Question Of The Day, Sunday, June 3, 2018

[micknsnicks2mom]

Asha used to be terrified, often having an accident on the way to the vet (which is only 5 minutes away). Once there, she'd be shaking like a leaf and trying to burrow into me. I worked a lot with her on this, including using calmers at first, and she's a ton better now. She's very vocal, and likes me to have my hand in there with her (I have a front load carrier that has a little flap in the top for, I assume, this purpose), but is SO much better and calmer now. She's got better now we always see the same vet too (it's a big practice with maybe 8-10 vets. They're all great, but Asha has a growth that needs checking, so we need the same vet to be able to gauge if it's progressing).

The boys do just fine. They sometimes complain a bit in the carrier, but are very chilled about the whole experience.

Pushkin (a barn cat we care for) is surprisingly good for a semi feral. She's easy to box, and very tolerant of the vets, though she does complain a LOT on the journey there and back.

your Asha does quite well now, the boys do just fine, and Pushkin really does well too!!! that's great!!

i'm so glad that your working with Asha has helped her so much!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Sometimes they cry sometimes not. It depends on their mood and how much they want to punish mommy for putting them in their carriers.

your Lilith, Sophie, and Henry sometimes cry, and sometimes not, on car rides!!! that sounds pretty good!!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

The only times I've had my cats in the car was the one time I have taken them to the vet since I adopted them. They were both quiet, but they are like that at home too, so it doesn't surprise me. Plus Maisie is still hesitant around me and Remy doesn't really have a meow in the first place.

your Maisie and Remy were both quiet on the car ride, the one time they've been!!! most excellent!!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Alice doesn't cry, she almost always poops in the carrier. Patches was the one who did the plaintive crying on the way to the vet.

your Alice doesn't cry, but does almost always poop in her carrier -- the poor sweetie!! while your Patches did the 'plaintive crying' on the way to the vet!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Bodhi hates it. The last two times he's needed shots I've had the vet come here. I think he picks up on my nervousness too which probably makes it worse.

your Bodhi hates car rides!!! poor guy!

so you've had the vet come to your home the last two times your boy has needed shots. i tried that for my Mickey and little Snick , but my two really didn't do well with that -- they did better going to see the vet.

 

[Kitty Mommy]

JC is calm in the carrier on the ride to the vet which is about 30 minutes. It's when she sees the vet is when the trouble starts. Max howls the whole way but he behaves well once we get there.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

C'est Moi and Olivie both hate car rides and can be very vocal when they're in the car. Hotaru, however, is pretty good about car rides. She doesn't even have to be in her cat carrier. I just put her in her leash and harness and loop the end of her leash around the stick shift. She usually will either sit on my lap, or sit on the seat next to me.
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your C'est Moi and Olivie do not like car rides at all and can be very vocal during them, while Hotaru seems to enjoy them!!! sending gentle scritches to your C'est Moi and Olivie, and a 'good girl!' to your Hotaru!!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

That could be very dangerous for Hotaru, I'm sorry to say. In case of an accident she could hit the windshield. After many years of transporting a variety of cats I would never willingly have a cat in a moving car except in a carrier, and I'd have the carrier strapped in place with a shoulder harness/seat belt.

* * * * * *​

I've never taken Jasmine to the vet (don't jump on me! read the rest of the sentence!) because we have a mobile vet who comes to us. I have, however, traveled with her - once. She was absolutely frantic the entire time she was in the car. She cried and wailed, refused water and food, and got no sleep at all, for 7 hours straight. When we pulled over, on a dirt road in the back country with no other vehicles anywhere around, and took her out of the car on a leash she was too frightened to relieve herself. If we ever travel again she'll require some kind of mild sedative, because that's just too dangerous.

Margret

your Jasmine becomes very stressed and upset on car rides!!! poor sweetie!!

that's great that you have a mobile vet come to your home for Jasmine!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Morgana loves car rides, she is absolutely content and relaxed. If I am driving alone then she is in a carrier of course, but if someone else is with me (like my mom) she will purr and nap on my lap, or look out the window.

