Moving 3 Cats Out Of State

[gemini]

We are moving from CA to WA in a month need some advice on the safest way to get all 3 of our babies up there.

[katladyd]

Are you moving them by car or plane? Vets can give them a tranquilizer shot if they go by plane and that removes most of the trauma for them. Have you thought of leaving them here in California with someone you can trust? Moving can be traumatic for cats. I've moved dogs across country, but my cats have never taken well to moves. Whatever happens, I wish you the best of luck!

[DJFyrewolf36]

We moved from Nv to Or with our three and just kept them in the car with us. They were more comfortable being talked to on the long trip. Spook gets car sick so we had to clean her up when we got there lol.
We made the trip in a day with only short stops. You might want to check on pet friendly hotels online along your route.

Good luck!

[K2QC]

When I picked up Minnie from Michigan . . . it was a 9+ hour drive back to NJ. She was sooooooooo good in the cat carrier, I even made extra stops to make sure she was fine -- she slept most of the way.

However, when I picked up Sebastian from Pennsylvania, he squaked the entire 1.5 hr. drive home to New Jersey! He's gotten better when he's in the car, but he's the one who would voice his opinion about being in a moving car.

I regularly put both cats in their respective carriers and do a drive around town . . . just so they keep their travel legs [so to speak]. I must say Sebastian has learned to tolerate the ordeal quite nicely.

Good luck on your journey with your furry family.

[Laura's Babies]

My sister moved with her 2 cats and a dog from Florida to Washington state in one of those big moving trucks (the U-haul or Penski) and her cats did fine during that 5 day trip. If you are going in a car, you will need a litter box, food and water for them... If you are going to use a big truck I would keep them in the cab of the truck but have a big cage in the back for them with a litter box, food and water to put them in from time to time so they can stretch their legs and move around.

When my brother moved from New Orleans (west bank) to Oregon, they didn't take their cats because theirs had health issues and were already traumatized by Hurricane Katrina and they knew that long car trip would traumatize them and make their health issues worse. They rehomed them with a friend.

If you have to fly them, a lot of vets will not sedate them and some airlines have a problem with them being sedated as it is to dangerous. I have flown cats and they did just fine (unmediated)..

I suggest if you have to travel by land, to start taking them out for short trips in the car locally and if you have time increase the time from short times to longer times. It will show them that although they may not like it, it WILL end and they will be OK.. I've had several cats that loved traveling in a car and use to take them on vacations with me.

The ones I have now do not like traveling, even short trips. I have found if I put on soft classical music they calm waaaay down. In a car DO AVOID loud music with them, none of that BOOM BOOM stuff as it has been proven that loud fast music excites them. The slower the music, the more calming it is. Also you can get some calming spray to spray in the car to help them out some.

[prechrswife]

We have made our last 2 moves with 3 cats, one in-state and one out of state. We just put the cats in their carriers, and they did fine. We just made sure if we had to stop for restroom, etc., that we had someone stay with them to keep the air running. I think we managed to avoid stopping for any meals, just because this wasn't an especially long move for an out-of-state one. When we arrived, we immediately set up their food and litter box in a bathroom and isolated them there until furniture was in.

We made our longest out of state move when we had just one cat. (Louisiana to Georgia) We also didn't have kids at the time, and we were able to let her out of the carrier some. We had food and a litter box set up, and I don't think she used either the entire trip. We tried taking her out on a leash at a rest area, and she hated that. The cars and trucks frightened her.

[Freedom]

Are you moving them by car or plane? Vets can give them a tranquilizer shot if they go by plane and that removes most of the trauma for them. Have you thought of leaving them here in California with someone you can trust? Moving can be traumatic for cats. I've moved dogs across country, but my cats have never taken well to moves. Whatever happens, I wish you the best of luck!

NO!! FAA regs prohibit a tranq animal from flying! If you are flying, BE SURE to check all the rules. They are posted on the airlines web page, if they fly animals.

If you are driving, then just take them with you!

[moosmom]

My 4 (at the time) were ANGELS!!!! The girls were in their carriers sound asleep. MooShoo sat right up front next to me as my co-pilot. I had a litter box in the front floor which worked like a charm.

[lvpets2002]

I would say moving 3 babies should be pretty easy.. Just make sure they have litter box & do resting stops for them to have water & some food.. Now what I have that works great for when I do long distance transports is == get 50 or 100 lb dog carrier.. Thats big enough so all 3 cats can fit pluss the litter & a water & food bowl.. I have a SUV so all fits good..

[catmandu]

I have a lot of trouble just getting the Found Ctas to the Vets on a bus!!!
We wish you luck in moving your Three Amigos to thier New Furrever Home with as little muss and fuss as possible!!!

[gemini]

Well Orion is an abyssinian male loves to voice his opinion I'm going to try and get a wider carrier so he has breathing room. When he was smaller he used to chew at the carrier door and cry the whole way to the vet. I don't want to imagine all that over a 2 day span. Mae Mae is a little older she is a ragdoll-siamese, but as she has gotten older she has become frightened of everything. Sylvia is 17 years old and i'm sure she won't care as long as she gets to lay down she sleeps all day anyways I will probably bring them just dry food as I don't want any harsh messes and keep them harnessed incase there is an emergency. They are our babies so they love to tell us when they need to go I hope all is well I am nervous as heck over the idea, but there is no way i'm leaving them in this state. haha thanks all for the help.

[Freedom]

There are several herbal remedies available to keep cats calm during travel. You may want to consider one of them. I just used Google with this:

cat calm remedy travel

Several brands popped up. Of course, you could get something from the vet as well. I have heard great things about some of these herbal products, so if you can find the time, look into them!

Rescue Remedy is quite popular, as is Bach's Flowers products.

[jjhudson09]

OK I have a question in about 47 days my family is moving and I have 3 pets one 7 yr old female cat and 2 one year old ferrets the ferrets I am not worried about my 7 yr old cat she hates her cat carrier and the car she can not stand them and she yowls the in whole time I just want to know how to calm her down since it will be a 17 hr drive in a car I plan on trying to let her out to walk her but I have to put her in the car again and again I just want her to be OK a ride to the vet is short and sweet but not 17 hrs HELP please someone.

[Freedom]

As mentioned earlier in this very old thread, check with the vet, and also look into herbal remedies.