without a needle) and slide the syringe in the side of their mouth, direct towards the throat and push in.
Tuna juice!! I’ve tried so many wet foods but not tuna juice. This is super helpful. Thank you!
Make it's the water can tuna. Some cans come in oil. Also I recommend the reduced sodium cans. Correct me if I'm wrong but it feels like the healthy option
Oh thank you!! That’s great to know!
Spring water not brine 👍
Always go for no salt added if it’s available! I know Trader Joe’s has some salt free tuna cans (I believe they are red) and we’ll always grab a couple when we’re up there
Also pill pockets/pill paste! It totally covers the outside of the pill so they can’t taste it. I use it even if I have to pill one of our cats so it won’t be bitter.
He loves food but could care less about treats - isn’t that funny?
I have a cat that normally couldn’t care less about treats too! Try catnip treats! They’re the only treats my cat will touch
Mine loves treats but yeah the new catnip ones are awesome! He loves those💕💕🤣😂
My cat goes absolutely nuts over them! I recommend them to all cat owners:)
😳😳What? A cat that doesn’t like cat treats?!! That’s a new one🤣😂💕
Mine uses the tuna and cheese pill pockets from greenies and he BEGS to take his pills every morning/evening. Such a lifesaver. The cat ones I find really small though so if you have a long pill like mine take half the dog version works even better. Mine loves peanut butter so I used those in a pinch.
I can’t get any of my kitties to take meds so it’s either this or just pushing the pill down their throat. The syringe is more time consuming but obviously a bit less stressful for them. Good luck!
Thank you! 💕
We have 7 cats and when we have to give them any type of medication in pill form I bought a pill syringe. You put the pill in it stick in their mouth and press the plunger. It shoots the pill down the throat easy. I mean I guess it could still be traumatic but it's alot faster than by hand.
This is exactly what I do.
Great idea! Thanks 😊 🙏
I got a liquid gabapentin... But it has to be refrigerated. Liquid or powder, squeeze ups, churu puree treats, baby food stage 1 meats all work
I’ve unfortunately tried the actual liquid medication compounds but they *really* freak out my cat. He has heart issues, and the three times I’ve tried to give him liquid meds he totally panics, foams at the mouth and then ends up in a coughing fit. He’s kind of a hot mess and I don’t know why that stresses him SO much 🥴
I will say that I've found that it's really hit or miss. I have 2 cats... No problem with the liquid mixed in... Another figured it out (maybe the smell)... Never fell for that trick after about 3 tries. My 7 mo kitten had to have it for pain... I tried it straight... Stupidly... 3 times. He simply waits a second and opens his mouth and let's it roll out. Other oral meds like doxycycline... None of my cats like it. You'd think I was killing them ... The hacking, the foaming, even pawing at their mouth... The reactions never cease to amaze me lol
It’s so dramatic looking that the first time he foamed at the mouth I had absolutely no idea what was happening! It scared me! This is Joey is (on the right) and he is the *worst* about medicating. Like come on, I’m trying to help your heart, dude! ♥️ https://preview.redd.it/s8vmfkzt5r1b1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f541d7547198afb7173cceb9816d2c54bb181d1
They are too cute! 🥰
They are just the best. ♥️
They foam when all the meds don't go all the way down and some get on their tongue and palate. Ya have to try to get them in the back of their throat. Use a plastic syringe made for meds. No glass!!!
My one cat had no issues, ate the powdered stuff up like it was a sprinkle of sugar. My other one didn't even take a bite, just sniffed it, backed away, and gave me an accusing stare. I eventually just had to pill her. She refused to eat anything I gave her for a good day or two, but had no problem eating if it was my husband. That's what I get for him being the fun dad.
My cat has heart issues and the vet is not giving him what his siblings get (Tramadol). Have you asked your vet to make sure the Gabapentin is safe for his ❤️?
Yes! My vet is awesome and wouldn’t prescribe it if it wasn’t safe for him. This definitely isn’t a daily med! It’s for when he has to be in the car and we are moving very soon 🥴♥️
Admittedly, the foaming really freaks me out lol
You should try tablets. Also get a pill shooter. Much easier to give pills that way. Just make sure it's a small one because if it is too big the pills will just fall out.
That feel when the vet prescribed my cat the same anxiety medication that I was taking lol
Combine the gaba with feliway sprays on carrier or cat-bed. Use feliway diffuser in new home to ease into the change of loxation
Be careful with the feliway sprays especially if you and/or your cat have asthma or allergies. The feliway spray acts up my asthma and I’m a runner and gardener as hobbies. Good luck 🍀
Be very careful with the Feliway stuff, it works great but my friends cat licked some and was dead within a few hours 😞
Wth?! I haven't heard of this! I didn't know that was even possible!
Did some research. Apparently, they use ethanol for an evaporative in the diffuser. (Think 180 proof Vodka),That can be toxic if ingested. I have no idea why a cat would kick it, but they also make a spray for bedding. Once the alcohol evaporates, it's apparently safe, but you do NOT spray it on the animal or into the carrier when the kitty is there. There is plenty of stuff on line about how to use it.
