Pooping in the carrier

Ok, I know both of our cats hate being in the carrier. They are usually in it to travel to my house or FI's house or to the vet. Well, over Christmas, we drove the 2 hours to FI's house and about half-way there, Phoebe pooped in her carrier. We thought maybe she just had to go. She was then fine on the 5 hour drive to my parent's house, and then the 5 hour drive home. Yesterday, on the 10 min. drive back from the vets, she did it AGAIN!

Is this a stress thing (even though both car rides were smooth, no swerving, stopping short, etc)? One drive was at night, the other during the day. FI drove them to the vet (10 min.), he inspected both of them and gave them their shots, plus Phoebe's allergy shot (about 15 min.), then during the 10 min. drive home she did it. How do we help this problem?

I think its a stress response. My cat Opie does that sometimes.

I agree that it is stress related. My 2 yo kitty Cleo used to poop in her carrier everytime, but I started spraying Feliway inside and around it a few hours before putting her in, and that really helped her. The last time she went to the vet we had no issues.

I also have a carrier pooper and I need to try the Feliway spray for him. It is the stress for him and I always line his carrier with newspaper, a towel, and keep a plastic bag in the car in case he messes on the way to the vets (10 minute drive), then extra newspaper and towels for the ride home just in case.

My Dushka often does it, though she is not usually a stressed-out cat. It just seems to get to her that way.

oh joy, so there's nothing really to do about it? We're pretty good for our road trips and bring out the carriers about 2 weeks beforehand, putting their wet food in the carriers a week before the trip. Escher will even climb inside and sleep in it by free will. But Phoebe will hiss and growl and eventually eat in it. Then in the car, she cries, except when she poops, she's quiet for a couple minutes, that's how we know it's coming. We've tried letting her roam around in the car, but she still cries.