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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / June 2005Taking Kitty in Car
Hi all - Yesterday one of my kitties passed away. Thank you so much to all who responded with kind words and prayers. The reason I write now is that my other kitty is now by himself. He seems to be doing okay but I know he's looking for his sister. I'm wondering about leaving him by himself during the weekend. Recently my husband and I bought a vacation home 1-1/2 hrs from where we live. Every weekend we go up there to enjoy it but now I'm thinking I should take my kitty, Hobbes, with us so he won't be by himself. I never really worried when the two kitties were by themselves as I always had the neighbor come in to feed, water, etc. But now, I'm thinking he should come with us. I've never traveled with him. He's an indoor-only kitty. Does anyone have any tips? Or should I even take him? I want to do what would make him most comfortable. THank you! > Hi all - > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > THank you! Gosh, Laura, that's a tough one. Ordinarily I'd say leave him home because cats *SO* hate to have their routine upset or be moved to someplace they're not familiar with. But cats do go through a grieving process just like we humans do, so leaving him alone, while it won't hurt him physically, might make him even more depressed than he is and could cause eating or behavior problems. How is he usually in the car? If he's a really laid-back cat who's not upset by the unexpected, he might do well going with you. I guess ultimately you'll have to go with your gut feeling about this. I'm still sending purrs for your broken heart, and every night I light a candle to help lost kitties find their way to the Rainbow Bridge. Hugs, CatNipped > Hi all - > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > THank you! If he travels pretty well, I'd take him with. He will become used to the routine and probably enjoy it as much as you. If he is horribly stressed, you could try desensitizing him, by first just putting him in the carrier and in the car and not going anywhere. Then when he becomes calm doing that, drive to the end of the drive only, until that becomes routine, etc. But if he only seems to associate the carrier with the vet, he will probably quickly come around. Take some favorite box or pillow with so he has something familiar there. Good luck. LauraM <ldbkatwoman@aol.com> wrote in rec.pets.cats.health+behav: > Hi all - > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > THank you! That's quite a problem. I used to leave Kami totally by herself for up to three days and she did fine, but while a cat is grieving I'm not sure what to suggest. I would personally take the cat with me. While they don't like their routines to be disrupted, they do need to have some contact during this period. But if he douesn't travel well, it could be more stressful than leaving him by himself. Having just traveled long distance with my 17-year old cat, I have to give some recognition to Feliway. I can't tell you whether it really works, but I can say that spraying it in the carrier, car and motel rooms, she seemed MUCH better than I expect the snotty little princess to be. ;)  SignatureBrandy Alexandre® http://www.swydm.com/?refer=BrandyAlx Well, would you? What a good idea about the feliway. Think I'll do that. My gut instinct is to take him. I don't know how he is with the car because the only time I take him in the car is to the vet. :( I'm hoping he does okay. I'll try it this one weekend and if he doesn't like it, then I won't do it again. And to biggerbadderbarry - I would never let my kitty outdoors. He'll be an indoor kitty up there as well. The good thing is there are sooo many birds for him to watch outside the window. I can't wait till he sees one of those huge blue herons! never traveled with him. He's an indoor-only kitty. Does anyone > have any tips? Or should I even take him? I want to do what would > make him most comfortable. > > THank you! Once your there, he would continue to be an indoor-only kitty. right. Very sorry about your other cat. Thoughts and prayers Barry Be very careful that he doesn't escape at the foreign location or at any stopping points in transit (where he might go looking for his lost friend). > Be very careful that he doesn't escape at the foreign > location or at any stopping points in transit (where > he might go looking for his lost friend). I would never put my cats in the car without having them in a locked carrier. > Hi all - > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > have any tips? Or should I even take him? I want to do what would > make him most comfortable. Can't believe no-one has suggested you take a weekend off and stay with him, if you go away every weekend then giving it a miss one week isn't going to be the end of the world? SignatureNiel H >Can't believe no-one has suggested you take a weekend off and stay with him, >if you go away every weekend then giving it a miss one week isn't going to >be the end of the world? Good point. I didn't realize it was an every weekend thing. Much better option to stay home. Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com >I never really worried when the two kitties were by themselves as I >always had the neighbor come in to feed, water, etc. But now, I'm >thinking he should come with us. Tough call. Normally, the stress of the trip would not be worth it. But he is grieving now, and might think he has been abandoned. I lost Maynard a month ago today, and Kira is still very clingy, much more than normal. I would try and take him with you. It's just too soon to leave him alone right now. Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com I watched a family on TV, husband, wife, 2 year old and a black cat. Each week-end they packed up all the things they needed, put the cat in a travel case and traveled to their vacation home. The cat did fine. Cats are adjustable and can get used to a routine like that very easily. You are staying at the same place each time, not hotel rooms where you have to worry about whether or not they allow cats. Hope this is an indoor cat. Take your cat with you. Your cat will be happier and so will you. Good luck, Barb Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time. Reagan is an indoor cat and we have not gone on vacation without him. He cries for the first 20 minutes in his crate but then quiets down and sleeps the other 3 hours for his ride to the Adirondacks. Once there, we release him on our bed and he goes straight for his spot in front of the bathroom door. He has full run of the house and he knows it. > Reagan is an indoor cat and we have not gone on vacation without him. > He cries for the first 20 minutes in his crate but then quiets down and > sleeps the other 3 hours for his ride to the Adirondacks. Once there, > we release him on our bed and he goes straight for his spot in front of > the bathroom door. He has full run of the house and he knows it. Thanks to everyone who responded! I've been reading your responses along with some stuff on the web regarding traveling cats. :) I have his usual carrier and a sheepskin pad. I bought some feliway and will be using that. I tested it on the pad without the carrier and he's very interested in it, so that's good. He'll DEFINITELY be in a carrier. I would never dream of taking a chance of losing him. He's an indoor-only baby. And, yes, he'll be at the same home every weekend. We are eventually going to move here permanently, so it'll be good that he's used to the place when we finally make the transition. And just for those who are really concerned, because I know how you get!...I'm home all day so he's not abandoned during the week. He's got me most of the days. Lucky cat. :^) |
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