Me too. I didn't think it was toxic. I'll have to check.
You need to make sure the Felliway is dry before allowing the cat to use the cat carrier. Personally, I swear by Felliway. I had to take my two cats on a 6 hour journey across the country, both hating being in the car. I will admit one cat did cry for the whole journey, but she was settled in her carrier, with her paws tucked in, so I felt that she wasn’t stressed really, she was just making a fuss. The other cat had a tendency to do all her business in the cat carrier at the early leg of the journey. I took a spare cat carrier (they were in separate carriers anyway because the didn’t get on) so I stopped when I could and swapped her into a clean dry carrier. No other issues during the journey. I think she curled up and went to sleep. My cat carriers have dishes for food and water. I’m pretty sure I just put water in for them, but still a good idea that they have access for long journeys.
Definitely gabapentin or, if your baby is very easily stressed, trazodone. We have a very confident little boy who, coincidentally, gets extremely stressed and, as the vet said to me, "over thinks" his situations when there is a lot of change. We moved north for the summer last year (3.5 hour car ride) and he ended up getting a very serious UTI (despite me trying to make sure *everything* was perfect). We got a prescription for trazodone to move him back home and he slept the whole time. it was amazing. the effects lasted around 15-24 hours. For most kitties gabapentin works and isn't quite as sedative, but works more as an anxiolytic - I just wanted to throw this out there!
Man, I tried trazadone for one of my cats once and all it did was turn him into a mean drunk, wobbling everywhere while hissing and batting at my other cat as she just stared at him like, "What I do, friend?"
My same thoughts- ask your vet for a gabapentin Rx and give him 1-2 mL depending on how anxious he is or according to the vet
Agree with this. I moved my two boys 8 hours away by car and the gabapentin helped a lot. I boarded them before the movers came so they wouldn't face the stress of seeing their world dismantled piece by piece and had them administer the meds before I picked them up for the drive. There were only a couple of indignant meows from them the whole time.
Not an answer to your question, but i got to say, man has some drum sticks. 
He lifts AND squats
He never skips leg day.
And he wants you to know about it ;)
r/drumstick
>r/drumstick dangit. **not another** cat subreddit for me to subscribe to. LOL
***There's always more***
Hahaha
We drove 3000 miles with our three cats. They cried for about 45 minutes, and I thought that it was going to be hell. They stopped crying and either slept or chilled out the rest of the time. We did 7 days on the road with hotels and it was fairly easy. I bought a large dog crate and put two in that, and the other in a collapsible nylon crate on Amazon that came with a collapsible litter box. We didn’t have to give them meds. I think they just resigned to knowing that the car ride was not going to end. Good luck. Just give it time.
I did a 2k mile move just like this and it worked very well.
Similar. 2000 miles, 4 days, two cats. Harnesses for potty breaks, one rather large carrier, it worked out way better than expected.
When I moved I was able to take 3 days which made 3 hour chunks in the car. That left lots of time to play and snuggle in the hotel each night. It was still a miserable experience for all of us (2 cats). And they could make it that long without a potty stop - although we had one in-crate accident along the way. Definitely had a box with their favorite toys and pulled their blankness out of the carrier each day for a familiar scent.
We moved cross country and did the same thing pretty much. Rented a mini van to put the big cage in the back. Worked out great!
Yes, same for our 2100 mile move.
https://preview.redd.it/1orju1bw0p1b1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecb22207e7517f8b5ce5059df902722244f9f00b He looks so much like my almost 2 year old boy!
omg!!! they could be brothers!! ;w;
https://preview.redd.it/ngqiqxkmvq1b1.jpeg?width=2320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d921b346e911dad51fb2084cd2fd036f90b8d2ed Just took a 4hr round trip with my little girl and she did great. I wish you the best!!! Congrats!!
My cat doesn't like traveling in a crate but does fine in my grandchild's car seat. I buckle him in using a technique like they do for dogs. He likes to see out, and is harness trained. Also, frequent breaks. The noise and vibration is exhausting.
Do any pics of this exist?
https://preview.redd.it/ew5057lgcr1b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1177493d4db4e6734ac3e5e5ec0337c6a49cd6f2 You can't see the harness, but it has a loop attached and that is buckled through the straps
I got anti anxiety meds from my vet for my kitties for a drive of a similar length. Worked wonders for one, but turned the other to a monster. If you are going to use calming aids, try them in advance.
Oh no, what happened to the other one that turned them into a monster? Did they just get more anxious and spazz out?
He got aggressive and scratched everybody in sight if he got uncrated. He is normally a literal lump of love. It was very unexpected.
