moving cats [Archive] - Caithness.Org Forums

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knittingkitten04

19-May-10, 10:17

Does anyone know anything about moving cats? We have 2 cats that we will be bringing with us from Nottingham to Thurso when we move and I am a little worried about taking them on such a long journey (will take us approx 12 hours). I have had some info from our vet but didn't find it all that useful.

Any suggestions as to either how to make the journey a little easier for them, and/or how I cope for 12 hours with 2 cats howling in the back of my car??

mackenzieremovals

19-May-10, 10:22

http://www.best-cat-art.com/cat-travel-tips.html

sintra307

19-May-10, 10:37

number 1 above all in case of escape cos it can happens make sure your cat is chipped and have the details with you just in case.

i have to transport my cat to and from essex at least twice a year and he hates it and we hate the occassional pathetic howling but we all survive.

all depending on which motor i use he either travells in his soft carrier which we got from pets at home or luxury he gets the dog cage and a bit more room to move about but i think he prefers his soft cage. we always get nasty looks from him and he is very vocal but once we arrive we put his litter tray out for him even before we have a cup of tea and hes happy and within a very few moments everythings settled and hes sniffing around and exploring and back in love with us.

our trip usually takes around 20hrs and weve never had a problem so i think you will be ok.

good luck with your move up here. you are about to change your life forever you will not want to go back. its lovely.

knittingkitten04

19-May-10, 10:43

Thanks for that, really reassuring.

Can't wait to move

Dadie

19-May-10, 10:46

I dont envy you on that one...
would your vet give you travel sickness meds or a sedative for them as its such a long journey?
When you get here only let them out in 1 room to start with with their litter tray/food etc and no escape routes!
gradually let them get used to the rest of the house but its best not to let them out for a few weeks, and ,when you do only let them out for a short time before you feed them as they will come back in more readily for their dinner:lol:
A DAP diffuser could help with their stress levels too.... LIZZ knows more about them!

sintra307

19-May-10, 10:58

yes i quite agree with the no escape routes and the one room but i have never given mine any drugs you know your cats they may need something because car travel is not normal for a cat. my cat is a big scardy cat and he doesnt go out even with all the doors open but yours may well be frightend only you know their personalities and im sure you will get it right just remember cat tray first thing you do after arriving because they will be bursting. lots of cat nip too.

Dadie

19-May-10, 11:09

*laughs*
I only suggested a sedative because my cat doesnt settle at all in the car.....and the 10-15mins it takes to get to the vets seems like a lifetime.
He goes mad yowling and trying to battle his way out the carrier even though he will happily sleep in it at home.... dont know if he could keep that up for 12hrs but after 10 mins im frazzled!
I was thinking if it was my cat, he, would need sedating to keep him calm.

teenybash

19-May-10, 12:00

Over the next couple of weeks, before the Big move you could do some test runs. Simply put the cats into their travelling carriers and go out for short drives to start with and lengthen up to about an hour.
They should do fine when you move and provided they have access to plenty of water should arrive safe and sound. Best wishes for your new life in Caithness.:)

Liz

19-May-10, 12:16

Excellent advice from everyone.:D

If you would prefer the natural approach I would highly recommend Feliway. You get this in a travel size.http://www.vetuk.co.uk/pet-stress-feliway-products-c-149_1/feliway-travel-transport-spray-15ml-bottle-p-4

Also bach flower remedies are really good. I get mine from www.creaturecomforters.co.uk (http://www.creaturecomforters.co.uk) You could email them and ask which remedy would be best.

Re the type of carrier you will know your cats best. Some like to see out a wee bit whilst others prefer to be totally covered. I use a soft carrier which is really comfy and very secure as it's all zipped up.
You should put their own bedding in it as well.

Good luck with the move and am sure everything will be fine.:D

purplelady

19-May-10, 13:00

hi moved my cats from kent to wick and have say i did sedate them as it was a long jounery for them they were fine and it made the trip less stressful for them and just keep an eye when you get there i think as long as you are there your cats will be fine but i do agree keep them in one room for a few days till they get used to it hope this helps x

sintra307

19-May-10, 13:07

trust me after even an hour with a cat howling occassionally when you are trying to drive is fine if you are in caithness on the clear open roads. on the roads especially the motorways when mine is in full song i could quite happily knock him out with a blunt instrument (only joking) concentration goes out of the window its like having a two year old in a car seat covered in choccy howling loudly. weve all been there so you count to ten and turn the radio up. i do feel for him when he travels but hey the alternative is three weeks in a cattery. now that would really upset him. shame you cant vacuum pack them and send them in the mail. also joking.

Dadie

19-May-10, 13:44

Yes been there with the kids kicking off in the car...dog whining in the boot...and just 5 mins on the motorway.... wish I could misuse medised for the kids by dosing them for a non existant cold but I just cant and the dog would stop her whining when the kids stop howling!
We usually travel at night now and everyone in the back sleeps...and arrives bright and ready to go while mum and dad are zombies:eek:

sintra307

19-May-10, 15:07

YUP youve got it thankfully my youngest is 17 now so if he gets covered in choccy he can clean himself.

Leanne

19-May-10, 16:15

I put mine in a large dog crate in a trailer that we pulled. Everyone happy - cats had enough room to move about and for a litter tray and we couldn't hear the noise :) After a couple of hours they had settled down and looked less stressed.

puffin croft

19-May-10, 17:41

we brought ours from yorkshire to groats 3 years ago along with a puppy and 2 goats,all were fine,kids drove us mad tho!!

Sarah

19-May-10, 18:42

Speak to your vet, you should be able to get tranquilisers, although be warned, it isn't as effective for some animals! We had a 7 hour journey to Sutherland. We got them from our vet, and one of our cats was completely knocked out, but the other just miaowed and screamed the whole time! My Dad was ready to put her out :p (joke!). But it was pretty bad.

Commore

19-May-10, 19:27