Traveling with Kitties

[BarbaraRose]

I also saw a clip on that couple and their kitties. The cats were all strays they had taken in on their travels. Pretty nice set up!

[BarbaraRose]

I am having second thoughts about the cage I am using for Lola for the move. I took her for a ride today and when I first put her in the cage, she bounced around back and forth slamming into the sides of the cage in a panick. While in the car, she just sat in her bed and meowed (luckily, she has a soft kitten-like "mew").

I am finding out that the cage is heavy and bulky and hard to lug around, thru doors, into the car, out of the car, etc. Especially, if I end up with a motel room on the second floor, I don't think I could carry it up and down stairs at all. I am thinking maybe a large carrier would be easier to handle and maybe make her feel more secure not being so open. However, then I wonder how I would fit a litter box in a carrier and still have room for her to move around. ( With the ferrets it was a lot easier since I could put a hammock in it above the litter box for them to sleep on.) I saw a nice large softsided carrier at WalMart yesterday, but don't know how I would put food and water in it since it didn't have metal bars on the door, just plastic mesh.

Need to do some more research and see what I can come up with. Any thoughts on this would be welcome, too.

[OregonLuvr]

When I traveled with my cats they wouldnt eat or drink or potty in the car. They waited until I stopped for the night. Maybe other folks have some experiences to share.

Karen

[lak99]

Barbie,

PLEASE check out this site:

http://sturdiproducts.com/

I swear by these carriers. I have the Show Shelter Double and I LOVE IT. Rember that I
have 2 kitties. I can actually place their two carriers inside it with the doors open so they
can come and go inside the carrier. There is also enough room for a small litter box, food and
water. AND they weigh practically nothing.

I suggest you get Lola a soft carrier like the one these guys have for sale for $25.00, put her
and the carrier inside the SHOW DOUBLE SHELTER and leave the little door open. She will
be enclosed inside the shelter and cannot get out. Put one of their small water-proof
litter boxes in there with some food and water and you are good to go. You can even get
gas without worrying about her escaping. And she should feel secure and comfy in her
carrier inside. The SHOW DOUBLE SHELTER isn't cheap but TOTALLY worth it. It is the
last enclosure you will ever buy!

Take a look. I LOVE these and have been using them for 12 years.

What do you think!

Leslie

[lak99]

Barbie and Karen,

Kitties LOVE paper. I put pieces of a brown paper bag in their carriers.
Try it!

Leslie

[Dawn309]

I saw it too on that special. It was a really great setup for the cats.

[BarbaraRose]

Today I ended up buying a medium sized hard-sided carrier. It fits a small litter box and a fuzzy bed. I can attach a food and water dish to the door. The best part is it will fit on the front seat, is much easier to carry than the cage, and I now have more room in the back seat for more bins. I also like the idea of Lola being up front with me. I think she will be happier being able to see me (and see out the windshield) and get a little reassuring petting thru the bars on the door. I will try it out tomorrow and take her for a ride and see how she does. At least she doesn't have much of a meow, more like a kitten's mew.

Leslie, that double shelter looks awesome, but a bit over my budget for now. Thanks everyone for all your suggestions and experiences! (Sorry about taking over this thread! ).
Lola may not even use the litter box, but just in case she needs/wants to, it is there for her. (What do the kitties do with the pieces of brown paper?)

[lak99]

Barbie,

Kitties like to sit on paper. Newspaper is fine but sometimes the newsprint rubs off to
I use brown paper grocery bags. Put one out at home and see if Lola likes it. Some like
to be inside the bags and others just like to sit on them. I think they like the noise that
the paper makes when they walk on it.

Leslie

[oregonrambler1]

Our indoor kitty, Belle, loves brown paper bags. She'll sit inside one for hours. She also loves the strawberry 'clamshells' ..especially the 4# ones. We have to put strawberries away as soon as we get home from the store or she'll rub herself all over the plastic and her fine hair gets into the berries so I empty the clamshell and just put it on the floor, she goes nuts! Funny story: Our other big male cat loves to scratch the bottom of a cardboard box so we make sure to always have one on the floor in the kitchen. I put a new one down and Belle immediately took ownership, she was rubbing, biting and rolling in it. Then I noticed, it was a strawberry shipper!

[lak99]

Paulette and Mary,

Aren't cats funny? They each have their own personalities. I have never heard that
about strawberries. I might give that a try.

So you have two kitties, a male and female? That is what I have. They are half brother
sister with the same father and different mothers. But you would never know it. They
tolerate each other but don't sleep together unless they are frightened.

Mine are 13 years old and are my babies.

Leslie