Every cat is different. I've made the 4 hour drive multiple times when visiting my family for extended period of times. Calming sprays didn't help for my cats but I think it's worth a try. My favorite vet left leaving a less than satisfactory vet who never prescribed anything. My cats are restless when not in a carrier and will climb all over the place, so I couldn't let them loose to hopefully settle on the seat. Having two cats climb on my arms while steering was less than ideal so I scrapped that idea quick haha. I ended up just having them in crates, use the calming spray even though I don't think it does anything, talk to them, and occasionally give them treats. One cat tolerates it well and will just meow for the first 30 mins. My other cat will usually poop 30 minutes into the drive, as if on a damn timer, forcing me to pull into a rest station to clean it. Again, I can't have a litter box on the floor b/c the cats can't be out of the crate, lest the climb on the dashboard or block my rear view mirrors. After the first 30-45 minutes of meowing and pooping, they usually sleep for the rest of the ride though. Try everything you can to find what works for your cats. Bring cleaning supplies in case you need them. I'm finding a new vet. Random statement: The only time I bathed my cats, other than when I first rescued them off of the streets, was when my nervous cat pooped during the 4 hour drive and got it all over her fur... so yea... she needed a bath. She also didn't go limp with scruff holding during bathing and left me some nice scars from her flailing... so I just got in the tub with her and closed the sliding door. She calmed down a lot more with my supposedly suffering in water with her... it was a weirder moment in my time learning how to care for cats.
Co pilot with litter and water in the back. https://preview.redd.it/sihmw7zv6p1b1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=684544abbc93723f986a064ec2992a815387efd5
This is what I do! I am realizing though that I’m lucky my cat absolutely loves car rides haha. She drives with me to my partner’s house weekly, which is an hour and a half away, and her only complaint is I won’t let her out of the car to play outside during our drives.😂
I moved from NY to Kansas City and back with my two cats (almost 10 now). I searched “cat condo” on Amazon and got a collapsible soft crate that took up the entire back seat. It meant I could fit less for my move but my girls got to move around, drink, and use the litter box. They were upset for the first hour or so each day (I split it up into 3 days) but then the road lulled them to kitty slumber. One major tip when staying at hotels with cats - once you get into your room try to think like a feline and check any cracks behind the bed, between a desk and TV stand, and even gaps between a mattress and bedframe. Block off what you can with luggage. THEN let your cat out of the carrier. My cats hid very creatively and it’s hard to lift an entire mattress while urging your cat to come out. lol
I also own a cow https://preview.redd.it/7si434afwq1b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=50f510760a52640f4f5a6ea91b30a5242d717d5f
r/cowcats
I just did a 2 1/2 move. I covered the carrier with a fleece blanket and she stopped crying after 10 minutes. All good after that
I moved from Los Angeles to Portland with three cats a few years back. I took them to the vet and got a prescription medication to calm them. After being on the road for an hour, they calmed down and slept. But that hour was tough! If you're going to use a sedative, give it to your cat a couple hours before you leave so that it has time to do it's thing. Also, as others mentioned, secure your hotel room before letting your cat out. You could make a bed for him in the bathroom if you think he might hide. A medium sized dog kennel is another alternative. If I had to do it again, I would probably make two trips. I would ask a sitter to watch them while I moved my stuff (which is very stressful without worrying about the animals), then make a second trip with the pets. Also, I'd ask a friend to help with the driving so that you can comfort your little buddy. Above all else, give yourself plenty of time, make frequent rest stops, and drive carefully. Moving is stressful.
Make him drive. He’ll be so busy doing that, he will forget to cry.
He’s only 12 so he can’t get his license yet. Not even a learners permit until 15.
My girl is also a 2011 baby! https://preview.redd.it/64v14dywrq1b1.jpeg?width=2580&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d91b7d304c8971dde0ab765221d80c263fb5c99
She is perfect
I would be doing some practice drives and ramp them up to 30+ mins
Why, so you can torture him multiple times? That seems needlessly cruel. He's not going to get used to it..
I dunno my cat loves the car after a few road trips.
Because it will reduce any stress they feel when going on a long trip? Before making a 12 hour move with my 3 cats I took them out on a car ride once or twice a week for a whole month. Yes it was very stressful but the day of the drive they knew exactly what to do and what was going on.They cried for maybe 5 minutes and all just went to sleep. It makes it easier in the long run.
But this is just one 4 hour drive. It seems like it's way more than 4 hours of stress to do it that way when you could just do it the one time.. So yea, maybe it saves a little stress on the day of, but at what cost? By adding unnecessary stress to a lot of the days before that.
I regularly take my cat on \~2.5 hour trips and have done so since she was young. She doesn't love it but is fine with it. Last time we did the trip (on Sunday...) she just buried her head in my elbow after I let her out of her carrier and she tried to ignore the world. Note: I was not driving and I trust her not to dive into the foot well with the peddles. Now, our prior cat only started on these trips when she was an adult, and it took her several trips before she realized each time after 5 min, we *weren't* headed to the vet so maybe she should stop crying. She also left many holes in our seats, in part because she was a little demon when it came to trimming nails.