Camelot hates car rides. He screeches and the poor baby is terrified He would hide under the car seat if allowed. You would think the whole ordeal was pure death to him. "OMG I'm in the sorcery moving contraption thing! I'm going to DIE!"

Tippy Toes is fairly settled and sits nicely in the carrier, but she will meow a little.

Meadow is a quiet little perfect lady in her carrier while in the car. When I first discovered her and picked her up off the street as a sick stray, sans carrier, she was perched comfortably in the back seat. Although still kept my eye and on her and drove carefully of course!

your Morgana really enjoys car rides , while Camelot is terrified during them , Tippy Toes does quite well and will meow a little, and your Meadow is a quiet little perfect lady during car rides!!! it sounds like they all do as well as they're able to!!

i think there are things that just terrify particular cats, sometimes for no apparent reason. my Mickey was absolutely terrified by ceiling fans. the first time he ever saw one (and it wasn't even turned on) he was terrified of it. i had to drape a sheet over it to cover it, at which point my boy was fine again.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Mooch is good. She might meow once or twice but mostly she just looks around from inside her kennel. Noodles "meowels" a bit more. Both will rub on my fingers through the kennel door if I can put them there. Our vet comes here to see them now. So it's been a while since I've had to take either cat out.

your Mooch usually just looks around from inside her kennel and might meow once or twice, while Noodles is more vocal -- and they both like to rub on your fingers through the kennel door!!! that's great!!

our Punky likes me to put my fingers through the carrier door too, and seems to be comforted by rubbing on them.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

The girls aren't too bad. We get the symphony chorus of meows, yowls, and whimpering and such on the way to the vet. On the way home, they're quiet; it's like they know the worst is over and they're on their way home.

I remember the first time I took Molli to the vet, the tech put her on the scales to be weighed. She got off the scales, walked over to me, and walked right up my shirt....backward with her butt in my face. Then she turned around and put her paws around my neck and hid her face. I felt so badly for her.

When Hydrox, The Old Coot, was alive, he always managed the three Ps: Puked, Peed, and Pooped til we got to the stop sign at the end of our road, not even a mile from the house. Such yowling and hollering.

The Beast is a trip on her own. She paces in the back seat of the truck. In the waiting room, she sits right between Rick and me. When we go into the exam home, she sits between Rick and me and shakes uncontrollably. She's really good about getting the exam; I think she's too scared to do much of anything. After it's all over, she's fine, all ready to get out of there and go home.

Ms. Pepe and The Beast are due for exams; I need to call to make the appt. We'll take them both down at the same time. What a treat that will be: yowling and carrying-on in the front seat and pacing and panting in the back.

Banshee didn't like the vet, but she would not make a fuss. We'd get to the waiting room, I'd sit down, open her carrier, and she'd come out and sit on my lap....and look down her nose at all the d*gs making such a ruckus. I still swear she rolled her eyes more than once; she knew how to act haughty when she needed to. One time, a huge dog walked over to her and tried to sniff her. And *crack!* right across the dog's face with a paw. She never made a sound, sat back down in my lap. That was our Queen B. (The dog's owner never said a word. Me, I smiled....couldn't help it. Only the Queen would put a dog in its place.)

your cats, and The Beast, generally do pretty well on car rides!!! excellent!!

ahhh, my three always try to get off the scales and back to me, at the vet's too! and they all settle down once we're on our way back home too.

oh my!! your Banshee certainly did put that dog in it's place!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Mowgli cries the entire time, even though he actually enjoys vet visits.

though he enjoys vet visits, your Mowgli cries during the car ride!!! that sounds really pretty good!!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Casper doesn't mind being put into the carrier, but once the car starts so does the complaining. However, he does quiet down in under 10 minutes.
Cocoa isn't thrilled about the carrier AT ALL. OMG such plaintive meows. But like Casper, after about 10 minutes in the car she does quiet down.
Overall not so bad for both of them.

your Casper and Cocoa don't enjoy the start of car rides, but they settle down after about 10 minutes!!! that's really very good!!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Luna is an angel. Sits quietly. Only lets out a few meows after about an hour of being in the car (I did take one long trip with her).

