Crate Training?

I need to take my new kitten to the vet in a week to be neutered. My friend is a vet and is willing to do the operation for free (and I trust her) but she lives about 3 1/2 hours away.

My question is, will my eight week old kitten be able to "hold it" for a 3 1/2 hour drive? Will he? And if not, will going to the bathroom in his crate be detrimental to his litter training? Is there any way to get a kitten comfortable enough in his crate that he won't freak out?

We've been meticulous so far about getting him to his box after every play time / meal / when he wakes up and haven't had any accidents in our first 48 hours of ownership.

Well considering you are supposed to withhold food/water for 24 hrs, your kitten should not have to go in the carrier. However, I'd reconsider taking a 8 week old kitten 3 1/2 hrs to be neutered at that age. I know shelters have it done that early, but the vet is local.

Can you possible wait another month and do him at 3 months old - he will be older and it won't hurt to withhold the food/water as much.

As far as in the carrier, 8 week old kittens don't freak out in a carrier. I've taken my rex kittens to the vet at that age for shots, and they ride fine. Its the older ones that freak out if not used to carriers/traveling

I'd also leave it a bit longer given the length of the drive involved, shelters and breeders like to get kittens done young so that they are already neutered before going to a new home, but there is absolutely no harm at all in waiting a few weeks when he will be better able to go without food and control his bladder for that time