I don't really understand why you'd stress the cat with multiple car trips just because you have one 4 hour trip coming up.. They're going to be stressed enough with all the packing and moving. Imo, it makes more sense to just do it once instead of trying to get the used to it, which may not even work. If you have to do multiple drives with them like you're talking about, that makes sense. But I think for op, better one bad afternoon than weeks of stressful drives to no where..
I agree with you, I’d rather just get a reliable prescription from the vet to make it as stress-free as possible if they’re only anticipating putting him in the car once. Getting him used to the car would’ve been helpful twelve years ago…at this point it seems unnecessary. I’d be very hesitant at stressing out a cat that age for the sake of one move.
I’ve had one cat that didn’t mind the car - the rest have hated it. And I couldn’t let them out of the carrier as we were all in a U-Haul cab. I don’t think anything would have conditioned them to be in the crates for 3 hours at a time.
Little bourbon can help ease the stress https://preview.redd.it/35z4jiymrq1b1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8b85a9ad96bd4779f2300b4c4f0854628f6b7a4
https://preview.redd.it/hpmm2183yt1b1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d61eba098ba08ce0e86dbab3b4f5d145354c2fb9 My orange boi prefers Corona
Just hope he's not behind the wheel.
No advice, but wishing you luck and him a stress free trip, if possible. ❤
I traveled 12 hrs with my tuxie and she didn’t do any meds. She settled in quickly. Had a bed, box and took breaks so she could walk around on her leash. But everyone’s different.
https://preview.redd.it/5igc3ivi8q1b1.jpeg?width=1972&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=373749c3ad1b389e7056361bf3020ea7b13fc9da Off topic but your boy looks like my boy lol
I drove from California to Chicago with a cat of mine. I had him in a big dog carrier with a fuzzy blanket and food and water. I buckled him into the middle of the back seat because I had a passenger. That way I could reach behind me and stick my fingers into the front of the carrier and give him scratches while I was driving. I kept those plastic disposable pre loaded litterboxes with the peel back paper top in the car and when when would get to hotels, I would put one in the room and then put it in a trash bag and toss at at the hotel when we left. I found that any cats I have kind of shut down on long trips so having a litterbox in the carrier was not necessary. He was my little travel trooper. https://preview.redd.it/cddopgx6dq1b1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5bf2fdf7ce28d06f4ae8b2a93368b8495b202adb
I guess it all depends on the cat…. My daughter drives 8 hours with her 2 cats when she comes home with no problem. Once she gets to the car she lets them out of the carrier and they just chill…they’re good travelers.
We just did a 12 hour drive (each way) with our two cats. We tried keeping’s them in the crates but one of them peed in theirs when we were leaving so we put them on harnesses and let them loose. They cried for 30 mins and were trying to climb everywhere and then just slept the whole time. We stopped several times to see if they wanted to use the litter box but they were so out of their element they didn’t go. On the way back we only stopped for gas instead and they were fine. I think just giving them blankets that smell like home and not blaring music went a long way.
Feliway spray helps calm cats..
I've used it a couple of times and honestly didn't notice any change in behavior.
Has he ever had churu? My cat was the same way about the vet. What I did was buy a soft-walled carrier and I started by leaving it open in the house for her to explore and get her scent on. Then I started giving her special extra yummy treats (churu) when she was in it— if she didn’t get in it herself, I lured her in with the treats. Eventually she would sleep in it herself. After a while, I would practice zipping it up partially with her inside. Then I would do fully, and afterwards, churu time. Next step was to move it across the room while she was in it a few times. Slowly acclimating her to the carrier itself. The next car ride with her in the carrier was much better— I brought churu and gave it to her on the ride as well. TLDR: Churu.
Last time I moved, I just let the cat sit in my lap...just played it like we were on the couch. Depending on how mellow your boy is, this could work for a 4hr drive.
i’m actually moving the same distance with my 6 yo boy in a few weeks and my vet said one thing i could try is elevating his carrier so he can see out the window. she said her cats love that but i also got gabapentin just in case. you could probably try some feliway on a towel! it’s a calming spray my vet uses for pets who come in all frazzled
Yes, I've heard that cats are prone to motion sickness (the downside of all that balance and hearing ability--your cat's skills may vary), and being able to see out (especially out the front window) helps the brain process the motion sensation (not applicable to the orange boi models except when they have the braincell).
The thing with gabapentin is that it takes an hour or two to fully kick in, so by the time you’re on the road you won’t have much time left for it to have its effects. Although, I think unless you have a very high anxiety cat, 4 hours shouldn’t be too bad. At worst, they’ll yowl a lot, but then it’ll be over.
Get a small or medium dog crate and secure it in the back. Watch that it stays out of the sun so it doesn’t get too hot. Can put a small litter pan or part of a box with a thin amount of litter in it along with a attachable food bowl and a cat bed. He’ll be the most comfortable.
What a cutie. Love those stretched out haunches!
Just love the way he is laying!! So cute!!
