A billion questions about moving...

[claired]

My boyfriend, Guy and I are moving to Seattle from New Mexico at the end of this month...And I feel like I'm in over my head.

First of all, we're moving by plane, not driving. What do I need to know about flying with Guy?

Second, our hotel is not going to be available for about two weeks when we get there. How do I find a reasonably priced extended stay, pet friendly hotel?

What can I do to make it easier on everyone in the hotel while the boyfriend and I are finding a place? It is likely we will be out of the room for a lot of the time. I have all these worries going through my head about him getting out because of maid service, or him peeing all over the hotel's bed (he's done that to our bed when he is angry...) I'm also worried he's going to yell while he's alone.

Has anyone done this before?

 

[buzbyjlc10]

I haven't traveled by plane with the cat before, but one thing I'm thinking for your situation.... is there anyone in either area (New Mexico or Seatle) that you know that would be willing to "board" (for lack of a better word) your kitty in their house/apartment while you're shacked up in the hotel? Then once you're totally settled in a new place, you could pick up the kitty and take him directly there, completely bypassing him being in the hotel (I know it'd stink not to see the furbaby for awhile)... you may have already thought of this, but maybe not....

As for being on the plane, I know he will have to have an airline approved carrier - so call/contact the airline you intend to use and ask what their requirements are for pet travel and I'd suggest making sure he can be in-cabin with you and not in cargo, so ask about that too (Of course he'd have to stay in his crate the whole trip, I know they will frown upon him being out in the cabin)

For the hotel, I think if you're looking online at hotels, there are options to select regarding extended stays and whether pets are welcome or not... I think some places are set up to be mostly extended stay (they're like suites with a small kitchenette - my dad travels for business a lot, and he's told me about those kinds of hotels)... and I'd think if it's a "pet friendly" place, they have policies/ways of dealing with pets being in the rooms, such as pee accidents and possible escapes - and I'd think it'd be possible to request no maid service, or request they come at a certain time when you're in the room to keep watch of kitty.... not positive about that as I've never had my animals in hotels, but they're questions you could ask when contacting possible places to stay

One definite suggestion regardless of where you and your kitty end up staying - invest in some feliway! You'll probably need it anyway whenever you move into your new permanent place.... good luck! Hopefully others will have more definite advice for you!

 

[AbbysMom]

One of our members posted her experiences of travelling with her cat by plane:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...46&postcount=7

AAA publishes a guide with ratings of pet-friendly lodging in the US and Canada. You may want to check into it.

 

[claired]

Thank you very much. I've never done anything like this before, so its all very stressful. I'm starting to get the feeling that our moving method is rather unconventional, so its been hard to find advice.

I'm not sure we could find someone to hold Guy till we are in our place...I don't know that many people in this town anymore, except my sister...but she's in a no-pet apartment. My dad in my hometown could take him, but the house isn't very cat-friendly anymore... And I'm not sure I could afford to buy another round of airline tickets to come get him. I have considered finding a boarding-type place that could keep an eye on him for a while, but I kind of hate to do that to him. It's scary enough as it is, and keeping him apart from his daddy...probably wouldn't help.

I'm also concerned about his weird habits if we leave him with someone else. He's a bag-eater, so our place here is 100 percent plastic-bag free. I'm not sure someone else would be as diligent about bag patrol as us.

So far, what I've found online is that the pet-friendly thing isn't as prohibitive as I thought...Extended Stay America seems to have a monopoly on the long-term hotel thing...They allow pets, for a cost...but even without the pet fee...Egad! Expensive!

I'm starting to think I should find a different apartment...even though we were getting a good deal on this one. The cost of 2 weeks of housing may outweigh the cost of the deal...

(sorry, that was quite the rant)