Artemis is holy moly... He hates being confined to a carrier. He ripped the side of one and got out. The second one was too small for him, but I had it strapped down in the car with two seatbelts. While still remaining inside the carrier, he managed to wiggle the carrier out of all the straps and flip it upside-down and onto the floor of the car. I strapped him in a second time and he pushed through the Velcro straps and undid the zippers and escaped and was loose in the car.

I finally got a larger crate for a dog that fit him better and was made of plastic. He scratches the walls and meows constantly, slams against the sides, just screams. I really think he needs sedation for a car long car ride. He is awful.

The first ride home with him was fine. Like the very first time I brought him home, but after that he is just horrible in the car.

Then if they both are in the car, Artemis starts meowing which then makes Luna meow. Otherwise she would be quiet.

your Luna sits quietly and will only let out a few meows after about an hour in the car, while Artemis really hates being confined in a carrier or crate!!! good girl, Luna! and sending gentle scritches to your Artemis!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

JC is calm in the carrier on the ride to the vet which is about 30 minutes. It's when she sees the vet is when the trouble starts. Max howls the whole way but he behaves well once we get there.

your JC and Max are pretty close to opposite, in their reactions!!! sending both your cats gentle scritchins......

 

[Jayflower]

your C'est Moi and Olivie do not like car rides at all and can be very vocal during them, while Hotaru seems to enjoy them!!! sending gentle scritches to your C'est Moi and Olivie, and a 'good girl!' to your Hotaru!!

Thank you!! I think from now on, whenever I take Hotaru in the car she will have to ride in the cat carrier. I'm not sure if she will like that, but it is safer that way.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Thank you!! I think from now on, whenever I take Hotaru in the car she will have to ride in the cat carrier. I'm not sure if she will like that, but it is safer that way.

i think that's a good desicion!

 

[Margret]

I think from now on, whenever I take Hotaru in the car she will have to ride in the cat carrier. I'm not sure if she will like that, but it is safer that way.

i think that's a good desicion!

I'm certain of it.

We used to take Pretzel along on road trips; we'd visit my parents (halfway across the country) at least every other Christmas. We'd generally start out with Roger driving, me in the passenger seat with a pillow, and Pretzel in back in her carrier, and Pretzel would cry pitifully (though not loudly), because she was convinced we were visiting the vet. But as soon as I dropped off to sleep (Roger tells me) Pretzel would figure out that it wasn't a vet visit and settle down for her own nap. We never had any trouble getting her to use the dirt at rest stops to relieve herself, and she always got a lot of admiring comments at the hotels we stayed at. Unfortunately, we had to leave her in her harness and leash overnight in the hotel room, though, because in the morning she'd get underneath the bed and worm her way into the bed springs to keep from being put back in the carrier; pulling on her leash was the only way to get her out.

Margret

 

[bodester413]

your Bodhi hates car rides!!! poor guy!

so you've had the vet come to your home the last two times your boy has needed shots. i tried that for my Mickey and little Snick , but my two really didn't do well with that -- they did better going to see the vet.

Yea, to be honest Bodhi didn't do much better having the vet come here either. It seems like now whenever someones car pulls in my driveway he assumes it's the vet coming back and hides under the sofa until he can figure out if it's someone he knows or not.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Yea, to be honest Bodhi didn't do much better having the vet come here either. It seems like now whenever someones car pulls in my driveway he assumes it's the vet coming back and hides under the sofa until he can figure out if it's someone he knows or not.

that sounds similar to my Mickey and Snick's reaction. it seemed to me that they felt that their territory, their safe place (home) had been...invaded by the vet.