We did a drive from Texas to Colorado and back with our cat when he was about 6 months, he screamed his lil head off the first 30-45 minutes. We did give him an anxiety chewie the first hour before the drive to let it kick in, but he mellowed out after we got onto the highway. We have gotten some prescription from his doctor for later trips this year, which we should've used for that trip honestly. But he slept in our laps and looked out the window most of the time. He had access to his carrier, litter box, his favorite blanket and toys. He also did wear his harness with his IDs the entire time and he went in the carrier when we stopped for gas in case he got scared and tried to bolt. He was pretty good for the 8hr trips. But if you are concerned about him getting in your lap while you're driving, they make larger car enclosures/carriers for the litter box and somewhere for them to lie down. Cat safety seats/harnesses are something that I believe to be a great investment as well.
Make sure there’s plenty of leg room for those long back leggums
Maybe a soft-sided carrier for safety? I'll consider this when we're on the go: https://preview.redd.it/mtgk4kvisr1b1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2bd9e2e0b66ada65ceb0126d3bc3eae538f9f282
Had my cat bite/claw their way out of one of those once while going down the interstate… it was super stressful and I had to pull off and find a pet store to buy a new carrier. I now only use a hardshell carrier with warm blankets in it and a toy or two and I make sure it’s facing so I can quickly glance in the back to see my kitty is okay.
Your vet can Rx you something that may be preferable to OTC supplements. They often reach for gabapentin because it’s safe and effective. You may want to try it out on him prior to the car ride to make sure you’ve got the dose right for him. Not to be a bummer— but in your buddy’s best interest— remember that stressful events such as moving can *occasionally* lead to urethral obstruction, so may want to look up the location (and hours, importantly) of the nearby general practice/ER in your new city. Good luck, handsome boy! PS— please, please keep him secured in his carrier at all times. It’s just not worth the risk, and 4 hours isn’t too excessive.
He sploots! Ours did too. We moved him 12 hours by car and he was scared of them. Take him to the vet and get some gabapentin. Bring lots of those favourite treats too. He will complain but he’ll be far less stressed out as long as you keep talking to him.
Calming spray has worked for me in the past, but the vet can give you a sedative kind of thing that will help keep him calm.
We knocked our senior babies out with some good ole CBD and drove denver to stl. They did great!
His pose here😍 What a doll. I’d ask your vet about Gabapentin. Soft carriers are usually preferred! Large with a small litter box inside. Leave the carrier out in advance so he can explore it and leave treats inside for him to find. My cats do better when the carrier is covered except the front, facing me. That way they can see me — I talk and sing to them to calm them down. Good luck to you and the sweet boy🤍
He'll be OK once he realizes you're not stopping. I drove a cat from Vegas to Seattle he was good, surprisingly!!
My partner and i moved from city suburbs to small country town 6 years ago, 3hrs drive, with 3 cats and 2 rabbits. Best thing we ever did, since we got out of the suburbs and into our own rental house with more space for the pets and us. All of them were in the back seat of my car, confined in 4 collapsable zipper crates (bunnies together) with foam cushions for comfort and they were mostly good travellers. One cat (most clingy one) escaped her bag about half way through the trip by nosing open the zipper, but that was because she couldn’t see me driving from where her crate was behind the seat. We just had to shuffle the crates so she was able to see between the seats and i could reach behind me to touch her nose through the bag mesh. After a cuddle, she settled down for the rest of the trip. The bunnies travelled well, except for peeing on the cushion and chewing a few holes in the cover, but they were fine otherwise. OP, good luck with your 4hr trip, not too much longer than mine, and you’ve only got one to deal with. Your best bet is to place them in the car so they can see you during the trip so they know you’re nearby. Maybe play some soft music on the stereo along the way and give them treats so they know it’s a positive experience. Safe travels!
get a sedative from vet to help ol’ boy relax during the trip.
Gabapentin, honestly. A friend swears by ‘rescue remedy’ but I haven’t tried it.
CBD and take him on short rides. Sit in the car with it on for as long as you can to get him used to it. My girly is about the same age. I've taken her on countless rides, but only recently, she started to warm up. I put a harness on her with a leash and set her on my lap (ik it's not relatively safe, but it keeps her calm and happy to sit with me. Eventually, she had started to move back and forth between the passenger seat and my lap. The last time I had her in the car, I put her bed in the passenger seat and kept a hand by her at all times. Perfectly enough, she just vibed the whole time, did pant a little, but still a win.
Purchase some feliway, and spray the bedding and carrier. It’s a non toxic hot wine that helps them relax. I flew with my 2 cats from Detroit to Las Vegas with barely a peep :) you can buy on Amazon.
Gabapentin from the vet! Try giving it a few days before to see how best to administer it (my cats hate it). I usually have a cat carrier open for them if they want to go in there, and a litter box (freshly washed) but with some litter in it just in case they need to use the bathroom. Side note: last time I drove with my cats, one of them peed on my legs, so maybe the litter box is a moot point hahaha. Anyways, lots of blankets/smells they’re used to. I have two cats, one will just hide in the cat carrier, one won’t leave my lap - the entire 8 hour drive. Best of luck!
