7 Hour Drive Twice In A Week

[EmmiTemmi]

A while ago I made the decision that I would take my two 11 month old boys with me to my family's home over spring break, which is ~7hrs away. My parents have prepared my old room and the attached bathroom to cat-proof it (as much as they know how, never having owned any animal before), and I have a longer packing list for my boys than I have for myself.

But despite all the preparations, I'm still insanely nervous. My boys are fairly young, so I figured it would be easier on them than older cats to travel so far. And I don't trust them in my apartment for a week with only check-ins a few times a day (see my recent cat-proofing thread, they're menaces!). They love their carriers, I have puppy pads that I'll place in them when we travel, and comfy fleece blankets. I found calming treats that each can eat prior to leaving, and I have a calming music soundtrack to play, even though I usually blast music on long drives. I'll need to stop halfway through for gas, and I'm unsure if I should let them out of their carries to go to the bathroom, because I don't want them escaping somewhere I can't reach them in my car.

The longest drive they've ever done is 10 minutes to the vet and then back, and never both in the car at the same time. Orange boy is always silent the whole way, Monty cries and it breaks my heart. I don't know if I can do 7 hours of him crying. I meant to get them gradually used to longer drives, but man has time just snuck up on me. We leave in a couple days, and I might be able to take them on a trial 30min drive tomorrow, but I don't know if that would just stress them out too much before the actual drive. And at this point I'm doubting my decision to take them with me, and I've read through every single car travel article/post on here and other sites that I could find. These two boys are my life, and I'm so scared that I'll stress them out beyond their limits, particularly my orange boy with a sensitive tummy.

Any last minute advice for this journey from all of you wise folk? This will be my first long trip with the boys, and we'll be driving there and back within 9 days. I'm kind of wishing previous me had booked with a local cat-condo to have them stay there for $25 a night...

 

[GoldyCat]

At this point you just go with the flow. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed they will be. I wouldn't feed them a lot before you start out in case somebody gets carsick. Don't worry about letting them out mid-trip as long as you have the puppy pads in their carriers. If one of them actually pees or poops on the pads you might want to try to switch them out without letting the cat out of the carrier (good luck with that). If you do have to open a carrier make sure you're in the car with all the doors and windows closed.

I frequently make 6-8 hour drives to cat shows without any real issues. I have one cat who has to be behind my seat where he can't see me or he'll talk to me all the way. Another one has to be in the middle of the back seat where she can see out the front, or she lets me know about it. It's a good thing they don't both want to be in the same spot. One of my niece's cats sings to us all the way, no matter how long or short the drive is. You just tune it out after a while.

What kind of music do you play at home? Do you blast it out there as well as in the car? They might be more comfortable with the music they're used to rather than something new. Besides, you don't want to put yourself to sleep with the soothing music.

 

[amethyst]

I've never traveled that far with cats before, but I use to take my cat with me to my mom's house a couple hours away for the holidays when I was going to university. He actually hated being in a carrier so I got him a harness and buckled him in like a dog. He would cry on the slower speed roads, but once I was on the highway he was quiet. I put a litter box on the floor of my car and he would actually let me know when he had to go. I'd unbuckle him and he'd jump down, use the box, then jump back in the seat to be re-buckled in (seriously he was an awesome cat). I would only be there a couple days, then we drove home.

It's probably best to just leave them in the carriers, worse case they may need a bath when you get to your parent's house. If they are really bad on the drive then you will know for next time to just board them. Soothing music may not be the best idea, unless that is what you normally listen to. If the cats cry, sometimes cranking up the tunes to drowned it out is your best option to avoid going insane.

 

[EmmiTemmi]

At this point you just go with the flow. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed they will be. I wouldn't feed them a lot before you start out in case somebody gets carsick. Don't worry about letting them out mid-trip as long as you have the puppy pads in their carriers. If one of them actually pees or poops on the pads you might want to try to switch them out without letting the cat out of the carrier (good luck with that). If you do have to open a carrier make sure you're in the car with all the doors and windows closed.

I frequently make 6-8 hour drives to cat shows without any real issues. I have one cat who has to be behind my seat where he can't see me or he'll talk to me all the way. Another one has to be in the middle of the back seat where she can see out the front, or she lets me know about it. It's a good thing they don't both want to be in the same spot. One of my niece's cats sings to us all the way, no matter how long or short the drive is. You just tune it out after a while.

What kind of music do you play at home? Do you blast it out there as well as in the car? They might be more comfortable with the music they're used to rather than something new. Besides, you don't want to put yourself to sleep with the soothing music.

Thank you so much. I've been an absolute wreck these last few hours wondering if I'm doing the right thing.

