Making the move with your pets

[kimmbo 0]

When the time comes for my husband and I to move, we will be travelling with our 2 furbabies (cats)... We will be driving from Toronto to Las Vegas, its about a 3 to 4 day drive.. We love to go over the border every few months and stay in Buffalo/Niagara US so I can shop..(Cant live without Target and Big Lots!)..we always take our cats with us and have a great little family owned hotel that we stay at that accepts pets..We take them because they are both diabetic and require medicine daily .. and they are both older cats and I just cant leave them or trust anyone to care for them like I do.. We used to get the craziest looks when we would fly with them...Some people just dont realize that some peoples pets are family to them..

would love to hear your stories of making the move with your pets, experiences at the border, pet friendly hotel recommendations...etc

[larrysgirl 0]

Hi Kimmbo,

I brought my puggle (pug x beagle) to Hawaii with me in December when my K1 visa was approved. Hawaii is a rabies free state and has a very strict quarantine law, however, with very careful planning "Elvis" was immediately released from the airport in Honolulu. His papers were more complicated than the whole immigration process!!! I hated that I had to leave him in the luggage storage area for 6 hours in a kennel on the plane, but I am so glad I did it because I now have him with me, and he loves it over here. So, no, I don't think you are crazy at all...I think you are a wonderful parent!

(PS I love scrapbooking too! Your stuff blows mine out of the water!!)

[CanuckmeetsYank 0]

My Cat has traveled almost as much as I have! LOL. I was worried about bringing her with me to the US but actually it went really smoothly.

I found and airline that would allow a limited number of small pets on board in the Cabin under the seat. The only thing she really needed was to get papers from her Vet saying she had her rabies shot up to date..and her health records stating she was healthy and not sedated at all. So we went through customs she looked at her papers, and that was about it. We got on board, she cried a bit for the take off and while you are de-planing she gets a bit anxious but settles down again. I am so glad I brought her with me. It really helped having her with all this transition, and she loves it here in our new home!

Safe Travels!

[TRKCKL11 0]

We are bringing our cat with us by car it will be a 24 hour drive.i have no idea yet how she is to travel with we got her last year from a family that divorced and couldn't keep her as far as i know we are her 3rd family. shes adapted great to house shes a very laid back cat,but i think all this packing may be scaring her shes even more quiet,i give her lots of love,plus we are moving into my parents place for 2 1/2 months and they have a kitten so a lot of changes for her.I'd love to hear more stories also. P.S. i have to leave our gold fish and rabbit behind.

[Flames9_RN 358]

For Xmas took our cat from DC to Florida-13 hr car drive. She hates car rides, so got our vet to prescribe her some meds. The vet prescribed Acepromazine. Gave her HALF a 10mg pill. Worked like a charm. Settled her right down, and was the most lovey she has ever been!! Should just keep her drugged up all the time,lol And she wasnt that drugged up, just very relaxed. She was back to her normal self pretty quickly once we arrived. The effects are to last around 8-12 hrs so only had to giver her the 1 (half) pill

[Kathryn41 3,205]

We drove my 6 cats and me from Chatham, Ontario to 20 miles south of Atlanta Georgia over 2 days, stopping for the night outside of Dayton, Ohio. We did not sedate the cats as per the vets instructions and while one or the other would start to fuss and cry, we found that by taking regular breaks every 2 to 3 hours for about 15 minutes made it easier on them. I had name tags with their new home on their collars, plus their carriers marked with their names, ages and new address and phone number in case anything happened to us along the road. I brought along the disposable litter trays for day and overnight use as well as bottled water that they were used to, cat food that they were used to (in sufficient supply for a few weeks in case I had to transfer them to a new type) and treats. We seatbelted the carriers into the van so they wouldn't move about and we put the houseplants (complete with phytosanitary certificates) behind the carriers to create shade on the carriers. We also ended up putting covers over top of the carriers on the window side because they would cringe and shrink down when big transport trucks passed us by. During the stops we did not open the doors outside but I would let them out one by one to see if they wanted to use the litterboxes - our eldest who ended up developing a bladder infection because of the stress - used it every time we stopped.

Overnight, we paid a deposit for a pet friendly room which we got back the next day after inspection. I brought along a small handvac to vaccuum up any litter from the pans we placed in the bathroom. Make sure you get a room away from any entertainment - ours was beside the outdoor patio and a rock and roll band played until late causing much more noise stress to all of us - people and cats included.

Before he left to pick me up, my then fiance had purchased 2 new litter boxes and set them up in the spare room where we would put the cats upon arrival saving having to immediately set up boxes upon arrival. I brought their toys, their comfort blankets and other items from 'home' with us so they would have them in the new place to help feel comfortable.

I didn't have access to it, but I would definitely recommend getting a feliway air diffuser unit for the new place and have it working before the cats arrive to help them with the transition, plus use the feliway spray in their carriers.

It was very stressful for them - and I am afraid proved too stressful for my eldest (15) who developed the urinary tract infection, stopped eating and even with force feeding, succombed to liver complications 6 weeks after our arrival. The others are fine and the youngest ones have now lived longer here than they had lived in Canada.

Definitely bring your cats. Plan to travel no more than 10 hours each day and try to arrange for rest stops every 2 to 3 hours - more often if the cats appeared stress because the stress can exacerbate their diabetes. Because they are more seasoned travellers you may be able to travel longer times for them - play it by ear and let them set the pace. Make sure you have a vet available in your new home very soon and maybe even bring them in for a post- travel check up just to make sure they have travelled alright.

Good journeys!

Edited March 6, 2007 by Kathryn41

[kimmbo 0]

love hearing all these pet stories...