I moved 4 hrs away with my two. I put them together in a small dog create and had them on the front passenger seat next to me. The dog create gives much more visibility then a cat box so they could look around. They settled down and went to sleep. When I take them to the vet or cattery they are in their cat boxes and cry the whole way.
https://preview.redd.it/y1s9fjjkss1b1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b0c7484b15aa1858270fc0293fdd2904a589547b I made a 7 day drive from California to New York with my cat. I had a medium dog crate in the back seat that fit him and a small disposable litter box comfortably. He would “panic pee” in the litter box the first couple times we started driving, so I’m glad I had one in the crate. The first two days it was meowing nonstop until we realized that if we covered his crate with a blanket he just slept like a baby (pic is him passed out sleeping lol). I didn’t know about gabapentin at the time so I didn’t use it, but I use it now any time I take him to the vet. They recommended giving it to him the night before and the morning of the vet visit. Definitely keep trying things for your cat to see what works as they are all different.
Lol, seeks advice and all comments about cat's gams.
I’ve moved so many times and hours on the road. I had car not so packed to allow room for litter and the trunk has those cup holes that used for food and water. He will be fine. Ensure to block areas on the drivers side. Last thing you want is a kitty by the breaks and accelerator of your car
Let him drive
My cat goes absolutely bat shit crazy if he doesn't get to sit in my lap during road trips. He cannot be locked in a caged
Hi! I moved 5 hours away last December with my 14 year old diabetic cat. I had to same concern and talked to my vet. My vet told me since my cat was elderly, providing any type of sedative comes with a risk that it would do more harm than good. I made the decision not to give any type of prescribed medicine, and all the reviews on over the counter “calming” sprays and such were not great… IMO, 4 hours of discomfort for your 12 year old kitty is better than risking giving him any medicine that could cause some serious issues. I wish you the best of luck - my 14 year old has settled in immediately and the ride was forgotten right away — though she sure did scream the whole way and make it known she wasn’t happy LOL
Drugs
https://preview.redd.it/rn1f1lc4wt1b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=24429747f7e086f5a98e65ef64bf454bab59973c Is this my boy Berry’s brother?
Thank you thank you thank you everyone! Gabapentin seems to be the popular vote, he has a vet visit in early June so I’ll definitely ask about it! Planning to use a combo of suggestions I’ve received! You’re all super helpful and appreciated! Glad everyone likes his chicken leggies, he loves to show them off lol
I put a tshirt in the carrier that I'd worn. I used the otc calming chews, just gave an extra one. Make sure you take a dirty cat box, or at least a bunch of dirty litter.
Keep him in the carrier, the whole time. Do not let him out at all until you arrive at your destination, and he can be kept in doors. Cats in the car loose are very dangerous to the driver. He will be fine. It is like a little cave for him.
Recently moved my cat from one country to another. It was car ride, plane, car ride. We used disposable baby changing pads in her carrier. It was so easy! She pooped, puked(think from the meds/stress) and peed on them and you just throw it out and place a new one. And we had a syringe to keep her hydrated. for eating/drinking herself she was too uncomfortable.. It’s not going to be pleasant most likely, but we do the best we can.
Ask to your vet about putting him on gabapentin for the trip. Make sure his carrier is a safe space for him if it isn’t already, so put a blanket in there, pheromones will also help relax him, and give him lots of love and treats. You might even try taking him on short car rides and rewarding him the entire time so he get used to the car a bit more. Covering his carrier with a blanket could also help relax him and make him feel more safe
Ask your vet for anti-anxiety meds and keep the carrier covered while traveling. Give him a potty and water/food break halfway, but make certain all vehicle doors and windows are kept fully closed while he's out of the carrier! I've heard of too many pets getting lost during a move! Once you arrive at your new place, put him in a room that has everything he needs, (litter, food, water, bed), and keep the door closed while you're moving things into the new place. If you can't do that, look up "pop-up pet tents" on Amazon and keep him in the tent with everything he needs. When moving into a new place, you don't want him suddenly shooting out an open door and getting lost.
I drove 1600mi with my two cats in a little Honda Civic. They cried for the first hour but eventually stopped. I setup a litter box on the floor in the back seat and gave them some wet food. I didn’t have them crated (my car was filled to the brim with stuff I was transporting) but they just hid underneath the car seats for most of the time. I got hotels at night and let them roam around the hotel room to get their exercise in. It was a painful journey but we made do. And I’ll probably be doing it again within the next couple of years.
