MarkO

We have 3 cats, and at some stage will be moving from Kent to Scotland. Obviously, it's a long-haul journey in the car, so how does one go about transporting cats over such a long distance without causing them too much distress, or losing them along the way?

Anyone done this before?

dsmith

Make sure they have plenty of water

stevencotton

My parents moved from Watford to Inverness and had to carry the two cats in the car. They just stuck them in the boot. No not really that was a lie; I seem to remember them going to the vets and asking their advice and I think they were either given some tablets or had an injection that just dopes them up to the eyeballs.

Steve.

Dave T-S

Mark
You could have them stuffed first LOL

Sorry, but I had to.......

MarkO

Thanks Dave. I had a sweepstake on how many posts it would take for somebody to suggest that, and you were 1 post later than I expected.

Nick Wadeson

Marko

I've just moved house and my three cats also get very stressed whilst travelling.

I went to the vet and he gave us a handfull of valium tablets to keep them calm on the journey. Worked a treat, two of them slept for the whole journey and most of the wait for the money to come through (five hours ), whilst the other whinged most of the way but at least he didn't soil his carry basket this time

Nick.

Mufasa

My cat regularly gets taken up and down the full length of the M4 (only about three hours) he hates the car but I can't leave him to fend for himself for 4 days

He would always throw up if he was in the plastic carry cage with just a grid on the end, but in a completely wire basket that he can see out of all sides he very rarely throws up. I asked the vet if there was anything I could use to knock him out a bit, but the reply was you can't sedate a cat a little bit, you have to knock them out completely for varying amounts of time. Deemed a bit excessive for regular trips down the motorway.

All I do now is starve him the night before, put bin bags over the seat just in case, and take it steady.

He also sleeps for longer when he's warm (but not panting hot ) too!

MarkO

Since this'll be a one-off, one-way 8-hour trip, I think we'll go for the valium idea. Sounds ideal - less stressful for the cats, and less upsetting for us.

Thanks for the feedback - and thanks for not muppetising the thread (yet ).

Pumpkin

Royal Mail Special Delivery - not expensive, guaranteed next day by noon, and suitable insurance if the pet croaks.

MarkO

Parcelfarce? No way - I wouldn't trust them with anything!

David Lock

Perhaps you should also be thinking/asking about making sure the cats stay in your new home in Scotland perhaps by keeping them in for a couple of days whilst they get to realise its their new home as well. It's a long walk back to Kent... Any tips anyone? Used to be butter on paws but I always thought that was bs.

Mufasa

Keep 'em in for at least a week, let them see out of the windows though then only let 'em out when it's pissing down to start with.
They won't go far

MarkO

Already know about that - we've moved house with 'em before already. We'll keep 'em in for a couple of weeks until they know where they are, and where the food source is.

The main issue is that we've never done a move this big, and I don't fancy eight hours on the motorway with mewing cats and a smell of sh*t.

Good_Elf

When I moved house with my cats, I put them on a lead, one at a time and walked them around the boundaries. After about a week of walking all 4 around for about 20 - 30 minutes a time, I let them free on Saturday morning and sat in the garden with them for a while.

They investigated all over for a bit, while coming back to me for re-assurance and then started to mooch off by themselves.

Mufasa

Ever tied a long sock LOOSELY!! around a Cat's tummy?
That slows 'em down a bit

Good_Elf

Strangely noooo...... Not the first thing that comes to mind when I'm bored.....


"I know...I'll take this long sock....."

Mufasa

Tea towels work too

Alas

Jesus - if you took a cat for a walk on a lead up our way, you'd get laughed out of town. Seems a bit like putting a jogging suit on a dog. If you can take the stick and it works then good luck

With regards the travelling cat - put its head under its wing . Oops sorry thats a chicken.
Good luck with the move
Alas
PS Nice part of the world

Dave T-S

Mark
Sorry about that

I did actually spend a few minutes searching around the RSPCA and other sites before I posted, but couldn't find anything whatsoever useful , so decided a muppet post would have to do

MarkO

S'okay - t'was to be expected.

sexy-blue-scoob

My Mum recently moved from Sevenoaks to North Berwick with three cats in the car. She had the tablets from the vet on hand but didn't need them. The cats were fine on the motorway - but as soon as she hit the 'A; roads (last 20 minutes) there got a little travel sick.

The cats will be fine - won't be at bad as you think.

Anyway - where are you moving to - will we see you scooby in Edinburgh ?

MarkO

Depends if the person who bought it lives in Scotland.

You will almost certainly see my Jag X-Type in and around Edinburgh though.

blair

<spooky>

I usually have to take my cats about 20 miles or so from my house near North Berwick to a cattery when I am off on holiday.

I'd go for the valium suggestion - lock the cats in the boot and take the valium yourself - it won't make the noise or the smell of cat S***t go away but you'll care less about it

Andy

[Edited by blair - 8/15/2002 9:26:39 AM]

MarkO

The cats are fine in the car - in fact they all love it in the car. The main problem isn't so much the journey itself, as much as the length of the journey. Since the cats will be transported in my wife's Pug 306, it's likely to take 7-8 hours, including stops.

I think it'll be a much easier journey if the cats are unconscious - as there'll be less worries about them running off when we stop, and it'll stop them mewing for the whole journey (they're very 'talkative' moggies).

Good_Elf

Alas - all my cats are used to the lead. Yes, I do get strange looks when walking them round the garden, but rather that than missing moggies.

One of mine got run over ooh..a few years back now and he refused point blank to get outside again for a long while (this is after I had to keep him in a rabbit hutch for 3 weeks for his leg to set (Vet's orders, I hasten to add)).

After a while and because I hate the thought of litter trays I decided to take him out on the lead. We went all over the fields at the back of the house and he was fine. Unless I took him off the lead, then it was ears back, crouch down and mewl piteously.

He's fine now though.

jfrf

When I transported my 2 dogs 200 miles when i moved, I got the local vet to issue a genreal anesthetic a few minutes beforehand

Only cost 20 pounds and the effect lasted over 3 hours
For me this was the best way to avoid any distress to the animals