Taking cat for a visit

My husband and I are staying at my parents tonight, I hate leaving our 5 month old kitten at home (especially since he sleeps with us at night).

Is it possible to take him with us? Will he use his litter box there?

Or should we just leave him home?

Thanks

We lost electricity during a REALLY hot summer once. We grabbed the cats and headed to a nearby hotel where someone let us sneak the kitties into the room. Cats are by nature territorial, so many cats are afraid of a new environment. Ours fell into this category. They all hid under the bed. But they came out to use the litter box we had set up, and they came out to eat and drink.

So..... if you have a room you can put kitty in with food, water, and a litter box, some toys (he probably won't play with) and your cat doesn't freak at car rides, and the ride isn't too long, I'd consider bringing him. He won't necessarily be happy - but it's safer than leaving him alone.

If it's a long drive (like an hour or more), I'd probably leave kitty at home, if you're back tomorrow afternoon.

Laurie

The trip is about 35 minutes--he has gone on it twice to go to the vet (we are moving to that town in 4-6 weeks).

We will be home tomorrow around 2 pm tomorrow leaving home at about 4:30 today.

I just hate leaving him because he sleeps with us--but don't want him to be paranoid or scared there.

Leslie

Honestly, I know how you're feeling because I had the same dilema, only I couldn't take mine with me. I got two kittens at 8 weeks old in May. In August I started my heavy travel schedule for work, sometimes out of town for 3-5 days at a time. I had a friend come and check on them periodically and sometimes stay a night or two at my house while I was gone, but they two guys were just fine for 24 hour periods alone. Now granted there were two of them, but leaving yours for 24 hours shouldn't be any problem at all. I think the longest I left them unattended without someone checking on them was 48 hours.

Leave them home as long as you kitten-proof the room. They'll be much more stressed in a new place than at home plus chances of someone accidentally letting them out (it only takes a second!) are greater.

I agree, it would be better to leave kitty behind for that trip, where he is settling in to your home, it would be stressful for him to get used to a new place again so soon.

Im sure he will be fine if you make everything kitten-proof...

I hated leaving the cats behind when going away, but my sister used to pop round twice a day to check on them, and it was reassurance for both of us.

He stayed home. But I felt awful.

Actually we are moving in about 4-6 weeks so his settling in here is going to be interupted. Once we move we will be taking him over to my parents for short periods of time to get him used to them and their dog. They will be our cat sitter more often that not when we go away.

He has been a terror today!! Good thing he's so cute!

Thanks for the advice everyone!

Leslie

Personally, I'd NEVER leave a 5 month old kitten by himself overnight. I'd take him with you, food, bottled water, litter pan and keep him in your room when you visit.

And the earlier you get your cat used to traveling and seeing new places, the better able they can handle stress. That's why people start showing 4 month old kittens - by the time they are adults, most will be quite use to travel, hotel, etc.

Out of curiousity, why would you never leave a 5 month old kitten alone?

Leslie

Yeah, that's not a big deal at all - 5 wks maybe, but unless you live in a large, complicated place with lots of people and potential problems, I can't see any trouble there.

5 month old kittens can get into trouble very quickly. IMO its like leaving a 1-2 yr old by themselves overnight. You were lucky nothing happened to him this time.

Most people have problems with older cats and traveling. I think it would have been a great opportunity to introduce him to new things and have a much calmer cat in the future. I used to take my 3 month old rex show kitten to Petsmart to be handled by others and to see new things. He loved it - made friends with everyone, even to the point of helping to check out things with one of the clerks.

And if you had to leave him, I'd confine him to one safe room rather then have the entire house to himself.

This is definitely one that I agree with GoldenKitty. Our cats have gone with us on shopping trips and vacation to a cottage in the summer for a week. They both are now very comfortable in the car (they weren't when we first brought them home in the car) and settle down quite nicely. The first 4-5 hours they were in the cottage they were under the bed but then were out and about and sitting in the window enjoying the weather through the screen. They also sleep with us and were fine. The trip to the cottage was 4 hours and they were very settled and fine with the travel. We have a litter box in the back for them, a dish of water and their carrier with the door open and a towel or blanket over the top so they can have some solitude should they wish to have it.

I wouldn't hesitate to acclimate any future cats in this way.

He was contained to a safe room. It was not the first time he had been left alone overnight. The other times though, the possibility of taking him was impossible.

My concern was would it be too much for him (new smells. new people) and/or would he still use his litter box.

Thanks for the opinions.

Leslie

Of course some cats thrive on change. I find that most male cats adjust more quickly to new things. That's why I'd rather show males then females

Thank you.

I am looking forward to future trips to grandma's.

Leslie

Just for future reference: Rexes, Ocicats and Bengals tend to be more "dog-like" and enjoy going to new places

Interesting.

What about maine coon/norwegian forest cats?

Jack possess some of the body features of this type of cat--as well as some characteristics (he absolutely loves playing in water)

Leslie

Hi, my MC cats (female) are very independent, one (was) slightly nutso right from the beginning, the other a pure princess, so really only the first was ever doglike, but on another note, I would not keep taking your cat back to your parents to get her used to them - cats aren't like that and all you'll do is stress her more and more each time. Just wait til the move happens and deal with it then. The dog may be the least of your worries as all my cats love my big happy Samoyeds!

I disagree - if the cat seems to enjoy the visits and is not stressed, no reason in the world to not take her visiting.

My first cat (in order to get him used to car riding) went with me to the barn to visit my horse - he stayed in the car and watched. Was never stressed out. In fact he didn't care where we went (other homes, hotels, etc.) as long as I was there.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I disagree - if the cat seems to enjoy the visits and is not stressed, no reason in the world to not take her visiting.

My first cat (in order to get him used to car riding) went with me to the barn to visit my horse - he stayed in the car and watched. Was never stressed out. In fact he didn't care where we went (other homes, hotels, etc.) as long as I was there.

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I agree with you GK. My friend has a ragdoll that she takes to her mom's place every time she goes away (which is quite often). The cat is used to it now and it's never an issue.

Just like GK's first cat, Bijou and Mika are quite happy to go for car rides with us. Naturally we only take them if the temperature is safe to leave them in the car unless we are taking them in the store with us.