Hey guys!! I need your advice...

Hey! (Remember me? lol) I know I haven't been around, but I need some advice and knew you guys would give me some great words of wisdom!

With the economy in the dumps, Josh is going to be traveling a ton over the next year or so and with us now having a baby, I'm going to be traveling with him. I don't know what to do about Madden. He doesn't travel well at all, he just screams and screams and screams and I feel terrible for him. We've left him at home alone before (for up to a week) and he seemed to be fine with just my mom coming and checking on him daily but, while I don't know the details right now, we will be gone for possibly two weeks at a time and only home for short intervals. We'll be buying a house there (about 4 and half hours away) and living both places for awhile. Its not ideal but there is money to be made that will get our company out of debt and allow us to buy a bigger house here at home when all is said and done. I don't think he would be able to travel that often (I see UTI's in my future) but I can't see leaving him at home alone so much. If I took him there and left him when we came home I wouldn't have anyone to check on him for me. Ugh. The thought of re-homing him has crossed my mind, but it breaks my heart to even consider it unless I have no other option. I'm at a loss. I also thought about asking my vet about sedation, but I don't know if I'm comfortable having to medicate him that often either.

What would you do? I think he could care less if we are home or not as long as someone comes by to play with him but I feel awful for even considering leaving him here. I'm stuck. I have no idea what is best for him, and for us.

Sorry this was so long (and I hope it made sense)! Any suggestions would be welcome!!

Thanks!

(Now I'm off to look around and see whats been up since I've been away!)

Have you considered putting him in a boarding cattery? They can accommodate your cat from 1 day to 1 month!

Most cats adjust to traveling just fine, once they figure out there isn't a vet at the end of the ride.

That is a tough one. If it was my cats I would take them with me, but they travel pretty well and adjust to new places almost immediately.

You might try taking him back and forth a few times to see if he adjusts to it and starts seeing both places as ‘homeâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] and relaxing more in the car?

Or if that doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t work do you have anyone who would let him live with them for the next year until things settle down more for you guys? Someone who you know would love and take care of him and let you have him back once life calms down so he doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t have to go through the stress?

Thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s all I can think of!

I don't know your situation, but maybe you could stay home some of the times your husband needs to travel, take your cat some of the times, have him boarded some of the times, and leave him home some of the times? It'd be a compromise.

Like everything, you can start from now, slowly, getting him used to the car... Take him to the car one day, and hang out with him in there... Give him plenty of treats while you are inside... Do this for a while, than put him on his carrier inside of the car, and just hang out for a bit.... After that, go for short drives - always giving him treats, and comforting him... Make it enjoyable... You can little by little make longer drives, until you see it's not as stressful for him or you... He should be used to the car if you are consistently trying to make him adapt - Good Luck!

if this is a temporary thing.. maybe you have a friend or family who would be willing to "foster" him for that time?

Ummm do I have space for my little Bumper imposter...

Do you need to travel with Josh? Could you stay home some of the time and work from there if you are helping (I assume if you have the baby you are working from home if helping)

If you are living there could you not live there more permanently and have someone just watch your original home and not travel back and forth as much or are you working in both places?

Originally Posted by lauracatlover

Have you considered putting him in a boarding cattery? They can accommodate your cat from 1 day to 1 month!

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I don't think we have anything like that around here...

Originally Posted by Going Nova

I don't know your situation, but maybe you could stay home some of the times your husband needs to travel, take your cat some of the times, have him boarded some of the times, and leave him home some of the times? It'd be a compromise.

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That is a good idea, but I still feel like it would be unfair to him. This is the cat that got a horrible UTI because we bought new furniture. He doesn't adapt to change very well. That's why I'm trying to minimize the amount of changes he has to endure.

Originally Posted by carolinalima

Like everything, you can start from now, slowly, getting him used to the car... Take him to the car one day, and hang out with him in there... Give him plenty of treats while you are inside... Do this for a while, than put him on his carrier inside of the car, and just hang out for a bit.... After that, go for short drives - always giving him treats, and comforting him... Make it enjoyable... You can little by little make longer drives, until you see it's not as stressful for him or you... He should be used to the car if you are consistently trying to make him adapt - Good Luck!

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We have traveled him before on short trips with us and it never seemed to make any difference how much he had been in the car. I may try working with him more closely though and see how it goes! Thanks for the suggestion!

Originally Posted by nekkiddoglady

if this is a temporary thing.. maybe you have a friend or family who would be willing to "foster" him for that time?

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That was my first idea but unfortunately I don't know of anyone that has space for him.

Originally Posted by icklemiss21

Ummm do I have space for my little Bumper imposter...

Do you need to travel with Josh? Could you stay home some of the time and work from there if you are helping (I assume if you have the baby you are working from home if helping)

If you are living there could you not live there more permanently and have someone just watch your original home and not travel back and forth as much or are you working in both places?

Click to expand...

Oh Eithne, yours would be one of the few places in the world that he would be treated like the King that he is!!

I could technically work from here but it would be a lot more hassle and stress. I do the bookwork, the invoices, billing, photograph the jobs, interview the laborers (who come and go like flies) and scout material pricing. If I were to do it from here it would be harder, but it could be done I guess. Mostly, we didn't want Trevor to be away from his Daddy so much. They forget so quickly at this age and he changes by the day. I could stay part of the time, but not all of the time.

It would be so much easier if we could just stay there! Unfortunately we will be coming back to take care of business here too. We have been trying to work our way out of that side of the state but business is slower here and we have old customers that only want us (and will pay to make up for the inconvenience.) There will still be odd jobs and things that have to be taken care of here though. Not to mention bringing Trevor back to spend time with Grandparents etc.

I know this is confusing, but it is hard to explain online. We've done work there before but never for such an extended period of time.

How long would you be back where you are now for the 'short intervals' maybe you could find a catsitter in the new place to feed him on those shorter times and leave him there and just move him the once.

We have lists of catsitters, shelters, rescues etc all over North America if you want to PM me where you are now & where you will be I can see if we have a contact there

We leave our cats home alone while we are gone on long vacations, and they do just fine. Some cats don't want to be dragged around the countryside, and prefer to be home where they are comfortable and happy. I would not worry about your cats being home alone, as long as someone you know and trust comes by to feed them and look after them. Cats are very homebodies, and unlike dogs, do not like to travel.

You mention that your mother can provide the care, but your worry (rightly so) about the social isolation. One solution I've found is that there's a teenager in my neighborhood who loves animals and actually offered to sit for my cat. She's too young to manage to daily care (getting here early,etc.), but when I'm away, I pay her for an hour of "playtime" daily. She's done some "play dates" with my guy when I've been home to learn how to interact with him, and it has worked out well.

If you have to leave your cat, you might consider looking for a local person who might come in once or twice a day just to play with the cat.

Is it possible that your mom could keep him in her home until you guys are permanently settled? Pay for food, etc.?

In a couple of months we are going on a two week honeymoon but that means leaving our two cats who we adore and treat like kids.

So, my mom and stepdad will come by morning and night to feed and scoop. and im thinking of hiring a cat sitter (or a good friend) to come by every other day and just hang out with them a few hours at a time. I have one friend who still lives at home an might even want to sleep over a couple of times. My parents always take care of our cats when we go on vacation, but not for this long! Maybe you can do something like this too?