I worry also about the stress of a 3-4 day drive on mine...especially because they are older.. they usually just fall asleep during the 1-2 hr (depending on the wait at the border) drive to Buffalo..we always take a litter box in the car and they use it...weve never had to pull over to scoop but on a 3 day drive Im sure we will!..LOL

Kathryn you brought up alot of great points about the water and food too.. I always take extra bottles of water and lots of food when we go for our visits..I know my husband sometimes has a hard time adjusting to some of the foods and the water so Im sure they do too..so I always like them to have what they are used to.. also great idea for the hand vac..I always take those puppy training pads when we stay in a hotel and lay it under the litter box for easy cleanup..

and I also have my mom get a litter box and get it ready so that when we drive in from the airport they have a litter box ready to use as soon as we step into the house..I always have to go to the bathroom as soon as I get there so why shouldnt they have their bathroom (washroom) ready to go too..LOL...I would love to have 6 cats! my two are mother and son and are not very accepting at all of other animals...they dont even like each other half the time!

I had the BEST vets back home in Vegas, they still have all their charts and we had to go to them on our last visit home because my oldest cat (Toby) got sick...they know me there and were happy when I told them of my plans to move back home and said that they look forward to seeing Toby and Tippy again..

TRKCKL11: sorry to hear that you have to leave behind your rabbit and fish!

Larrysgirl: thanks for the scrapbooking compliment! I joined that websight with some girlfriends back home..makes it feel like were scrappin together and makes the homesickness not so bad.. So glad you were able to bring your baby with you.. Ive heard about the quarantine in Hawaii..had a friend that moved there and had to leave his cat with his parents in Arizona...it was very hard for him, it would break my heart...

flames9: I have that sedative for when we fly, but it never seems to last very long with my boy! My vet told me that if they are very stressed then they will be more resistant to it.. hes usually good for the taxi ride to the airport, though check in and customs, but once we have to go through the final checkpoint where they have to be taken out of their bags and walked through the metal detector all hell breaks loose..LOL ...we dont usually sedate them when we drive.. I may be the one who needs to be sedated for a 3 day drive!

CanuckmeetsYank: did anyone around you ever say anything when they would hear her cry on the plane? as soon as my boy (my girl never cries, she really is an angel) would cry I would hear people saying "did you hear that?" , "is that a cat?"....LOL

[Flames9_RN 358]

Our cat gets very stressed as well, which our vet said to give about an hour prior to the trip and only half of a 10 mg pill. Of course each reacts differently.

[misa 2]

I'm bringing my dog and my 3 cats. Two of the cats, originally rescued from Detroit, has already experienced a 4 hour drive. The other one however maybe 1 hour. The drive to VA will be able 12 hours from here and we're thinking of getting a motel room overnight somewhere around Philly (1/2 point) depending on whether we think the cats will need it. My dog loves car rides, so he'll be fine.

Kathryn gave some EXCELLENT advice and I'll definitely be prepared with a litterbox, litter, food and water as well for them.

Still undecided on the sedative route for the cats.

[Flames9_RN 358]

We had litter, water in the dog crate for the cat, and she did use the litter!! I wasn't sure on the sedative either, but the vet assured us it would be ok, and it also helps if she is a puker!! Of course we had to take the cat in for a check up to ensure all would be ok. All went well!! Must also mention, bella was just over 1 yr old, and in grea thealth.

Edited March 6, 2007 by flames9

[MissStacey 1]

I was on a Continental flight to Houston/New Orleans one night. The woman in front of me had a pug with her. She brought him out and had the dog on her lap- the stewardess didn't mind.

[kimmbo 0]

for those of you that have made the move with your pets, just wondering if you let them out of their carriers during the drive or kept them in carriers the entire time... I know when we go to Buffalo (about a 1 hr drive and anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hrs at the border)) we let them (our 2 cats) out of their carriers, and they usually fall asleep on the floor of the car below our seats... I also leave them out so they can use their litter box which we keep in the trunk...backseats go down so they can get to it...and they have used it on occasion...

[misa 2]

We drove (with rest stops) 8 hours a day for 2 days. I let my dog out to pee/poo at every rest stop along the way (every 3-4 hours). My cats stayed in their carriers the entire 8 hours each day until we go to the hotel (day 1) and home (day 2). This sounds like a LOT for them to be in the carriers but bear in mind that my 3 cats have been on strict scheduled feedings for a few years so I know when they use the litterbox and when they don't. I knew that they wouldn't be needing to use their litterboxes during the drive on either day. They all used the litterboxes before we put them into the carriers on day 1 and day 2.

I should add that I did get mild sedatives for the cats... they don't travel well and it really helped.

We had to rent 2 vehicles to avoid paying a non-refundable "drop off charge" so we had everyone jammed into a regular car on the drive to Buffalo (my dog shared the front seat with me, not comfortable...) and then put everyone in the back of an SUV with the seats down on the drive from Buffalo to VA.

Edited May 1, 2007 by misa

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I'm glad to know that you and your animal family all travelled well and arrived safely. Thanks for the update:-).

[misa 2]

Kathryn, the animals travelled really well. The sedatives were VERY mild to the point where my 25lb cat didn't seem to feel the effects at all. When we got to the hotel, I set up the litter box and then let them out. They all came out of their carriers immediately like nothing happened, investigated the hotel suite, ate their dinner and used the box. Even my two boy cats who used to eat in the bathroom at my old apartment (so they don't get into the girl cat's or my dog's food) went directly into the bathroom at the hotel and were like, "Oh, it's the bathroom. This is where we eat!"

We didn't bother asking the hotel (Quality Inn Suites in Binghamton, NY) about their "pet" policy. We just snuck them all in.

Edited May 1, 2007 by misa