So my cat hates car rides too. And we did a 5 hour move. We used Feliway spray on a sweater my partner wore and put it in his carrier. Oddly enough… we moved on a day that it was 39 degrees. We blasted the AC worried he’d get hot. He started to get unsettled and crying. So we turned the ac down. The warmer it was in the car, the happier he was. So we humans had to just sweat it out on one of the hottest days of the year. My advice is to just be mindful of what he likes! Haha
Love him😽 I had this problem with one of my females. Don’t drive fast, but don’t be the slowest car and impede traffic. Talk to your baby throughout the trip. Not too loudly because you may scare him. Gentle talking , repeating his name or nicknames that you use at home. Bring his favourite blanket, toy, anything that would soothe him or remind him of home Including sweaters you’ve worn or even your hair scrunchies (elastic hair holders wrapped in fabric) If he likes music or a song, play that on your cell. It may soothe him. Make sure he is in a cat carrier and locked up while you drive. You don’t need distractions. Be calm and careful in your trip. GODSPEED 🙏🫶🏻 *very important (just read it in one of the comments * Bring his litterbox with clean litter and bring doggy bags to put the poop in to dispose in nearest garbage container (maybe at a rest stop) Please do not throw your litter( including cat litter) out the window!!
As others have said, gabapentin helps! I recommend the liquid compounded form. It is more expensive, but the fact that it’s easier to give makes the cost a good investment. Just make sure to ask if the pharmacy has a base without xylitol, because xylitol is toxic to cats and dogs and must not be used in their medicine. A compounding pharmacy might have a chicken or tuna-flavored base. Try to squirt it down the back of the throat so your kitty won’t taste it. Swishing his mouth with water or a little broth squirted in with an oral syringe might be good if he reacts negatively to the taste or if you have to give pills instead of liquid. Handle him gently but firmly, and give positive reinforcement every time. If he doesn’t love treats, then pats, praise, brushing, and other things he loves are good as positive reinforcement. I recommend having his claws clipped ahead of time because he may be anxious and you will have to handle him more often to give meds and move him in and out of the crate. Your move isn’t long, but for longer trips, breaking the trip into a few legs over several days helps keep everyone less stressed out. Good options for pet-friendly hotels include La Quinta, Best Western, and Motel 6. Spend your time off the road giving him a lot of attention unless he needs to hide. Pack the laser and his favorite toys and a brush and devote some extra time to him at the end of a travel day. Getting a Kitty Come With Me harness helped me a lot. I was able to give my cat breaks to get out of the car and pee or at least see what was out there and stretch her legs. It’s easier to use the harness if you have your cat practice wearing it ahead of time. As always, give him lots of treats and praise for even letting you show it to him. You can get disposable cat boxes at PetSmart or PetCo so he can have a clean place to relieve himself along the way. I used a plastic grocery bag to store the scoop and carried that and the fresh litter bag inside the stacked disposable litter boxes so I had everything in one place and my cat could always have a good potty option. If possible, position his carrier so he can see you when you’re driving. This helps him feel less anxious. Talk to him often and let him smell your hand from time to time or have a little something that smells like you, such as a shirt you have worn, in his bed in the crate. Feliway is great, but it’s expensive, so another familiar smell of you or him from a blanket is a less expensive soothing smell option. As others have mention, treat any blankets or surfaces with Feliway in advance and let them dry before giving them to him because the ethanol is toxic and must be evaporated before he can use the items. A bigger crate is better, and lining it with puppy training pads and carrying cleaning wipes is really helpful in case you can’t get him to come out to use the kitty box or if you can’t fit a box in his crate. I recommend getting a collapsible water bowl (they have good, affordable ones at Five Below) and having disposable paper bowls for food. Cats who are moving can get very stressed out and cats who are stressed might not eat and drink as much, so get him some very enticing wet food and treats in case he needs a bit of encouragement to eat and help staying hydrated. My recently-deceased cat couldn’t get enough of Fancy Feast Gems, even when she lost her appetite from cancer. Those things and the broths and cat food toppers are great to have on hand. Catnip relieves stress, so getting a little soft catnip toy for him to snuggle is a good idea. When you get to the other end, he might either be very clingy or want to hide. Give him space to hide and consider putting a cat bed and a food and water dish in a closet so he has a safe cat cave. Get a couple of Feliway diffusers for your room and the living room or any area where you will be so he can feel comforted when spending time with you. He might benefit from taking a couple of days of gabapentin at a lower dose when you get to the other end to help him feel less anxiety about adjusting to the new space. Ask your vet for tips!
don't put him in a carrier, give him catnip
Don’t feed before trip so he doesn’t need bathroom, cover the carrier with a blanket so it’s quiet and dark, perhaps get some feliway and also see if the vet can give you some anti anxiety medication if you think it’s required
I would stop one night but make sure hotel has beds with no under access.
Gabapentin and Feliway.
This kitten is a true treasure waiting to be adored.
Every cat is different of course, but my babies respond well to bringing familiar toys and pillows/blankets from the room along for the ride. Building up the space to be as comfortable as possible is all you can really do other than introducing a medicine or alternative solution.
Rent an RV.
Lots of calm talking and kitty treats. Temptations are what my girls prefer.
I never tried medication with mine, but he was a lot more settled when we could unzip his carrier a little to give him some pets!
Lots of treats
Talk to your vet. My vet had me give my gabapentin for a 5 hour flight. My cat was my carryon. She snoozed through the entire fight.
