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Oh you guys! I just did a 9 hour move and finally have found the perfect way to move with my cats!
After past experiences with moving screaming, clawing, peeing cats in individual plastic carriers, this time around I bought a large size soft side dog play yard (Precision brand) and put it in the back of my minivan. It was large enough for 3 cats to move around, a litter pan, a cardboard scratch pad and a pillow. I also sprayed the heck out of it with feliway.
One of the best things about this playpen was that I could load the cats from the top rather than having to push them in a side door. The mesh top zips closed after loading. Did have to use a safety pin to lock the zipper tabs in place, though.
They were perfectly calm the whole trip!!!! I think that was mostly because they were together and could move around and use the litter pan. Safe and happy cats let me have a peaceful move, thank goodness!
I put the playyard in a room in the new place and they will go in there and just hang out now and then. I can't say enough about this method of moving cat!. Thanks to all those out there who recommended getting a dog kennel - this play pen was just another option that worked for us!
We've moved many times with cats and always use a dog kennel. Esp during the packing and unloading part. It's just too easy for them to slip out and be gone forever.
Also our cats tags say "I'm an indoor only cat" - so if someone does find them , they know they are lost and not just roaming the neighborhood...
Thanks for the post! I am moving with 4 cats in 2 weeks and still had not decided how to go about it.....I will look into this and see if I can get one that will fit in a suv (with back seat down)......
AWESOME! I was worried that they (and I ) would have a really hard time, especially the 18 yr old female... thanks again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lily0fthevalley
Oh you guys! I just did a 9 hour move and finally have found the perfect way to move with my cats!
After past experiences with moving screaming, clawing, peeing cats in individual plastic carriers, this time around I bought a large size soft side dog play yard (Precision brand) and put it in the back of my minivan. It was large enough for 3 cats to move around, a litter pan, a cardboard scratch pad and a pillow. I also sprayed the heck out of it with feliway.
One of the best things about this playpen was that I could load the cats from the top rather than having to push them in a side door. The mesh top zips closed after loading. Did have to use a safety pin to lock the zipper tabs in place, though.
They were perfectly calm the whole trip!!!! I think that was mostly because they were together and could move around and use the litter pan. Safe and happy cats let me have a peaceful move, thank goodness!
I put the playyard in a room in the new place and they will go in there and just hang out now and then. I can't say enough about this method of moving cat!. Thanks to all those out there who recommended getting a dog kennel - this play pen was just another option that worked for us!
Glad that worked for you. Perhaps them being together calmed them down, as they re-assured each other. Having a tag that states, "I am indoor only" is a good idea too.
I have always had my cats in their kennels for car trips, makes things much better. I also put the cat blankies in the dryer for a few minutes prior to the trip, so the cats are in a nice warm cuddly place with cat nip toys for the trip. Also, no food the night before, just water. They get a few cat treats in their carrier, but not a lot of food to upset cat tummies, cuts down on #2 in litter box use on trips.
When we moved to Nebraska from Kentucky (1000 miles) in a full size conversion van with large windows on sides. We took out bed in back and put a large cage with door open and covered on top and litterbox, water bowl, and food and treats. They were great entire trip and each found a spot by a window. Then would hide under seats and just roam around.
Our large black female Smudge would ride on our shoulders for awhile. When we stayed in motel at night I would come out twice a night to check on them and they did just fine.
I recently moved with my cat over a two day trip - one 8 hour day and one 5 hour day. I decided to just let my cat roam freely in my heavily packed to the rim subaru wagon. I put a small litter pan at the bottom of the passenger's seat but he never used it. He was honestly really good most of the way except for one unexplainable freakout on the second day about an hour and a half into the drive he started running around the car, jumping/clawing all over me, and meow out the window for about 10 minutes. I stopped for a while and after that he pretty much slept the rest of the way. Maybe there was just a lot of ghost activity in that town we were passing through...
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Way to go! 
