Moving long distance with pets?? (movers, Budget, moved, route)

[orngkat]

If all goes as we hope, we will be selling our house and moving out of state later this summer. We have two skittish Siamese cats and a very geriatric weiner dog. The thought of moving with pets is giving me great pause. It is not in the budget to pay a pet-moving service so looking for advice or tips on how to drive 1200 miles with this menagerie.

[LookingatFL]

Several times I've moved with pets.

1. make sure the cats and the dog are all crated when the movers are there. You don't want anyone getting out, and the pets will be nervous.

2. Take all pets to the vet for a check up.

3. If they aren't already microchipped you might want to ask the vet if you should do it now.

4. Make sure you have all paperwork, medications, food, and bottled water, bowls and litter box handy (but out of their reach)

5. Get traveling litter boxes for the cats. Make sure to take a break and put the litter box on the car floor for your cats to use.

6. Take bottled tap water with you. You don't want to introduce your pets to different water during the trip.

7. Bring their toys, their favorite bedding, brushes, bowls, cleaning supplies and bags with you.

8. The pets will need to ride in their carriers the entire time you are traveling. This will be safest for them.

9. Plan your route ahead of time. Make sure you list emergency vets and regular vets along your route. Contact the hotels ahead of time. Let them know you will be traveling with pets. Make sure to get a guaranteed reservation.

10. Plan your stops ahead of time. Know where you will be filling up with gas.

11. Buy meals at drive through windows.

If someone is traveling with you that will be easiest.

I moved by myself and I made the mistake of telling my husband what I did, and he has never let me forget this: so if you do it... keep it a secret: I wore adult diapers so that I wouldn't have to stop to use the restroom. I was traveling in the summer heat and I couldn't turn the car off and I didn't want to leave it running. People have suggested that I have two sets of keys so that the car could be kept running, but I felt that wasn't safe. Anyway, I got the adult diaper idea from the astronauts. It does work and you can shower when you get to the hotel at night. Life isn't always easy.

[Sandsam]

I'm moving this summer from MN to FL. I have 3 Bengal cats (and 3 kids) that will be making the drive with me. I purchased two large pet crates. The larger crate (so big I can crawl into it) will hold the 2 cats that prefer to be together, while the smaller crate (it's still big!) will hold the cat that prefers solitude. They will be in these crates 8-12 hours a day during the drive. They will be let loose in the hotel bathrooms during the night where they will get food and water. They will never have free run of the hotel room, BTW.

We will plan our trip with pre-reserved rooms in cat-friendly hotels (I will disclose only 2 cats, however). I'm guessing we will be in hotels for 3 nights.

My cats have taken a number of 2-4 hour rides during house showings. I know they settle down quickly and only occasionally whine. I will not drug them.

I will carry rabies tags/papers with me. We will stop at fast food restaurants for breakfast/lunch/snacks and only do sit down meals once settled in the hotels. I will turn off and lock the car at stops. I don't believe in inviting theft. Our stops will be very short.

I'm interested in other responses to this post!

[Flamingo13]

In the MOVING forum, there is a thread about moving w/pets.

[Eeko156]

Plan on lots of hotel stops, they will be fine. I totally get you - I wouldn't hire a pet moving service, either.

However, with that being said, your biggest hurdle will be hotels. None will allow three pets. I recommend getting a "double" sturdibag (check out their website) where you can fit two cats into one, so when you walk into the hotel, you are only carrying one pet bag (plus other for the dog). Unless you are at the Ritz, no one is going to walk over and inspect your pet carriers. Most hotels allow two, but not three, so that should solve your problem. I was thinking about ordering one for myself because of this same issue (I have three cats).

Your babies will be just fine :-)

[Eeko156]

Here is what you need - then just put the flap over the top when you walk into the hotel lobby.


Large Divided SturdiBag


It also comes in XL if your cats are fat like mine.

[jean_ji]

We drive between NY and FL twice a year with a dog and three cats and spend one night in a room. The cats all do fine other than our older Siamese who has meowed non-stop from to NY to VA in the past. We bought Feliway spray, it's a pheromone and calms her. I spray the inside of her carrier 15 minutes before putting her in. It doesn't work for all cats but it does for her and I didn't want to drug her. She still is the one that meows, but a lot less.

We travel in hot weather and lock my car with the AC on and car running while we use rest stops or take turns. We pack lunches for the rest stops or pick something up to take to rest areas where we walk the dog. We've taken the cats out of the car in their carriers and brought them to the picnic areas but they seem happier in the car. It's one more change and the noise and different smells seems to be too much..

As for rooms, we have a reservation at the midway point of our trip for a motel chains that accept pets. We tell them we have a dog and a cat. We never go through a lobby to get to a room, so they have no way of knowing. We haven't run into any pet police yet. Platform beds are best, the cats can't get under them. Most aren't platform though, so be prepared to lock the cats in the bathroom or take the bed apart in the morning if you don't. The aforementioned Siamese yowls in the bathroom, so we've had to dig her out from under the bed. We put the litter box in the bathroom. Bring a scoop and a bag.

Have all vaccinations up to date and with you, we have a folder with all pet info. Keep pets in their carriers while driving. They may be stressed or complaining in their carriers but that is nothing compared to being injured in an accident or running away. And they can be the cause of an accident if they get under your brake or gas pedal. They are cats, they will go exactly where you don't want them to.

Finally, have many of those disposable pads that are white absorbent material on one side and blue plastic on the other for covering the cat carriers pads. If they pee or poo in their carrier from the initial stress, you can throw them away. You don't want to travel with a cat urine soaked carrier pad or try to wash something out on the road. A package of hypoallergenic baby wipes are good to have along with a roll of paper towels.

Have extra time built into your schedule to give you and your pets the extra time needed while traveling together.