Call your Vet and ask them about Phermone blankets. Place it over the travel case like a net. Sometimes our Vet brings one out to the sitting room for louder patients.
Talk to your vet about a gravol dose or.similar type of medication
Gabapentin, Xanax, Catnip, also make sure it’s dark in that box it’ll calm them down at least it did for mine
I recognize the Walmart carrot toy hehehe
50mg of gabapentin 2 hours before you go and you’re all set. Then for the next month do that feliway plug into the wall, while giving gabapentin. I usually do once a day, but you may want to do twice per day to start if he isn’t sleeping
nice blunt toy
If at all possible have someone sitting in view of him in the cage. Seeing one of his humans might help keep him calm. That and drooooogz
Pray he doesn't get car sick.
Take a surfboard?
I use the rescue remedy pet stress drops when I take my kitty in trips! It takes about a half hour for it to kick in, then she sleeps lightly the rest of the way. Granted, these trips are only about 2 hours, but I’m sure you could re-administer if necessary
Besides the gabapentin, box, food and ect, make sure kitty has a place that they feel and are safe when they feel stressed as we did for our kitty on an 8 hour ride, though she stayed up with us most of the time (on a makeshift bed between the two of us) in a harness
So we also have a fuzzy love who cries on the way to the vet, but not on the way home. Over time we have taught them by using drive through, that some car rides go to the vet, and other car rides include a weird experience where people get food or coffee and then drive to a non vet related destination. Good luck!
I moved back up north (CT) from Florida with 5 cats lol. I rented a minivan and put them in back with a pet gate and litter box.
Used to have to do 3 hour trips on weekends. Vet gave lorazepam. He slept the whole way and then some - talk to your vet. They will make your furry friend comfortable.
Garbapentin
When I moved three hours with my baby, I put a fluffy blanket in his carrier as well as a toy he likes. Try to avoid loud music if you can (I have to have music playing when I’m driving or I get anxious). For my previous cat we gave her a pheromone collar that helped a lot
See if you can’t get the baby some anti anxiety medicine and put plenty of padding in his pet carrier.
Look at those stretchy legs
Felieay. Soray a bit in his cage. Have water, sandtray and treats on hand. Also put a faverite item of his in the cage as well and his bed. When yiu get to the new place spray feliway and put his faverite things in what will be his plave.
Don't feed him right before you take off. My mom did that and the cat barfed all over the car
Travelled across 3 provinces last month 3300++ kms with our cat Penny - she always complains for a few minutes but eventually adapts to the travel… wear a harness - easier to grab if they get curious of the window in drive thrus… if you have a lock on the back windows have it on - Penny ‘accidentally’ pressed the window button 😆 keep a soft blanket or cat bed for them to sleep on… a small litter box use a plastic liner under the litter it makes for easy clean up- we had one on the backseat - a carrier bag/backpack is a good idea … we never gave our kitty meds at all… 4 hours isn’t too far… also make sure to have paper towel for any throw ups/messes… safe travels!
Do you drive together now?
I found that when I did the same thing, 4 hr drive, if I let them loose in the car, they were fine, even having the cat carrier open, they could go in and out, and they were waaay more relaxed and it wasn't an issue. Take em for a few trips, just for 15 mins like that to adapt them to it
My cat hates the carrier so maybe having someone hold him might help. That's our trick for the vet
Talk to your vet, if car rides scare him, they can prescribe a mild, oral sedative to calm him down. It worked wonders for my boy, and his/our journey was multiple days. I put on some relaxing music on Spotify and he slept most of the way.
Jackson galaxy sells some kind of homeopathic magic drops. They sound silly but my brother said they work for traveling with their cat.
Drugs from a vet
Just here to Adore your kid. Lovely drum sticks
Catnip. I'm not being funny. We use to help our cats relax, during stressful events, like thunder storms, 4 of July fireworks, travel... I don't give them catnip before the vet though.
Make sure you turn on his favorite pawdcast.
He’s so hot
I give my ol' fella Bach Rescue Remedy for long trips. Works very well for him. Comes in dropper bottle. About 15 minutes before it's time to hit the road, I add it to food or a lickable treat so that administering it is stress free. He naps comfortably for a few hours at a time after settling in to the car.
Drugs
I moved 2100 miles with my two kitties. I bought a bigger soft sided pet carrier and put it in my backseat along with a small litter box inside a moving box with a big hole, attached it the the opening of the carrier with duct tape so they could go back and forth with ease. I used the feliway spray to help with their anxiety. It was fine after the first day of travel. It took us 3 days.
Gabapentin if your vets will prescribe. (It's quite potent, so expect him to be a bit space cadet-ish for a bit) Otherwise rescue remedy or valerian. And once you have moved set him up in a room he can't get out of for a day or two, then let him explore his new home, but don't let him out for about 2 weeks (if he an outside cat) just so he can establish that this is his home.
Who broke his legs?
You can tell your veterinarian travel stresses them out and they can give you sedatives that’ll make them be asleep most of the drive
Let him drive