Solution for Car Sickness?

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?

Have you tried taking Sparkle on short trips to acclimatize her to the car? Gina (of gina's ark, inc.) started taking her cats on ten-minutes drives, then gradually made them longer and longer, and last winter was able to drive with them in her car from Calfornia to New York without incident.

I used to get motion sick a lot, but haven't since the brain surgery (acoustic neuroma removed) that left me half deaf. It's so good to not get motion sick! Tell Sparkle she has my sympathy.

Others have tried Rescue Remedy, which is not as strong, I guess, as a tranquilizer, but may help her relax a bit.

Rescue Remedy goes in the water, so that is an idea.

You could also try Feliway. Oscar has to be on Feliway twice a day...I got him an inexpensive totally stretchy collar - and I gently squirt some of the liquid into the fabric - then put the collar on him. Works like a charm.

Would her being in a carrier with another of the cats help?

Poor Sparkles! I hope you find something to help her.

We use Benadryl liquid (or the generic) over the counter for our dog! Just check with your vet to be sure of the dosage! ;)

My cat Spunky had a terrible time with car sickness. When we traveled to Cape Cod(from NJ), the last meal the cats ate was the evening meal on Friday(we left Saturday @ 0430). About one hour before leaving, I would give Spunky Tabacum 30C, a homeopathic remedy. It helped. Also used ginger. I found it was best NOT to put Spunky in the carrier. I would put a thick towel on my lap, and let him sleep/sit there. I also had a litter box handy for him to use. I hope this helps...

I was wondering about ginger, too. I don't know if it's safe for cats but there is very strong evidence that it helps motion sickness in people.

I used the ginger, but it did not help Spunky.

Thanks everyone! I ordered some spray Feliway over the weekend. We travel again on Tuesday of next week. I'll let you know how things go!

If Sparkles will tolerate a collar, get a stretchy one and squirt some Feliway right on the collar (don't SPRAY), then put it on.

That's what I do with Oscar so he doesn't wander away from "his favourite place" (where the vet told me to spray it! :D )

Works great!

We drove up Tuesday. I gave Sparkle the 1/4 dramamine tablet, and I also sprayed her carrier with Feliway. The instructions enclosed said 2 squirts. Well, I did 3. I also did a few other carriers, especially Ebony's as she "sings" the entire hour and a half. It says wait 20 mintues before putting the cat in the carrier; I only waited 10 to 15. Maybe that explains the problem described below, I am not sure.

Ebony muttered a bit, but she and the others were quite good.

Sparkle still drooled and looked miserable. She eventually settled down and closed her eyes. Normally she sits leaning against the carrier door the entire trip, moaning and drooling, and being sick. So it was a MUCH better trip.

I was very nervous at first. For the first half hour, she was shaking all over and her eyes were dilated and HUGE. She didn't blink as much as normal. I didn't know whether to keep going on our trip or pull off the highway and find a vet! I think I will call my vet before we make the return trip, see if she has any thoughts.

Poor Sparkle, she starts drooling in the carrier, while it is still on the floor in the bedroom. The anticipation is at least as bad as the drive.

Dad isn't comfortable having her on his lap. And this trip his blood glucose levels were too high so he couldn't drive. Another time, when he can drive, I will try her on a pillow on my lap, and see if that helps as well. WITH a towel for all the drool.

Once we arrived, less than 5 minutes and she was meowing for food same as the others. We ewre delayed in leaving, so they hadn't eaten for 6 or 7 hours; a LIFETIME to this group! ;) So she continues to recover from the traveling rapidly.

Thanks everyone. Just wanted to let you know the results.

Well, it's an improvement. Do you think she would accept the collar?(Feliway collar - I use a nylon one on Oscar now, more comfy for him and still soaks up the FW)

Does she always drool? Or this is (and her eyes) a side effect of dramamine? I wonder if it and the FW interact?

Let me know what the vet says...I would be interested to find out.