We are relocating from Southern California to Washington state.  I’ve already made arrangements for my two cats to be boarded on the day the movers come to pack our stuff and the next day.  On the third day, we will pick them up and start the long drive north.  To minimize their trauma, we’re going to drive straight through with no overnight stops.  I’d appreciate any advice you could give me about traveling long distances with cats and helping them get adjusted to their new surroundings.  Thanks!

I sure wish I had some advice for you.  We’ll be moving in the future, less than two hours away and I know I’m not looking forward to it.

The only thing I do know is to keep the cats in carriers. When I was 16, my family went on a camping trip and a drunk driver ran a stop sign, broadsided our car.  It was totaled and the three cats we’d brought with us, were loose in the car.

We never saw them again.

LV, what a horrid experience that must have been for you!  My boys will definitely be in their carriers in the back seat (probably meowing to the point where we will need earplugs!).  Thanks for your response.

I hope this isn’t too late to be of use.

I totally agree with LV that the cats should be in their carriers at all times.  I know there will be a temptation to stop and let them out for rest breaks but every time the cats are out of their carriers you run the risk that they will somehow escape—and in strange territory, your chance of recapturing them is pretty small.  I imagine it will be a long, one-day trip.  For that reason, I would not bother with trying to feed or potty them enroute.  You might put small bowls of water (about half-full to avoid slopping) in their carriers but in my experience, cats are usually so stressed out by travelling that they pretty much shut down for the duration—no eating and if they can “hold it” until they get to their final destination, they will.  I always carry one of those disposable turkey-roasters and some kitty litter when we travel with the cats but I have never had a cat use this travel litterbox enroute.  I would also feed them very lightly, if at all, the day before you set out.  Fasting for a day won’t hurt them, though I would make sure they had a chance to drink water.  When you get to your new home, it might be easier to confine them to one room for the first 24-48 hours, to give them a chance to relax and regroup before giving them a new house to explore.

Good luck!

Hi everyone!  We made the trip two weeks ago this coming Saturday.  They were better than I expected them to be, by that I mean quieter.  I did have a small litter box behind the driver’s seat and let them out to use it a couple of times.  One of them “got it” and had no problems understanding what to do.  The other guy didn’t use it, and peed in his crate less than an hour later.  Luckily, I was prepared with a clean blanket to put in after throwing the other one away.  He went right back in once he had non-smelly, dry accomodations again.  We are in a temporary living situation which they have become accustomed to, except that it’s a guest house on my father-in-law’s property and he “visits” us regularly.  Also, one of my brother-in-laws from CA is here visiting.  Our cats are quite shy and not used to strangers, so they do the run and hide thing whenever FIL or BIL walk into the house.  We can’t wait until our house is done, but they’re building it from the ground up and it will take several months.  Thanks for your input!

Thanks for checking back.  So glad you made the move without incident.  Hope you can getin your new place soon—that will be comforting for everyone involved.

Well, after 6 months in transitional housing, we are settling into our permanent home.  The cats had their usual hunger strike, but they’re back to asking for their tuna three times a day - LOL!  Given how much we all hate moving (humans AND felines), I’d say we are not going to be doing it again anytime soon!

We are now four months into our new home, and it’s safe to say the cats have accepted it as their own home now.  It certainly is not an easy transition to make.  If I could figure out how to post a picture, I would.

We can’t wait until our house is done, but they’re building it from the ground up and it will take several months. if it is like that, you should wait