Cats And Car Trips!! Lots of help needed.

[Soph_ie]

Okay I need some help/tips/ideas.

My beautiful cat Misty (11 years old approx, female, in good health) had an FCE (spinal stroke) last year and was paralysed in her back half. It's now just over a year later and she is doing really well-walking, running jumping, climbing stairs ETC. She still has a bit of a butt waggle (and always will we think) but that's fine, it doesn't bother her.

We used to leave her at home with a friend for the Christmas holidays who would pet sit, but now we aren't comfortable doing that or having her by herself for long periods of time, so last year we took her up to our bach (New Zealand word for beach house) which is three and a half hours away from our house. She was very carsick and drooled and vommitted nearly the whole way. When she gets to our bach she's fine and settles in well-it's just the trip that does it.

This year we are doing it again-do you guys have any good suggestions on car sickness?? I have been putting her in the car and turning the engine on and then giving her treats so she will associate it with a positive experience. Last year I tried Rescue Remedy which didn't seem to work too well.

I would love to hear any of your suggestions or ideas. Although I'm not very keen on the idea of medication, you can give me your thoughts on that too.

Does Sedapet (natural product) work??

Also can someone reassure me-someone told me it's bad for cats to vomit and drool for a few hours (well obviously, but they meant in terms of long lasting health effects)-is this correct?? When she gets to our bach she drinks a bit more water/pet milk for the first day or two but after that she drinks and eats normally. I'm desperate for some reassurance here.

Thank you all so much for your time!!

[Christine]

Hi and welcome! Since the trip is only a few hours, I would not give her anything to eat or drink just before...that just gives her ammunition :0)

My dog used to love to look out the window when we traveled and always got car sick. One day, I noticed that that is what was making him sick as his head and eyes were going back and forth with the scenery. Is your cat able to see out - could that be causing her problems?

Last though, do you hold her at all while traveling? Perhaps that would calm her down. Others will be along with more help soon. Merry Christmas!

[critters]

I'm with Christine--definitely NO breakfast that day! I tried ace on 2 of mine about 18 years ago; they were drunk, but they could still screech.

[Soph_ie]

Hey, thanks so much for posting.

We have a new cage for her this year, it's a steel framed one but has fabric sides and is very soft and comfortable inside. I actually think she would be happier sitting on my lap or in a basket on my lap but I'm not sure if that is the smartest thing to do either in case she freaks out and wants to run throughout the car, lol. Her cage is secured in the back seat beside me.

You might be right with her looking out. I have been told that they need a horizon to look at (like humans I guess) to avoid feeling nauseous, but I think that she may need her cage completely covered up so she can't see out at all.

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

I've been driving cats for over 35 years. Aint no easy way to do it. Eventually they get tired of screaming.... Cats and Cars don't mix...
I have driven with them confined and unconfined. They need confinement or you will have Mr. Accident
Cats don't like cars

[Soph_ie]

Hey guys,

Thanks again for all your tips. We did the car trip there and back. The way there wasn't too bad-she didn't feel great but she didn't vommit. She did go toilet (urinated and deficated), but at least she wasn't vomitting, I think she just went toilet due to the anxiety. On the way back though, she vommitted a couple of times and felt pretty nauseous. I don't know why the way back was worse-we might have feed her later then on the way up, or maybe the road is windier on the way back (going down hills instead of up them and that sort of thing).

Her new crate was really good, much more comfortable then her other one, and we covered it up so she couldn't see out or see a horizon.

We have to make the trip again in March-I'm not looking forward to it, but hopefully she will be more used to it. If anyone has any more tips, I am still very happy to hear them!!

Thanks for your time!!

[Christine]

Hi Sophie!

Wonder if you could take her on little short jaunts - even to the store and back - to acclimate her to the car, the motion and the fact that it is not such an earthshaking event, more like an everyday event? Just a thought.

[Dianne]

I moved my 3 cats 1,000 miles about 2 years ago. We put the cats in a small sedan with the rear split seat lowered so the cats could use the litterbox in the trunk/rear of the car. We did NOT use any sedation.

Karen is right that they stop screeching after the first few hours. The radio helped some. They also like it if you talk to them.

Confinement is a good idea. I'll never forget when one of my then 13 year olds got under the brake pedal on the interstate. Luckily, I was able to steer into a truck rest stop and pull him out from under the pedals.

They mostly slept on the back seat or the floor of the backseat.

Be careful that they don't escape when you get out of the car.

I wouldn't be afraid to take them on road trips again if there were someone who could prevent them from interefering with driving.

Dianne

[Soph_ie]

Thanks guys. We have tried taking her on smaller trips but I think it actually makes things worse, she gets really stressed. I have put her in the car every day and just sat in there with her for about two months to try and get her used to it but it doesn't seem to ease her fears much.

As I said when we get to our bach she is fine, and loves it there. She is a very happy and healthy cat, she just hates the car!!

I think the main thing I need to do is reassure myself that she will be alright. Someone told me that the stress of the car trip is really bad for their health, and whilst I know stress is bad for anyone, is it really that bad for them long-term??

[Toni]

I have travelled with many (too numberous to think about counting) cats evrything from short jaunts to the vet to cross country California to Illinois or Minnesota.
Each one is different. I have had some that just were crazy in the carrier but were fine when let out(I know this can be dangerous..under pedals, etc). Those cats I would let out ..some ride on my lap, some in the back window. I had one who loved riding straddled (draped) over the back of the front seat so he could look out the side windows and watch traffic. He thought semi's were really interesting. Others needed the security and confinement of the carrier. If going on long trips with a cat like that, I use a larger carrier and put a small corner litterbox (taped in place with duct tape) in the far back corner. A couple of nice blankets/beds/fuzzys for the cat to curl up in and cover the carrier with a blanket to minimize visual stimulation. After a few hours they settle in. No food for a cat like that is a really good idea before the trip.

One thing we do with our cats is make carriers available for them to sleep in all the time at home. The carriers are a comfortable place for them..so they don't usually get upset at being put in a carrier.

I have even flown with the cats in the cabin of the plane..no sedatives..just a carrier they were used to sleeping in at home.

Good luck!