Help me please!

Hello To all,

I am brand spankin' new to this forum. I have a question that I need some help on. I currently live in Ohio and will be moving to Utah in the spring. I WILL be taking my cat with me. I know it's quite a long drive however, I do not feel she would do well flying alone. Actually, I don't want to fly her I might miss her. The move itself does not concern me because she had prior to me been moved back and forth from my brother to his girlfriend to my parents and now she's mine. What I am concerned about is how hard the drive might be on her. I treat her like a child and I don't want it to hurt her physically or mentally. She does like to ride in the car(sometimes I take her to my parents just for a short ride)so that does not concern me. Does anyone have any driving tips? Please anything would be helpful. My parents want me to fly her there but like I said I don't think she would handle being alone well or the flying at all.

Thanks to all!

Firstly, Hi and welcome to TCS! I hope you'll be stick around and introduce yourself in the New Cats On The Block forum!

I haven't had to travel a long distance with my kitties (only one hour motorway trips) so I can't really offer you much advice!

I can suggest that you take your cat on a couple of shorter trips, building up, so that she's used to it. You may also want to buy the Feliway Travel Spray.

I also found these past threads that might be of some use to you!

Travelling with Louis

make the car ride better for cats?

Requesting tips on long-distance travel with cats

I hope you'll find some useful information in these!

When we moved we flew our cats with us. I figured one or two hours on the same plane as me was better then how many hours in the car....will you be stopping in motels on the way?
How much room will you have in the car for her? Will it be packed with other things you are moving?

I just moved from Mississippi to Texas ( this past weekend)-- it was supposed to be a 10-12 hour drive but they had a hazmat wreck on I-10 ( as usual) and closed it down so the drive ended up being 16 hours. UGHH-- Beavis ( my 18 yr old cat) mewed the first 5 hours and then slept the rest-- I gave them water when we got stopped and let them out in the closed vehicle to potty which neither cat did. Peanut Butter (year old in April) slept the entire way-- he doesnt mind travelling) They did well and were ready to get out of their individual kennels when we got to Texas and have started eating me out of house and home since we got moved-- I figure its stress with all the boxes and movement of strange people in and out installing utilities.

They seem to be adjusting fine though. I had serious qualms about moving with Beavis as this trip was only his 3rd time in a kennel in his long 18 yr life.

good luck on your trip-- i was stressing out more for Beavis due to his age and history than anything but he did great

I've driven and flown with cats. First do NOT tranqualize the cat. Not necessary. Second, since you've taken your cat on car rides, she's used to it. I'm assuming you are putting your cat in a carrier while riding. In not, you HAVE to get one and the cat has to ride all the time in the carrier for safety reasons.

You can stop at the rest stops and let kitty out to stretch in the car. You can offer a bit of water at this time. I'm also guessing you will be staying overnite at hotels too. Make sure you pick a hotel ahead that will allow pets. Feed and water the cat at the hotel - not during the car ride.

If you want, cover the carrier with a towel and the cat will probably sleep most of the way.