2 cat Relocation

[billchamb]

We are nearing the time to relocate with our 2 adult housecats (12 y,o. Striker and 11 y.o. Sassy).

Travel time in the car is ~4 hrs.

When we moved 4 years ago, Striker adapted nearly immediately, but Sassy had some significant struggles.  As we prepare for this time, our destination will have plenty of space and we are setting up litter boxes prior to our final arrival so they are in place, no waiting, once the cats arrive.

My question is:  Should we separate/isolate the cats (each with their own box) while we perform the load in, etc., or are they likely to be OK together in the same room with a couple of boxes?

Thanks.

 

[melesine]

If they normally are best friends, I'd leave them together. That is what I did with mine. 

 

[billchamb]

Bringing this thread back to life, as we are again approaching ANOTHER Moving Day.

The situation this time is:

Mrs. & I are departing on two different days.  I have to leave early to start a new job.  Mrs. will be staying to work with movers before following.  There will be about a one week difference.

We are contemplating whether or not Striker & Sassy should go with me to the new townhouse so they would have one week to settle in before being confined when our stuff arrives,

OR

Should they wait and be confined while the movers load out the house, travel with Mrs., then be confined again when the movers load in the townhouse?

We wondered about them traveling separately, one with each of us, but are concerned that the one that arrives at the townhouse one week earlier may become territorial when the other arrives.

That may seem like a no-brainer to some of you, but for us, we are really trying to figure out the best option.

P.S. Travel duration this time is 6 hours.  Any additional advice for the duration?  We are going to get some Feliway to spray on the towels inside their carriers.

 

[GemsGem]

I have no experience of this but I will tell you what I would do if I was in your situation.

I would leave them to come with your wife. I know it would be a longer time being confined etc. but I think one long day of upset would be better than two shorter days of upset.

 

[billchamb]

Days away from a 6-hour (hopefully straight-thru) drive with both cats.

Same car, separate carriers.

I am equipped with Comfort Zone/Feliway to spray on the towels inside their carriers.

Sassy will receive her normal dose of Amitriptylin; Striker will likely get some Composure treats.

Question #1:  Should I withhold food/water before departure to reduce the risk of travel accidents?  (not trying to be mean, but if they have nothing going in, nothing is likely to come out)

Question #2a:  Upon arrival, I will be isolating each one in a separate bathroom with their litter boxes in tact.  Bathrooms are not spacious, but should I leave food/water during the transition?

Question #2b:  How much space around a litter box should NOT be sprayed with Comfort Zone/Feliway?  Should I use it at all in these spaces?

Question #3:  Based on past experience, I was planning on keeping them isolated until they use the boxes.  Is that unheard of?

I also intend to use the spray inside the bedroom closets upon arrival so that, when they are roaming, those might seem like safe areas.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

 

[burkey]

We recently adopted 2 young cats from out of state, and it was 5 1/2 hours in the car. They did surprisingly well, I was expecting all sorts of issues...accidents, carsick, vocalizing the entire ride, etc...none of that happened, thankfully. Not sure if we were lucky or if that's the norm, as it's the only time I've traveled long distance with cats.

We used the feliway spray in their carriers. I sprayed once the day before, and then a second time a couple hours before we picked them up. I chose not to spray just before putting them in, thought maybe "letting it settle" was the way to go....not because I'd heard specifically not to do that. Just thought I'd mention how we used it.

#1 - I'm not sure if ours were fed before we picked them up. They were from a cage-free rescue, where food is available at all times, so it's likely they'd eaten something recently. I think withholding for a couple hours would be ok. In an ideal situation, they wouldn't go more than 12 hours or so without being fed, so I wouldn't withhold for more than 6 hours in your case. I'm inclined to suggest to withhold only 2-3 hrs before the trip.

#2a - Yes, you'll want to give them access to their regular food and water while they are confined in the bathrooms.  Immediately upon arrival, if possible.

#2b - Not sure on this one, someone who's had experience should weigh in. I'd be inclined not to use it in a small room, unless it becomes apparent later on that one of the cats nerves are wearing thin.

#3 - Totally acceptable, and common practice. It's highly recommended when bringing cats to new locations to restrict them to one room at first (even if it's small). It's best to keep their world small for a bit while they adjust to the new sounds & smells. I'm familiar with your thread about Sassy's litter box issues in the past, and I would suggest that if you intend to keep a litter box permanently in one of these bathrooms, that you put her into that one for isolation and give Striker the other.  I also highly recommend that you put something in the bathrooms with them from their old home... from a cat bed to just a sweatshirt that you've worn a few times...something that smells/feels familiar.

I'd definitely give them a couple hours minimum in the bathrooms, with visits from you as your time permits. You could go as long as a couple days, letting them out supervised at times to explore the new home...and then back to the "safe" room for a bit to settle themselves again.

One last tip... we played calm music at a low sound level during our long car ride, to help drown out a bit of the road noise. If it's going to be just you in the car, talk to them in a conversational tone every so often to remind them that you're there with them.

Best of luck! All fingers and paws crossed here that your journey is uneventful and the transition for the cats, a breeze!  Update when you can...

Edited to add... while they are in isolation, get their permanent litter box situation all set up exactly how you want it and completely ready for them. It should be one of the first things you show them when you open the bathroom doors. Carry them over to the permanent box(es), set them in it. (They don't have to stay, or use it.) I'd do it every 30 minutes or so for the first couple hours. It's how we introduced our two to the box locations and they had no issues finding them when they needed to go.

 

[billchamb]

@Burkey:  Thank you very much for all the information.

The two bathrooms we will have will be the "permanent" litter box locations, and as you suggested, Striker will have one and Sassy the other. That is how they will be isolated upon arrival, also.

I'm taking extra bowls so they can have food/water while "locked up," and I get their regular food/water location set up.

I am grateful for you sharing your experience.

 

[billchamb]

Relocation = done.

Sassy & Striker made the 5.5 hour straight through drive with me on Tuesday.

I sprayed each carrier with (2) doses of Feliway before loading them.  Striker kept quiet and sleeping most of the trip, only  "commenting" every now and then, because...Sassy, kept yipping nearly the entire trip.  Every minute or two, interspersed with long wails of lament.  Oddly, when I got west of Columbus, OH, she took a long nap (or at least was quiet), but when she stirred, she kinda freaked out and tried to claw through the zipper on the carrier. 

Isolated each one in a bathroom with their original litter pans.

As of now, early Thurs. evening, they have both been using the pans, although Sassy hasn't produced any stool since before we left on Tuesday.  I have given her a couple doses of fiber/Metamucil over food.  I think it is possible this transition is helping her re-learn what she needs to do with respect to litter box habits.

Striker has been his usual "good" self in all respects, EXCEPT he has taken up residence in the bathroom vanity cabinet, under the sink, in the main bathroom.

Both seem to be eating and drinking reasonably.  I think they are a bit shell-shocked still, and missing Mrs., our furniture and any other suitable places to lay/hide/etc.  I could only bring a few play things in the loaded car, and they don't seem to be of much interest.

We will see what happens when Mrs. and our stuff arrives next week.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Glad to hear you made it safely!  I hope the rest of the move goes smoothly for you all!