Cat carriers while moving (dogs, litter, house, peeing)

[nightbird47]

I'm making a long move and it looks like a truck cab thats pretty small is the best deal so far. It looks like I may have to carry the carrier on my lap. Since the metal ones and the plastic ones will be very uncomfortable I'm looking at the mesh ones.

My cat will be somewhat sedated since she's going to be scared. I don't anticipate attempts to escape. But would the mesh ones hold up well enough and safely enough? I can't put it on the floor as the dog will be there.

How long a ride is okay? We may be doing a couple of 12 hour rides to get the truck back in time. She sleeps all day normally. We'll stop once for the night between drives, and will have to stop often enough for bathroom breaks for dog and people...

Anybody done this with their cat?

[AnyDayNow]

I looked up a mesh cat carrier and have to say that there is no way any of my cats would ride for any distance in it--and I would not let them sit in my lap in that. There is too much freedom, my cats prefer the safety of the standard cat carrier with the plastic sides--especially when the dogs are around. (The dogs love on the cats but it is not a mutual feeling, lol.) And I would hate their nails coming through the mesh sides of the mesh carrier, ouch.

This is very timely as we recently had to take our cats in their plastic carriers to get their shots. None of them are "runners" who have ever tried to escape, but one of them tried it anyway. He only managed to get two paws on the ground before I got him, but my point is that his behavior was unpredictable, unusual for him, but he felt out of sorts (and we recently moved so he's been out of sorts for a few weeks now) so he behaved in a way he normally wouldn't.

Your cat is going to be somewhat sedated so maybe it won't be that bad. Maybe your cat doesn't have claws that might poke through the mesh if she gets upset. Maybe she is a calmer traveler than mine. There are a lot of variables that may make your cat different from mine. But my opinion is that the mesh carrier wouldn't work for my cats. I've had to carry a hard-sided cat carrier on my lap (although for a much shorter distance than you will!) and I would do it again. It's much easier for me to deal with this one carrier and its size than to deal with a bag that may shift shape if the cat gets upset, etc.

Although, the good side of a mesh bag may be if you can get the cat to settle down in your lap or in your arms as she normally would that might help soothe her.

It's just all what you are comfortable with. If you think she'd do well with the mesh carrier, go with that--and remember that you can stop at the nearest WalMart to pick up the standard plastic carrier if you need to. It never hurts to have a back-up plan.

Good luck with it, whichever way you decide!

[spoiledkitties]

Your kitty will need to be taken out of the carrier once in a while to move around, stretch, eat or drink, and most important to use a litter box of some kind. If they get stressed out and have any bathroom issues (ex: peeing where there is no littler box) the cat can tend to hold itin which could lead to urinary tract problems. Just be careful and attentative to this and your kitty should be ok. If the carrier doesnt allow for standing up and turning around it is too small for a long haul. Maybe put a harness on your kitty before putting him/her in that way you can clip a leash on your cat and take him/her outside for a 5 minute stretch or something. Even you might need a stretch

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by spoiledkitties

Your kitty will need to be taken out of the carrier once in a while to move around, stretch, eat or drink, and most important to use a litter box of some kind. If they get stressed out and have any bathroom issues (ex: peeing where there is no littler box) the cat can tend to hold itin which could lead to urinary tract problems. Just be careful and attentative to this and your kitty should be ok. If the carrier doesnt allow for standing up and turning around it is too small for a long haul. Maybe put a harness on your kitty before putting him/her in that way you can clip a leash on your cat and take him/her outside for a 5 minute stretch or something. Even you might need a stretch

She does have a harness, but panics with strangers, so I'm not sure how well that would work. We'll have to figure.... at least we have the use of a truck with a large 6 person cab, so the dog can go in a doggie car seat and the cat does not have to be held.

And it will have nice ac. One rental place was cheaper...none of the trucks have ac ;-(

Now that its time to be stuffing boxes, I'm soooo excited. It real!

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by spoiledkitties

Maybe put a harness on your kitty before putting him/her in that way you can clip a leash on your cat and take him/her outside for a 5 minute stretch or something. Even you might need a stretch

I refit her harness so it appears she can't get out. LOL she knew we came down the stairs so headed straight back UP the stairs, then bolted inside. But she didn't pull out. Left the harness on yesterday without taking her outside, and she was much subdued, so maybe just wearing it...

The dog jumped up and run with the earthquake hit today, but the cat seem unperturbed... Can we say laid back? Guess she is capable of calm.

[spoiledkitties]

My big girl would surely panic in a harness...vet trips only in carrier....my little one...as soon as I put it on her she looked at me then went to play not caring at all. Good luck...I wish you well.....if you let her roam and not have a litter box....maybe try those puppy training pads on the floor? that way you dont or shouldn't have to scrub kitty pee off the floor....and if she is a puker lol don't forget the paper towel

Good luck...wish you well!!

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by spoiledkitties

My big girl would surely panic in a harness...vet trips only in carrier....my little one...as soon as I put it on her she looked at me then went to play not caring at all. Good luck...I wish you well.....if you let her roam and not have a litter box....maybe try those puppy training pads on the floor? that way you dont or shouldn't have to scrub kitty pee off the floor....and if she is a puker lol don't forget the paper towel

Good luck...wish you well!!

I'm planning to use the harness in the carrier. I've used the harness before so she didn't freak, just got calm. Maybe its a control thing, but if necessary I would like to be able to grab her if let out of the carrier. The good thing is we were able to borrow a carrier and there will be room and good ac. It may move the date up a little bit, but I'm already packing and in my mind am gone gone gone

[ShelbyGirl1]

Mesh carriers are certainly strong enough...but make sure you get a decent one. 2 yrs ago, we were evacuated for a hurricane. I thought I was all set and had bought 3 gorgeous blue carriers for 3 of our cats. We weren't in the car for 20 minutes, when Harley, my 14 lb Ragdoll cat managed to open the zipper. I put him back in..and within minutes he escaped again. He figured out pretty quickly that by pushing up in the zipper, he could get out. He did it time and time again, until I finally found one of those plastic zip ties.
Needless to say, I brought back all 3 carriers and purchased Sherbas. They are expensive, but worth the piece of mind, knowing they can't escape.
I did come across country a few years ago with one cat. Another big boy...16 lbs...but I put him in a small dog transporter...room for him, a few toys and a small litter box (hint: tupperware/or some other plastic manufacturer cake carriers make great litterboxes for traveling!)
Some rescue remedy might help calm your guy for the long trip...I would try and find a larger carrier for him tho...twelve hours is a long time to be cooped up in a small carrier....JMO

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by spoiledkitties

My big girl would surely panic in a harness...vet trips only in carrier....my little one...as soon as I put it on her she looked at me then went to play not caring at all. Good luck...I wish you well.....if you let her roam and not have a litter box....maybe try those puppy training pads on the floor? that way you dont or shouldn't have to scrub kitty pee off the floor....and if she is a puker lol don't forget the paper towel

Good luck...wish you well!!

we have arrived and are finally in our new house, only the repair to the gas line waiting to be completed The dog loved the trip. The cat made no sound in her plastic carrier the first day and proved to be too scared to do so, but was sedated the rest of the trip. We arrived fine. The week in the motel was interesting but at least is done.

I would reccomend sedating your cat if traveling. Let them sleep it off and be ready to greet you when you get there and play all night.

As if a sign we were *home* as we rolled into town the door on the carrier broke and we were lucky to have the old and small one. Kitty is much less wiped out than me so far.

I'm glad I ask a lot of questions and relieved that its over!

[Dark of the Moon]

Congrats on surviving the trip and arriving safely in your new home!