Freedom
09-30-2006, 04:38 PM
Does anyone have any ideas for motion sickness - in a cat?
We are in a tough situation and we are travelling a LOT just now. Each trip is about 1.5 hours. We have at least 4 more trips before year end. But that should be the end of it!
These are family trips, Dad and I and all 7 cats. We go between my house and Dad's house. The cats love it at both ends of the highway, it is the in between / travel time which is of concern.
Sparkle gets VERY sick in the carrier in the car. We have tried larger carrier; putting her on the top row of carriers, putting her in the middle so she can see us, see out the windshield, get the air from the a/c. Nothing helped.
I stop feeding them 4 to 6 hours before we leave, and I pick up the water dishes 2 hours before we leave.
Spoke to my vet. She said it is too often for her to give Sparkle a tranquilizer. She doesn't like them to have that more than once or twice a year. She said to try dramamine, 1/4 tablet based on Sparkle's weight. We have done that the last 4 trips.
The first try, I was really hopeful, Sparkle seemed much better. But the benefits are less and less and yesterday on the drive back home here in RI she had a very difficult ride. Vomit, poop, and all over her. It was necessary to give her a complete bath once we arrived, she was such a mess. As if she didn't already feel bad enough, a BATH! Poor baby. She doesn't hold grudges though; she slept snuggled up next to me all night, just like she always does.
Of the others, five mostly sleep for the trip. Ebony "sings" the entire time, so we both arrive with head aches. All of them start crying whenever Sparkle gets sick, so we get that on top of the smell to let us know she is ill.
Once the car stops and her carrier is in the house, she is fine within 5 minutes and ready to eat with everyone else!
I know cats don't travel as well as dogs. Dogs have . . . something in the inner ear which we have, helps us keep our equilibrium in a moving vehicle; and cats don't have that.
Anyone have any suggestions?
We are in a tough situation and we are travelling a LOT just now. Each trip is about 1.5 hours. We have at least 4 more trips before year end. But that should be the end of it!
These are family trips, Dad and I and all 7 cats. We go between my house and Dad's house. The cats love it at both ends of the highway, it is the in between / travel time which is of concern.
Sparkle gets VERY sick in the carrier in the car. We have tried larger carrier; putting her on the top row of carriers, putting her in the middle so she can see us, see out the windshield, get the air from the a/c. Nothing helped.
I stop feeding them 4 to 6 hours before we leave, and I pick up the water dishes 2 hours before we leave.
Spoke to my vet. She said it is too often for her to give Sparkle a tranquilizer. She doesn't like them to have that more than once or twice a year. She said to try dramamine, 1/4 tablet based on Sparkle's weight. We have done that the last 4 trips.
The first try, I was really hopeful, Sparkle seemed much better. But the benefits are less and less and yesterday on the drive back home here in RI she had a very difficult ride. Vomit, poop, and all over her. It was necessary to give her a complete bath once we arrived, she was such a mess. As if she didn't already feel bad enough, a BATH! Poor baby. She doesn't hold grudges though; she slept snuggled up next to me all night, just like she always does.
Of the others, five mostly sleep for the trip. Ebony "sings" the entire time, so we both arrive with head aches. All of them start crying whenever Sparkle gets sick, so we get that on top of the smell to let us know she is ill.
Once the car stops and her carrier is in the house, she is fine within 5 minutes and ready to eat with everyone else!
I know cats don't travel as well as dogs. Dogs have . . . something in the inner ear which we have, helps us keep our equilibrium in a moving vehicle; and cats don't have that.
Anyone have any suggestions?