2400 miles by car

[rez]

Hi,

Haven't been on here in a couple of years I guess. Too long.

Anyway, eventually we'll be moving and I don't know what to do. I have a 17 lb. Maine Coon and we would be making the trip across the country by car.

2400 miles. That's a long way. It's gonna be the better part of 3 days, I imagine.

He's a long cat. I have a plastic dog crate that I move him to the vet in, but it's really just big enough for him to hunker down in. Turning around is a chore. He is harness trained, so I can hook him on a bungee cord leash.

What do I put him in? How do I feed/water him? How do I manage wastes? I don't want him crappin' in his crate. I don't want him on the dashboard or under the brake pedal either.

I am clueless! Help me with this logistical nightmare!

 

[seattleeco]

We moved from Seattle to Chicago with a four year-old cat and a 12-week old kitten. My recommendations: don't plan to drive more than 8 to 10 hours a day. Yes, it will add about a day to your trip, but that way you don't have to try to feed your cat on the road.

I'd buy a bigger dog crate; look for one maybe on craigslist if you need something cheap. You definitely want him to be able to turn around and he should never be loose, even on a harness. If you have to brake suddenly, the cat could hit the window or get hurt by something else -- plus, I learned from one failed attempt that they definitely enjoy snuggling under the brake pedals. Not safe!

Basically, whenever we needed to visit rest stops, we'd pull off and crack the windows, then let our cats out. We had small litter boxes in the backs of both cars, wedged with other stuff so they wouldn't shift when we drove. The cats came out, usually used the litter, and then had a drink from the bowl that we'd put out when we were stopped (I kept water in a Sigg and poured enough in for them to drink). Then, the cats went back into their carriers and we locked them up before we got out to stretch.

Let me know if you have any more questions. We did pretty well, so I'm happy to share!

 

[rez]

Been gone a few days. Thanks for the reply. Your plan sounds do-able, I guess. By that I mean I have a few concerns. Like, did you mean what I think you meant by writing "usually used the litter?" This concerns me plenty. It would make me real unhappy if he managed to do his biznizz on the uhpolstery. This cats litter box is BIG too. It's the biggest box I could possibly find, and he still manages to pitch a turd over the side now and again.

I wonder what cat show folks do when they travel? I think they have some kind of nylon tent like thing they keep cats in at the shows. Am I right?

I would like to keep him in a container for the whole ride no matter how long it takes. Litter box, food and sleeping area all in one container. I figure if the container door never gets opened, then little can go wrong. Maybe I'm dreamin'.