Can you get a cat to pee and poop?

I ask this as many of us are traveling around this time of year
Poor Ginger, she was in her carrier 3 hours on the way home from Chritsmas with the family. She went right to the spot where her box usually is and did a pee pee dance till I got it all unpacked. Then she pooped, she NEVER poops in front of me!
A dog you can walk, but what about the cats??
I felt so bad thinking she was holding it all that time!

Traveling with Bean Bean I let him out on his leash and harness, while he didn't potty outside, he navigated his way to the litterbox in the back of the truck and did his business several times along the way.

I guess some cats are shy about their poops.

My cats always rush to be first to use the litterbox immediately after it is cleaned (when all the litter is replaced, not just scooping.) There's something about a fresh batch of litter that has never been walked in, they just have to get in and start digging.
So when I was going to be travelling with Roxy I just changed the litter a few minutes before I was leaving and then put her in front of it and she used it right away!

If my cat is stressed by the travel, which doesn't usually happen, she'll poop in her carrier. ICK! I then have to pull over, toss it out the window and get her resituated. She's only done this twice, though.

On our trips to my dad's, which is about 6 hours, neither of the girls eat, drink, or use the box, even though we stop a couple of times along the way and let them out of their carriers (with the car doors closed). They're very happy to reach our destination and within 30 mins have both used the box.

Originally Posted by Trillcat

I ask this as many of us are traveling around this time of year
Poor Ginger, she was in her carrier 3 hours on the way home from Chritsmas with the family. She went right to the spot where her box usually is and did a pee pee dance till I got it all unpacked. Then she pooped, she NEVER poops in front of me!
A dog you can walk, but what about the cats??
I felt so bad thinking she was holding it all that time!

Click to expand...

When I got Persi he was only 7 weeks old, not old enough to be properly trained by his mother. I had to train him to use the litterbox. I would take him to the litterbox and hold him there, sometimes up to 10 minutes and when he figured out what he was suppose to do, I released him. Within two weeks he was fully trained. I might point out that no reputable breeder would let a pedigreed cat leave its mother at age 7 weeks. But Persi has turned out to be a great cat, he is right here by me. My frend. My son. Show Ginger what to do, she will catch on!

Originally Posted by Trillcat

I ask this as many of us are traveling around this time of year
Poor Ginger, she was in her carrier 3 hours on the way home from Chritsmas with the family. She went right to the spot where her box usually is and did a pee pee dance till I got it all unpacked. Then she pooped, she NEVER poops in front of me!
A dog you can walk, but what about the cats??
I felt so bad thinking she was holding it all that time!

Click to expand...

I know what you mean! I took my beloved Gigi with on our Christmas trip because I just didn't want to do the boarding thing this time and she is so social and friendly and I wanted my family to meet her BUT on the 11 hour drive there, she didn't use her box once and she meowed off and on the WHOLE time. Once we arrived, she used her box immediately and adjusted to her new digs and everywhere else we took her immediately. On the way back I could tell she had used the box maybe once to pee. So that was better. Good question! Ultimately I am SO GLAD we took her along!!