Hot summer day car travel with a Persian

Hello all,

We have a 5-year-old Persian cat. He is pretty easy-going and stayed at 3 different houses before, lived a long time in 2. He has been in my car many times, it used to disturb him, but looks like it doesn't anymore. The last time I took him to the vet, he meowed only once, then slept in his crate. The crate is kind of small though, there is no free area to place food or water for him in it. 

Recently, I figured out leashing him did not disturb him, to I tried to take him to a walk, he freaked and ran back into our flat.

We've got someone to look after him for 2-3 days in my town, bu this time I'm planning to take him to my parents' 5-6 hours drive away. We'll stay there for 8 or 9 days. And it's going to be hot and sunny where I'll take him, and on the road. My car does have AC, though I don't prefer using it much, as the car uses gasoline more that way.

The last time I took him to the vet, they said there is a pill which can make the cat kind of "drunk" for a few hours. Though there are two other Persian cats in my parents', and I don't know if he can wake up completely once after the trip.

Do you think it would be OK for my cat on the road, without the pills? I'm afraid he could sleep all the way and not be able to wake up when I reach the destination, to meet other cats, and deal with them.

Or is that overall a bad idea to stress the cat on the road and make him stay a while with two other cats?

Thanks

I'm a bit confused after reading your post, perhaps you could clarify, e.g. stayed at 3 different houses, lived a long time in 2 - does this mean your cat actually lived elsewhere or you traveled with him?  Also, got someone to look after him 2-3 days in your town - do you mean pet sitting while you are away?  You mentioned there are 2 other cats at your destination - has your cat ever been there before or had previous contact with them?  I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to better understand the scenario.  

I also have a Persian and have had 2 other Persian cats in the past.  Being a long-haired brachycephalic breed they can have a propensity for breathing/respiratory problems.  These type of problems worsen in warm, humid weather conditions.  For that reason, if you decide to take your Persian to your parents I would strongly urge that you use the a/c since you mentioned it is hot and sunny.  As for the pills, if your cat has never taken them before I would personally be a little leery, (just my own personal opinion).  You know your cat best and it's difficult to suggest what to do.  But keep in mind that once you get to your parents they have 2 other cats and you will also have a 5-6 hour drive on the return trip in hot weather.  

I sincerely hope other members will weigh in with their tips and advice.  I also hope you have a wonderful trip.

I would use the ac in your car if you have to take him.  I don't know that I would be comfortable giving medication to sedate my cats.  However I would NOT introduce your cat to your parents.  Because of their territorial nature; most cats need several weeks to months to adjust to and accept other cats.  8-9 days isn't enough for many cats.  Can you keep him separate from your parent's cats while you are there?  

Hello Neely, this is our cat's third home, I presume, as we adopted him when he was much younger. And since last year, he stayed in a friend's house for couple of times. Just for about 2 days each time, though. It looks like he adapts to new locations easily. Though all these locations were about half an hour drive away from each other.

There are two other persian cats in the destination, one is about the same age with mine, the other is an elderly cat. The elderly one could be a bit fussed with her territories, though the younger cat is pretty easy going. Do you think it would cause a lot of stress on my cat, the trip and the introduction of him to other cats?

Our cat hasn't lived with another cat in our house before, though there are couple of non-domestic cats coming by our house, we feed them, and our domestic cat do not look scared or terrifed.

Thanks!

Thanks so much for explaining a little about your Persian's adoption background, now I get it.   Honestly, this is ultimately your decision but I agree with MoochNNoodles, i.e. not enough time for your guy to adjust to a new situation with 2 new cats.  I hope this helps, please keep us posted and let us know how everything works out.

My cat isn't a Persian, but he is half Maine Coon and is very hairy and has a thick undercoat, and he hates car rides LOL  He howls the entire way to/from our destination.  I don't sedate mine, I just let him howl, but I have a short ride thank goodness.  However, I do know that I have a much better time if I have the air cranked up while he is in the car.  I even turn the vents so they blow on him.  He seems much calmer. 

I'm not sure about in cats (or dogs) regarding sedatives....but I know in humans from my healthcare background that most sedatives and tranquilizer families make it much harder for the body to compensate for extreme temperatures, and makes the human body more easily dehydrated.  If you ask your vet about it, ask about how the drug will impact him in a hot environment.  It might dehydrate him quickly in a warm/hot environment. 

I'd just pay the extra for fuel and run the air on high the whole way for safety.  It would probably come out cheaper than a vet visit to get meds anyway.

