How to handle traveling or moving with a cat
We can’t leave cats alone for more than a few days and then only when we’ve provided enough food, water and litter for that period. If we’re going to be away longer than that we have to make some kind of arrangements to see that the cats are properly cared for. One option is to ask a neighbor or friend to stop by once or twice a day to provide fresh water and food and to clean out the litter box. They can spend time paying attention to the cats and making sure they are OK. Trading pet sitting is a great idea and is free. The best pet sitters, after all, would be people who have pets themselves. Make sure they're aware if your cats never go out. Or you can hire a professional pet sitter. Ask your friends which pet sitters they've been happy with. Only hire someone who you have interviewed and have confidence in. A pet sitter can do more than care for the cats. She can pick up mail, turn lights on and off, even water plants, as long as the sitter is responsible. I’ve been perfectly happy with pet sitters I’ve hired in the various places where I’ve lived. A house sitter will stay at the house and give your pets day long care. She'll also make the house look lived in during your vacation. A third option is to leave your cat in a boarding facility. Visit the place before you bring your cat to make sure it’s clean and well maintained. Also check that its sound level is one your cat can tolerate. Numerous barking dogs and yowling cats can be disturbing. Cats will need to have all their vaccines up to date and have additional ones against cat flu and feline infectious enteritis to prevent it from getting ill from the other cats. This is what I did a few years ago. When I lived in Bend, Oregon, I took my cats to the Bend Kitty Lodge. The facility had two large screen rooms at the front of their facility where groups of cats could stay. So my six cats could live there as a family, instead of in individual cages. They had a clear view of all the traffic coming in and out of the Kitty Lodge and they could run and jump from shelf to shelf. When they wanted to sleep, there were cat condos for a few of them in a warm room about the size of a broom closet. The fun time came when I went to pick them up. I put them each in their carriers and stashed them in the back of my SUV. They chattered to me all the way home about all the exciting things they had seen during their vacation at the Kitty Lodge. Fourth, you can take the cat with you, but that adds problems. Will the motel accept pets? Many don’t. If they do, you'll still have to deal with the period of time when the room is being cleaned. And, from the cat's point of view, having to sit in a motel room all day is not the best option. When I was moving from Oregon to New Mexico, we had two overnight stays in motels. The experiences were ones I would never want to repeat. After sleeping all day in the car, the cats played all night in the motel room. Not much sleep for the driver. Will the cat enjoy riding in the car? Many don’t until you train them otherwise. Cats are generally happy living at home, getting meals on time, and having loving attention. They don’t want to leave this place. However, you can get a cat used to car travel if you are start early in their life with short trips.
There are times when you will need to take your cat in the car, even if not going on a vacation. You probably must travel to the vet in a car. First, leave the carrier out so the cat gets used to it. After several days, bring the cat in the carrier into the car. Leave the door open. Sit inside the car with her. After a few days, try the same thing with the door shut for a few minutes. Next, have the cat in the carrier inside the car with you, close the doors and start the engine. Do this for only a minute or two. (Be sure the garage door is open when you run the car.) Start taking car rides when the cat is young. Take short trips around the block to get the cat used to the sensation of being in the car. After each of these steps, give lots of praise. It may take days or weeks, but your cat will appreciate it. Be sure your cat is secure in the car. Loose cats can get between your feet and the pedals, they can obstruct your view, and they can certainly distract you. With them in their carrier, put the carrier on the floor of the car or on the seat secured by a seatbelt. A small carrier means less jostling for your cat. If the cat is very disturbed by the sense of movement coming toward him or her, cover the carrier loosely with a towel. For longer trips, include water, the cat's food and a couple of dishes, the litter box with litter and some plastic bags for the refuse. A harness-trained cat can go out and walk a bit when you park the car. Keep the leash out of the carrier until you're ready to use it. Give your cat a treat when you put him back in the carrier. Accidents happen. Make sure your cat has a collar with their ID or has a microchip. Never leave a cat in a car in the warmer months. Car interiors get very hot in a minute. Plan on drive-through meals. When you arrive at a vacation spot that is near a beach, lake, pool or boar docks, make sure your cat is on a leash. Also remember that black top and hot sand is hard on tender paws. Public transportation Cruise ships, buses and trains usually do not accept pets for travel. Some airlines do. In order to travel in the passenger section of a plane, the cat must be in an approved carrier and will have to stay under your seat. There are many restrictions on this, depending on the individual airline carrier, so check with them. Make sure the personnel know a cat is coming aboard and that they have a reservation for that. Check to see what papers will be needed before the cat can enter the plane. This is a much better option than putting the pet in the baggage compartment. But if you must do this, then fly direct with no stops or, at least, no change of planes. Don’t fly during extreme temperatures. The baggage area is not heated or cooled. Cats left on the tarmack in bad weather will be in danger. Make sure both the cat and its carrier are well marked for ID. For a long trip, place a diaper or other urine- absorbing material on the bottom of the carrier. Traveling out of the country may require special vaccinations and may even require that the cat be quarantined for a certain length of time.
Moving a cat from one house to another means planning ahead of time. It’s a good idea to have the cats in their carriers before the movers come. The carriers can be set back on a kitchen counter, where they’re out of the way of the movers. Don't let the cats travel in the moving van, but keep them in the family car. When you’ve reached your new home, place the carriers in a small safe room, such as a bathroom that the movers won’t go into. Add water, food and a litter box and close the door. Open the doors to the carriers. This allows the cat to come out of the carrier and be loose in the safe room when it's ready to do so. When the movers have left, the outside doors are shut, and you’re ready, then open the door of the safe room and let the cats come out on their own. They’ll explore the new house when they feel safe enough. The new house may still have the odors of the former pets and the cats will have to process that. Leave the carriers in the safe room for a few days so the cats can choose to sleep in them. On one of my many moves, I entered the safe room the next morning and saw that one of my cats, Heidi, was missing. The window was shut. There was no furniture in the room and the closet doors had been left open. Then I noticed the metal heat grill on the floor had been removed and twisted. Heidi had pried off the grill and had disappeared down the heat duct. I called her name, but got no answer. I was pretty much scared out of my gourd. I went to the living room and called her name again. I offered treats. After a few hours, a cat peered out of the heat vent in the living room. She stood up, like a prairie dog, looked around and, not seeing anything familiar, ducked back down. Now that I knew where she was, I kept offering treats and she eventually returned. Next time I’ll know to put a moving box over the vents in the safe room.
for several weeks after a move, until you’re sure they know this is their new home and they’re not to go back to the old one. For the first time out, it’s a good idea to put cats on a leash or harness and walk around with them as they explore this new territory. When you're ready to let it out on its own, start when the cat is naturally hungry before feeding, let it explore a little and then call it in for food or treats. Each time, let the cat explore for a little longer time and give it a treat each time it returns home. |
How to Handle Specifics
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |