Getting a cat used to car travel

Bursar

Everybody, say hi to Starbuck.
We adopted him about a month ago, and we have two conflicting reports as to his age: the shelter says he's around 18 months, but the vet says that due to the state of his teeth he's probably more like 3 or 4 years old and just has some Siamese in him to account for the lankiness that the shelter people were mistaking for signs of youth.

Obligatory cat pictures:

My girlfriend and I are thinking of taking him with us when we visit her folks for Thanksgiving. This would be a six-hour drive, and we'd be away from home for at least three nights. We'd like to find out if he's the kind of cat who could tolerate being in a car, and could handle such a trip. To that end, we've been trying to acclimate him to his carrier and being in the car so that he doesn't just associate the experience with going to the vet (he's been once, and will be going again in a couple of weeks to address the dental issues mentioned above).

I've taken him for a 20-minute car ride twice now, just myself and him, with him in his carrier belted into the front seat. All the times he's been in the car this way, including the vet visit, he would meow plaintively while the car is in motion but quiet down when the car is stopped. He didn't urinate in his carrier, though, which I think is a good sign that he's not too freaked out, and he doesn't pace around, claw at the sides, or try to escape.

He doesn't seem to dislike the carrier at all; it's been in plain sight with a comfy towel all the time he's been here, and I've seen him hang out in it on his own a few times. Even today, he seemed to understand that it is the only way to leave the apartment. He was hanging around the door and meowing, so I picked up the carrier and put it next to the door and he hopped right inside. He doesn't appear to be bothered by being moved around in the carrier, and actually seems to enjoy the fresh air and experience of just being outside for a bit.

Today I stopped the car in a parking lot halfway through and let him out of the carrier to allow him to explore the confines of the car. After checking out the backseat and the space behind it (the car is a hatchback), he came forward again and let me place him back in the carrier without any fuss. Again, he didn't have a problem unless the car was moving, at which point it time for became time for the Scared Kitty Serenade.

Other than doing this over and over and hoping to see progress as to the amount of meowing going on, are there any things I should know about traveling with a cat in a car? Is he just crying because he can feel the car moving but can't see what's going on? How do we know when to throw in the towel and not subject him to a lengthy car ride at all?

SteevL

Cats just hate being in unfamiliar environments, and a car can be a scary place with all the noise and movement (and it's a constantly-changing environment to them!). When my wife moved from Florida to Illinois, we drove with her two cats. It was a 20+ hour drive and we only stopped for gas and maybe an hour's worth of shuteye at a rest area (what a miserable trip that was). One of them did relatively OK, but the other one apparently decided he was done with traveling around Kentucky and started kicking and clawing every which way he could at his bag-style soft carrier. We had to pull off the highway to let him calm down. The meowing from both of them did not stop for the whole trip, and it got worse any time we made eye contact with either one.

We actually asked our vet for advice on car travel a few months ago because we're moving to California next month, and it'll be a 30 hour car ride. The vet suggested giving each cat half a pill of Benadryl to calm them down, and do bring them on a test drive for a few hours to make sure it works. If not, our vet said she can prescribe a tranquilizer, but that's a last resort. We're still not really sure if we're going to try drugging them with anything.

Another thing we'll have this time is a different carrier for the one who went crazy during that last move: something called a SleepyPod. We're hoping he does better in that . It's basically a circular cat carrier with a removable mesh top so it can also function as a cat bed when you're not transporting the kitties. The other cat we had during that last move had one and, like I said, she was better-behaved, but she was also a much more relaxed cat in general.

Also, it's good that you stopped the car before letting the cat out to explore it. You should definitely not let a cat roam free in a car while it's moving. It can be dangerous because they could get in the way of whoever is driving.

And of course, make sure your cat has a proper collar and tag in case he escapes. I have an aunt whose cat jumped out of the car at a rest area during a move many years ago. It ran off and she couldn't catch it. She had to move on without the cat.

Anyway, I'm sure someone will have more focused advice for you here. Figured I'd drop in a few tips that might be helpful.

dispatch.o

Cats don't travel very well as a rule. Even the ones that don't mind a ride. They're very very territorial and bringing them to a new environment will possibly bring about all sorts of behavior changes that may not go away when you get home.

I'd definitely recommend very strongly against it. It takes several days if not weeks before they can even be comfortable enough in a new permanent address. It won't be an adventure or fun time in a new place like it would be for a dog.

Edit: It's not the car travel that will be the only traumatic event for the cat. Being dumped in a place that is entirely alien for 3 days wont be enjoyable.

Also don't let a cat roam around while the car is in motion. They're not really rational creatures and just about anything can cause a flight response. If that happens to mean hide under the brake pedal or in your arms while driving that's not really ok.

Buy a harness and leash if you want to take him to new spaces. Even the most relaxed cat can randomly go into fight or flight due to things you can't see, hear or smell. Plenty of indoor/outdoor cats end out missing if they flee in a territory they can't recognize.

Bedlam

Three nights should be ok for the cat to be on its own in your house with some extra food. Even better if you can get someone you trust to check on it.

I've been attacked by my own cat just bringing him to grandmas house. They don't like the sudden change in environment and it takes a long time to get used to their surroundings. Your cat is going to be terrified and hide and possibly lash out at people. It isn't worth the stress for you or him to bring him along and would be better staying at your house with plenty of food and water and fresh litter.

Psykoma

My cat's major calming thing is being able to see out the windows. I would guess some cats would get motion sick from that, but if I keep my cat locked in her carrier she cries nonstop, but if I let her out she stays on the back seat, occasionally getting up to look out the windows, and she calms right down.

mts

We have done a 6hour trip and cross country with our cats

On the cross country trip we got some meds from the vet. If you decide to drug try it out first. Our one cat did fine with it and dozed the entire time. The other one got super paranoid and took a dump on the floor. We stopped drugging him and he was fine.

For cross country we actually just set up a litter box in the back and left them with free reign. Neither of them tried to climb in the front seat and it was no real problem the entire time.

For the 6 hour trip we put them both in a dog crate with a small box and left them in there the whole time. They cried a lot but I figured for 6 hours it was fine.

Another option is a cat harness and leash

Bliss 101

Seconding the "see out the windows" advice. For the few times he had to travel, my late cat was pretty fine with the traveling part, be it by car or train or bus. He'd be nervous, but also kind of curious, so as long as he was able to see outside from his carrier he was fairly content. However, he would always be a nervous wreck at the destination and generally just hide under a sofa or something. That might be a much bigger problem for your cat as well. The carrier is a fairly safe place for the cat, and a confined space like a car doesn't necessarily freak them out that much either, but a completely new house (possibly with unfamiliar people?) can really stress them. Finding a way for the cat to stay home instead might be better for everyone. Could you get someone to check on the cat and keep him some company at your place while you're away?

Madican

Thirding the "see out the window" advice. Once upon a time we had a cat who absolutely loved car rides, to the point where my mother would let him come along when she drove to pick up my brother from preschool. He'd position himself on the dashboard or a seat and just watch the world fly by. Set a cat carrier down and he'd practically dash inside, because a trip to the vet meant a longer ride in the car. He didn't want to stay in the carrier while riding though, he wanted to be out and about. Never roaming in the car in a way that was hazardous.

Enc

So, growing up we traveled a lot and brought our cat with us. Once on the open road, and so long as there was a non-driver person in the car, we would open up the carrier and let the cat walk about, and put a litter box in the carrier. The cat would generally be nervous for the first 45 minutes then settle down in the lap or under a car seat for the rest of the ride. Knowing they had a litter pan in their crate made the risk of peeing somewhere very much less.

THAT SAID

Having someone come by your house for the three days would be way better. Alternatively, boarding the cat with a trusted vet would be a better experience in all likelihood for all involved (as you wont be worrying about the cat, and the cat will get the right food, attention, and quiet it needs for what will be a stressful time).

We brought our cat with us on trips because over summers we would be gone more than we were home, and after the first trip or two the cat started loving the experience (24 hour petting time? Awesome.). He used to try to get in the car for more snuggles in his later years.

But it took a lot of time to get him to that stage, and the early trips were miserable.

SteevL

Yeah, anytime we go on a short trip (or lengthier trips) we use a pet service called Fetch. They send someone over daily to feed our cats and play with them. They also email us a picture every day along with what they did for the cats and how they acted, etc.

CelestialBadger

I would not do that. As others have suggested, just get a neighbor to check in on the cat, feed, water and change kitty litter. It's a good job for a local teenager if you know any.

The only reason I'd drive a long way in a car with a cat is to move house.

cj iwakura

I have to agree, ask a neighbor or a friend. Long vehicle rides can traumatize cats, or worse. Not to alarm you, but I've had friends who've had cats' health deteriorate because of long car trips.

Madican

Oh wait only a couple days? Yeah, definitely just get someone who can check up on the cat and give them food + water. They'll be unhappy you're gone but it's better than potentially traumatizing them with repeatedly changing their location.

Donnicton

"Start them early" is typically the most sound strategy but obviously it's very easy to miss that window with cats, like in this case. A lot of it depends on the personality, and the first thing you want to do is determine whether it makes sense to even make the attempt. It's extremely hard to correct a cat's personality so if you don't think they will adapt well to changes in environment, I wouldn't suggest doing it at all except as an absolutely last resort.

Up until recently I had five cats, two of them were elderly cats that were so laid back that I could take them anywhere and they absolutely would not care. One of them couldn't really be trusted to take care of herself because she was starting to fail with age, and we simply took her with us on road trips to visit family and she adapted to the change in location with no effort. This was entirely possible because of their "I really don't care" personalities.

The third however was also an elderly cat, but he was terrorized as a kitten(we're not sure what it was, we found him when he was about a year old) and was pretty skittish of everything for the rest of his life. He was only ever comfortable with approaching people if noone in the room was even standing. Suffice to say this is an entirely unsuitable cat for travel. However he was still self-sufficient so we still left him home without much issue(see below).

I'm down to two cats now, recent stray pickups. One of them is a giant twenty-pound teddy bear of a cat who is very friendly, but doesn't handle stress well at all. Even taking him to the vet is a chore. I can tell immediately that he's not suitable for travel. The other one is extremely laid-back but there's no point attempting to see if I can do anything with him if I have to leave the other one home anyway.

That being said, if I'm going on a trip for two or three days tops, I like to use something like a large capacity Drinkwell fountain to keep them supplied with water. It's designed to still provide water from the tank even if the filter motor fails, and it lasts up to a week without refill if it's only used for cats. A gravity feeder is also perfectly suitable for food if the cat is fine with dry food and is decently self-regulating with food.

I'd still have someone check after a day or two but generally speaking a little bit of prep work is more than sufficient for the cat to handle itself for a few days, compared to the hassle of trying to adapt a cat for travel that may clearly not be willing.

bwanie

Cats need food and water, and a litter clean is not unwelcome either. Either place several bowls of food and water in different locations (this works to up about 4 days) or get someone to check in every four days or so at a minimum)

They will not miss you like a dog does.

Don't take them halfway across the country and make them spend time in foreign environments. Unless it's absolutely neccesary (read: Vet visits and recouperating after surgery, observation) of course.

Straygatsby

We bought two metal dog crates, zip tied them together, put in food, water, a small pan of litter, and a pair of cat beds, and crammed them into the backseat of our car. Then we covered the whole contraption with a thick blanket. They didn't even act like they cared that we had them stuck in there for a few days of driving.

Edit to add: I also concur with folks above mentioning the idea of leaving the cat(s) at home. Our rule of thumb is 3 nights. If it's more than that, we have a guy we pay to come check in daily. Other than that, they barely even notice were gone.

Incenjucar

If you do travel with cats be really careful about letting them out. Some cats think the safest place is between the break pedal and the car floor.

djmitchella

That reminds me of a classic Vinyl Cafe episode:

Vinyl Cafe - Cat in a Car

cj iwakura

I feel guilty after a day. They go through two full bowls that fast.

dispatch.o

cj iwakura wrote: »

I feel guilty after a day. They go through two full bowls that fast.

Probably need to get an automated feeder. Cats really don't need that much food but some aren't very good at grazing and will compulsively consume everything. Depending on the size of the cat, it can be as low as 1/2 a cup of food per day. Mine would easily eat three times that if I let them.

cj iwakura

dispatch.o wrote: »

cj iwakura wrote: »

I feel guilty after a day. They go through two full bowls that fast.

Probably need to get an automated feeder. Cats really don't need that much food but some aren't very good at grazing and will compulsively consume everything. Depending on the size of the cat, it can be as low as 1/2 a cup of food per day. Mine would easily eat three times that if I let them.

Sounds like a good idea.

evilthecat

For me, my cat just didn't like the ... lack of sensory information.
she didn't mind the car, she didn't mind the box, but being in the box while the car was moving was highly problematic.
If the car was moving and she could move around the car (which she really didn't do energetically, she kinda always liked to just sit on the dashboard), it was fine.
She'd watch the trees and fields go by without meowing or shitting everywhere.

SteevL

I'm not the OP, but since I posted advice that I was going to follow from the vet, I figured I'd post an update on that.

Today was going to be our test drive with the cats. We cut a Benadryl pill in half and attempted to give each one to a cat. Cat #1 did not swallow and started drooling. Cat #2 did swallow, and holy shit did he start drooling. I've never seen a cat drool this much. He looked absolutely miserable.

And that's when we decided not to do the test drive today and let the cats recover from this experience. We'll be going to the vet this week to get a prescription and see how they react to that.

cj iwakura

SteevL wrote: »

I'm not the OP, but since I posted advice that I was going to follow from the vet, I figured I'd post an update on that.

Today was going to be our test drive with the cats. We cut a Benadryl pill in half and attempted to give each one to a cat. Cat #1 did not swallow and started drooling. Cat #2 did swallow, and holy shit did he start drooling. I've never seen a cat drool this much. He looked absolutely miserable.

And that's when we decided not to do the test drive today and let the cats recover from this experience. We'll be going to the vet this week to get a prescription and see how they react to that.

Mix it with food, they won't eat it straight. Put it with some tuna or something they'll devour without a second thought.

see317

cj iwakura wrote: »

SteevL wrote: »

I'm not the OP, but since I posted advice that I was going to follow from the vet, I figured I'd post an update on that.

Today was going to be our test drive with the cats. We cut a Benadryl pill in half and attempted to give each one to a cat. Cat #1 did not swallow and started drooling. Cat #2 did swallow, and holy shit did he start drooling. I've never seen a cat drool this much. He looked absolutely miserable.

And that's when we decided not to do the test drive today and let the cats recover from this experience. We'll be going to the vet this week to get a prescription and see how they react to that.

Mix it with food, they won't eat it straight. Put it with some tuna or something they'll devour without a second thought.

But maybe check with the vet first. Even half a Benadryl is still a lot for 10 pounds of cat to process.
A single pill is intended to be an adequate dose for an adult human.

WiseManTobes

Some cats just have real problem with , it's almost a form of car sickness, and the low meowl's are usually a sign of that.
I have 3 cats and one has just never been good at car rides, after a couple minutes he just goes straight to the floor and meowl's , especially long drives can even make him sick. If I have to take him on a long trip I get him kitty gravol.
Make sure to go to your vet for proper medication and dosage if you have to go this route

dispatch.o

Picking up their food/water 6 hours before the drive is usually a good idea too. Anxiety urinating is a thing and if you think driving with a cat is bad, driving with a cat that's laying in it's own urine like a sponge is way worse. It also keeps them from being uncomfortable. Though be warned, it's only useful if you are going to give them a chance to eat/drink/litter later on.

You still have to account for the fact cats really don't do well without fluids, and as a once in a while thing like going to a vet or moving it's fine... but if you want to travel with your cat often (god why would you?) then you need to come up with a way for them to hydrate and use the bathroom while in transit. You can buy kennels and put them in a folded down back seat or rear compartment of an SUV with some zip ties to hold a corner-litter box in place and clamp on water/food bowls.

In my experience, once you put them in the vehicle and cover the cage/carrier, leave them alone. You'll want to lift the cover and make sure they're okay and talk to them and stuff, don't. Leave them alone, let them sleep and try to keep things quiet, all calling out to them and stuff does is trigger anxiety and keep them worked up. Even the most vocal cat will eventually give up and go to sleep, unless you keep them riled up saying their name and poking at the cage. Check on them at gas stops as quietly as possible and make sure they're getting a breeze from an AC vent during the drive and just leave them alone.

mts

see317 wrote: »

cj iwakura wrote: »

SteevL wrote: »

I'm not the OP, but since I posted advice that I was going to follow from the vet, I figured I'd post an update on that.

Today was going to be our test drive with the cats. We cut a Benadryl pill in half and attempted to give each one to a cat. Cat #1 did not swallow and started drooling. Cat #2 did swallow, and holy shit did he start drooling. I've never seen a cat drool this much. He looked absolutely miserable.

And that's when we decided not to do the test drive today and let the cats recover from this experience. We'll be going to the vet this week to get a prescription and see how they react to that.

Mix it with food, they won't eat it straight. Put it with some tuna or something they'll devour without a second thought.

But maybe check with the vet first. Even half a Benadryl is still a lot for 10 pounds of cat to process.
A single pill is intended to be an adequate dose for an adult human.

except animals metabolize things differently. Our 60 lb dog required at least a full pill according to our vet.

azith28

Your cat should feel right at home in your car, since he looks exactly like a speedometer.

see317

mts wrote: »

see317 wrote: »

cj iwakura wrote: »

SteevL wrote: »

I'm not the OP, but since I posted advice that I was going to follow from the vet, I figured I'd post an update on that.

Today was going to be our test drive with the cats. We cut a Benadryl pill in half and attempted to give each one to a cat. Cat #1 did not swallow and started drooling. Cat #2 did swallow, and holy shit did he start drooling. I've never seen a cat drool this much. He looked absolutely miserable.

And that's when we decided not to do the test drive today and let the cats recover from this experience. We'll be going to the vet this week to get a prescription and see how they react to that.

Mix it with food, they won't eat it straight. Put it with some tuna or something they'll devour without a second thought.

But maybe check with the vet first. Even half a Benadryl is still a lot for 10 pounds of cat to process.
A single pill is intended to be an adequate dose for an adult human.

except animals metabolize things differently. Our 60 lb dog required at least a full pill according to our vet.

Sure, and you went to your vet to get that information.
I wasn't saying "Don't do this, this is a bad idea and will hurt your cat!". I'm not a vet, and I don't have cats, so I don't know for sure.
I was just saying "Maybe check with the vet because that sounds like a lot of medicine for a small animal".

I apologize if my suggestion came across as more than what I intended.

SteevL

Yeah, FWIW it was the vet who told us to try half a pill of benadryl for each cat. Anyway, now we have Xanax that can be applied to each cat's inner ear. We tested it on them and they didn't have any negative reactions to it, so we'll see how it goes in 2 weeks!