As we live in a little bit of an isolated location in town, people do not tend to accept visiting our flat daily. We do not have many friends around. Though there is one cat lover friend of mine, who can take care of our cat, but in her own flat only.

Though that way, our cat won't be with us and would probably think he was re-adopted?

I do not want to sedate him, but what if he gets stressed a lot during our trip; and he has a tendency to vomit a lot, is there any medication I can take with me, in case he gets motion sickness?

Thanks.

Letting your cat stay with your friend if she is a shorter distance away would be much less stressful. How long will you be gone? Your cat will not think he is abandoned. Does your friend have a spare room that your cat can stay in?

My friend has 2 other house mates though, their flat is large, but I don't think there would be a room for our cat only. I guess, we'll be away for 8 days.

I really don't want our cat to feel abondoned, to be honest. He howls a lot when he first gets intruduced to a new house. Though he looks pretty relaxed when he is on a car trip (at least for about half an hour).

drstiltz said:

 
My friend has 2 other house mates though, their flat is large, but I don't think there would be a room for our cat only. I guess, we'll be away for 8 days.

I really don't want our cat to feel abondoned, to be honest. He howls a lot when he first gets intruduced to a new house. Though he looks pretty relaxed when he is on a car trip (at least for about half an hour).

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Can your cat stay in her room though?  One room would be best since he'll be in a new place.  I think being settled without too much fuss would be much better than a 6 hour car ride.  If you're considering tranquilizers, it's too stressful.

I guess, our cat doesn't really care about private rooms to stay in, as our current flat is just a small studio flat. He sleeps with us in our bed, mostly; and his toilet is in the kitchen area.

I haven't talked to my friend about taking him to her flat, and there is always a possibility that she'll be away for a short vacation on those days. If she'll be home, I'd most probably leave our cat to her's.

Do you think, there is a way I can make my cat get used to travelling with me? I know cats don't like moving one place to another much, but in the future, there would be times we take a 2 week holiday. And we don't know anyone who can foster our cat for that long of a duration, really. (except my parents who live in that "5-hour drive away place")

Also there is a chance that, we might need to move to another city next year, so I feel like making my cat get used to car trips right now, would ease things a bot in the future. Do you agree?

drstiltz said:

 
I guess, our cat doesn't really care about private rooms to stay in, as our current flat is just a small studio flat. He sleeps with us in our bed, mostly; and his toilet is in the kitchen area.

I haven't talked to my friend about taking him to her flat, and there is always a possibility that she'll be away for a short vacation on those days. If she'll be home, I'd most probably leave our cat to her's.

Do you think, there is a way I can make my cat get used to travelling with me? I know cats don't like moving one place to another much, but in the future, there would be times we take a 2 week holiday. And we don't know anyone who can foster our cat for that long of a duration, really. (except my parents who live in that "5-hour drive away place")

Also there is a chance that, we might need to move to another city next year, so I feel like making my cat get used to car trips right now, would ease things a bot in the future. Do you agree?

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I think moving a cat permanently is very different than taking it on a trip.  Most cats don't like car rides and it causes them a great deal of stress.  If you can minimize that, I think you should.  It's obviously worth it to move your cat if you are moving, but it's too much stress and change for a vacation.  This is especially true if there are other cats involved.

I do second what everyone else is saying though - if you do end up needing to take your cat, you will need to use the air conditioning the whole time.

drstiltz said:

 
My friend has 2 other house mates though, their flat is large, but I don't think there would be a room for our cat only. I guess, we'll be away for 8 days.

I really don't want our cat to feel abondoned, to be honest. He howls a lot when he first gets intruduced to a new house. Though he looks pretty relaxed when he is on a car trip (at least for about half an hour).

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I can tell from your post(s) that you would feel more comfortable having your Persian boy with you.  In the future it might be beneficial to look into a reliable pet sitter before traveling.  This way you have peace of mind knowing your cat can stay in your own flat and feel at ease.  That being said, it sounds like you are unsure if your friend & housemates would be the ideal situation.  Have you approached them about the subject?  You would need to know if everyone in their house is on board with your kitty being there for 8-9 days.  And ask about the temporary living arrangement for your cat, e.g. who will feed him, clean the litter box, play with him and give him attention.  This way you can make a better and more objective decision. It might be worth another call to discuss all these possibilities with your vet if you have a good rapport with him/her.  In the end, you need to do what is best for your Persian and you.  You wouldn't want to go on vacation and have any regrets.  I'm sorry you are struggling with this and wish you the best possible solution.