Based on your advice, and my experience with how long they go between using the litterbox, I think I've decided to keep them in their carrier the whole time without a potty break, even at the gas station. I'm not sure yet where exactly in the car I'm planning on putting them. They could, theoretically both fit in the passenger seat foot area, but I'm not sure if I want them both next to me. I could put one in front and one in the back seat foot area. Or I could put both of them in the backseat foot area, facing towards eachother or away, still not sure...

And yes, little to no food the morning before we take off. I'll give them a late dinner the night before. And plenty of food and cuddles when we get to my parent's house.

As far as music, I usually play the Hamilton soundtrack for long drives (and max out my volume for Wait For It!) and also play that soundtrack among others (Sprit:Stallion of the Cimarron, Sound of Music, and Disney music, among others) at full iphone volume during showers. They're used to the music, but I don't want to deafen them! If you think I'd be able to play Hamilton at a fairly normal-high volume to drown Monty's cries during the drive, I might actually do that. Thank you for the help!

 

[GoldyCat]

I'm not sure yet where exactly in the car I'm planning on putting them. They could, theoretically both fit in the passenger seat foot area, but I'm not sure if I want them both next to me. I could put one in front and one in the back seat foot area. Or I could put both of them in the backseat foot area, facing towards eachother or away, still not sure...

You need to put the carriers where you can strap them in. I always put mine in the back seat with seatbelts around them or through the handles. You can always rearrange them if they don't like the way they're facing to begin with.

 

[EmmiTemmi]

You need to put the carriers where you can strap them in. I always put mine in the back seat with seatbelts around them or through the handles. You can always rearrange them if they don't like the way they're facing to begin with.

Really? That seems so much more unstable than the floor. When they're on the floor the carrier is tightly wedged in, but on the seat it would be much more wobbly, and I'd be afraid a sudden brake could send them toppling to the floor. Also, I don't think the seatbelt idea would work great with my soft-sided carrier.

 

[Furballsmom]

I have a longer packing list for my boys than I have for myself.

LOL

They love their carriers,

You are SO fortunate!!
If you can, go easy on the volume for extended periods of time. Their ears are a LOT more sensitive than ours and a car is a much smaller area than any room plus they might be right in front of a speaker, depending on where those are located in your car doors et al.
Yeah, sounds like the floor is a better solution for your soft-sided carrier situation.
You could always check and see if one or the other is interested in licking some food off your fingers, a lickable treat, or in getting out of the carrier during your stop for gas.

 

[foxden]

I used to bring my cats "home" for 5 to 10 days when I took a break during graduate school. Patches never appreciated car travel, but I did not have another way to care for her. Patches usually sat under the drivers seat, and Sandy liked the back window deck.
Home was a 7-8 hour drive, and we took this trip 3 or 4 times a year. I always put a collar on the cats and attached a leash before any door was opened. I used air conditioning, and windows were closed. These were strictly indoor cats. I used to let the cats out of the carrier. Patches would cry for at least 3 hours if she was in the carrier, and was quiet under the seat. This was 30+ years ago, and I had a 1977 full-sized car, so there was even room for a small litter box on the floor of the back seat.

They adapted well to Mom’s house, and did not have behavior problems during or after the trip.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi - I don't know when you're leaving, ie really soon? but there might be something in this
36 Awesome Tips For Road Tripping With Your Cat

 

[EmmiTemmi]

Hi - in case you haven't left yet, there might be something in this
36 Awesome Tips For Road Tripping With Your Cat

Oh gosh, I know I've read that article before but I must have completely skipped the part about using a dog crate or larger crate so they have more room. I was planning on just using their normal carriers. I leave in the morning, so there's no time now to get one. Maybe I can get one before the drive back? My smaller carrier is barely big enough to stand in for them now, and I was planning on upgrading soon. Shoot.

 

[Furballsmom]

Maybe I can get one before the drive back?

That's a great idea. They'll be ok - just check on them at your stop for gas and if they want out, use a leash as foxden suggested perhaps.
But you know what, you all will be fine on the way there - safe travels and have a GREAT trip!!

 

[EmmiTemmi]

That's a great idea. They'll be ok - just check on them at your stop for gas and if they want out, use a leash as foxden suggested perhaps.

Thank you for the reassurance, you're always so positive!

I'm definitely bringing their leashes/harnesses along so I can let them stretch out from their cages in the car (and maybe use the litterbox) at the 3-4hr mark. Would you suggest offering a bowl of water at that time or no? The '36 tips' article said offer water every 4-5hrs, but since my trip is only 7hrs, I'm thinking of waiting until we've arrived. My boys are majority wet fed, and I've seen them drink maybe once a week, so theoretically they'd be fine without water for 7hrs, but other advice is always welcome!