Moving with a cat

Unless your cat is already used to riding in a car, and is also used to and is comfortable with their pet carrier, the first order on the agenda is to allow the cat to become accustomed to their Pet Carrier.

If the trip is long, more than an hour or so, their pet carrier can give the driver, etc., added security, knowing that their pet is secure, especially if there will need to be stops along the way. And it definitely helps the cat if they are already use to the pet carrier.

So, at least for a few weeks before the move, have the pet carrier sitting out with the door open for the cat to explore. Set some pet food near the door opening.

After your cat starts getting use to the pet carrier, place their food dish or treat inside the pet carrier. Let them know that this is a safe place to be.

Time permitting, and especially if the move is farther down the road, take the cat on some short friendly rides in their pet carrier. Place a comfortable pad or towel in the bottom for added comfort. Give your cat a treat afterwords.

If the move is only a few hours long, just place a small amount of food and some water in the carrier with your cat. Some carriers come with snap in dishes to keep them securely in place.

Also place some padding, like a towel that can be disposed of if it becomes soiled, in the bottom of the carrier.

If the trip is longer than a few hours, you might want to safely stop somewhere, where you can let your cat out of the carrier to come out and socialize with you. Leave the car doors closed and if windows need to be opened, only allow a safe opening so your cat will stay securely in the car.

A Disposable Litter Tray can be placed somewhere accessible for the cat to get to and use if the cat chooses.

Once your cat has had some interaction time, place your cat back in their carrier and close the door. If the litter box needs to be disposed of at this time, place it in a plastic bag and place it in a trash receptacle.

Repeat this process every 2-3 hours or so (you are the best judge of this) to make the trip more enjoyable for yourself and your cat.

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To sedate or not sedate your cat when moving is a personal choice.

In our first move with cats, that trip was around a 4-1/2 hour ride. We did get medication from the vet to help sedate them during the trip. The cats were pretty releaxed and sleepy for the majority of the trip and started "coming to" around the last hour of the trip. They were pretty anxious by the time we carried them in their pet carriers into their new place.

For later moves we chose to not sedate them. After some initial driving time, they seemed to adjust pretty good and became less noisy. They seemed less anxious by the time we arrived at our new place, which was closer to a six hour drive.

Some things to consider for yourself:
Is the trip a short one or a long one?
Has your cat had time to adjust to their pet carrier?
Has your cat gone on rides in their pet carrier already? If so, how did your cat respond?
What do you feel comfortable doing?

Let your answers to these questions guide you in making your decision.