Travel Trauma....

HelenRB

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I adopted Lincoln, a senior cat (around 14), in January. After a period of adjustment, he is doing great and I'm completely in love with him. The vet says he's very healthy, and he has a good appetite and loves to play.

He also loves visiting my parents. He adores other people and cats (they have two, who tolerate his outgoing nature), and likes being in a busy house with a screened-in porch where he can hang out when the weather is nice.

The problem is that my parents live two hours away from me, and he hates the car. So far I have only taken him three times, because it's been such a stressful experience for both of us. He has had diarrhea in his carrier every time, and once also urinated. It's the same every time: he seems alright except for a few meows, then he'll settle down to sleep, I'll think everything is going well, and then suddenly he's pooped and starts completely flipping out. It seems to be the poop that makes him panic, and I've learned to put multiple layers of newspaper down so that I can pull over and remove the poop right away, and then he settles down again once the carrier is clean.

If I have to give up on visiting with him, I will, but he just seems to have such a great time. As soon as we arrive, he's his normal self, cuddling up to my parents, batting the treat jar off the counter, playing with the other cats' toys.

So, are there any tips to help him stop defecating in the carrier? Aside from that, he really doesn't do too badly and sleeps for a large part of the drive - but the pooping really seems to freak him out, and he does it every time.
 

Furballsmom

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Hi!
There might be something here to help calm your boy;

Only Natural Pet has a product called Just Relax Calming spray with essential oil (catnip oil).

There's this one, be sure and scroll all the way down the page;
Bach Flower Remedies - Rescue Remedy Pets Dogs Cats Horses Birds

Music can be useful in general in helping a cat to relax whether they are healthy and especially when they're not (not 24 hours a day though, just now and then for a couple hours or so). Musicforcats . com, or there's an app called Relax My Cat or there is low volume classical harp music.

You could try one of these, only a small selection of a fast-growing section of pet products;
Richard's Organics Pet Calm-this one is drops that you put on the tip of the tongue. Also, Quiet Moments Cat treats, and there is Calming Care, Calm-o-mile, Sentry, Natures Miracle calming spray, Vetri-Science's Composure is another item to look at, Pet Remedy (it has valerian) is yet another, as is Essential Pet Pet-ease, Only Natural Pet (brand and website) has calming products, Pet Naturals also has one I believe.

Also Thunderease has diffusers as does Sentry, Comfort Zone and feliway as mentioned although diffusers are expensive and not always the answer.

If it's legal where you are, you might want to check with your vet but some people have good results with CBD oil, plus there are vet-prescribed calming products too.
Lambert Vet Supply is a website to look at, and of course chewy, also there's Petwishpros, animaleo, 1-800-petmeds, Petco and PetSmart, and other pet stores.

There is also a product called a lickimat which could be helpful, as cats can be calmed by the process of licking. The LickiMat - Food Puzzles for Cats

This discussion's post talks about some other products;
Calming Treats For A Very Picky Cat
 

FeebysOwner

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Hi. don't know what kind of vehicle you have, but if it can accommodate a sizable crate - one that can hold a small litter box inside it - you might want to try that. You can put some towels with his scent in the crate as well, just for familiarity sake.

If it seems he would prefer his space to be 'less visually stimulating', you can always try covering the carrier/crate with a blanket.
 

Mamanyt1953

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Try giving him 3 teaspoonfulls of chilled chamomile tea about half an hour before leaving. Use commerically prepared tea bags from your local grocery store's coffee and tea aisle so that you KNOW it is German, NOT ENGLISH, chamomile. Brew a cup and chill in the fridge. It is gently calming without being sedating, and might just do the trick! Now, if he's a good-sized cat, over 11 pounds, up the dosage to 3 Tablespoonfuls. If it works for him, it's far less expensive than any prescription med, and won't leave him loopy, just...chill.
 
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HelenRB

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Thank you all for the advice!

I will look into the different calming products, and the tea. I could also fit a bigger carrier in the back seat of my car so maybe that is an option, too. I would love to be able to take him with me once in a while for a visit.

At least the weather is warming up... makes driving with the window down when he poops a little more comfortable!
 

tarasgirl06

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I adopted Lincoln, a senior cat (around 14), in January. After a period of adjustment, he is doing great and I'm completely in love with him. The vet says he's very healthy, and he has a good appetite and loves to play.

He also loves visiting my parents. He adores other people and cats (they have two, who tolerate his outgoing nature), and likes being in a busy house with a screened-in porch where he can hang out when the weather is nice.

The problem is that my parents live two hours away from me, and he hates the car. So far I have only taken him three times, because it's been such a stressful experience for both of us. He has had diarrhea in his carrier every time, and once also urinated. It's the same every time: he seems alright except for a few meows, then he'll settle down to sleep, I'll think everything is going well, and then suddenly he's pooped and starts completely flipping out. It seems to be the poop that makes him panic, and I've learned to put multiple layers of newspaper down so that I can pull over and remove the poop right away, and then he settles down again once the carrier is clean.

If I have to give up on visiting with him, I will, but he just seems to have such a great time. As soon as we arrive, he's his normal self, cuddling up to my parents, batting the treat jar off the counter, playing with the other cats' toys.

So, are there any tips to help him stop defecating in the carrier? Aside from that, he really doesn't do too badly and sleeps for a large part of the drive - but the pooping really seems to freak him out, and he does it every time.
Unfortunately, the very roomy carrier I have, which has a litterbox, food and water dishes, seems not to be available any longer. It's a Furrari, and it accomodated a cat we drove from L.A. area to SW Utah (Best Friends Animal Society) very well. This is what I found now: Best Cat Car Carrier with Litter Box
I would go with the Catit brand, as I love their products, but it, too, does not seem to be available and the other one is not what I would prefer at all (and does not seem very large). The article is informative, though. What I would suggest if you can't find a good cat-specific carrier is to physically visit your local Petco or other 'pet' supply store and look at their carriers for medium size dogs. You may be able to use one and outfit it with a small litter box.
I have not only driven a cat long-distance, I have also airlifted cats internationally. In the latter cases, airline regulations stipulated that the carriers be large enough and tall enough for the cats to turn around and stand/lay down comfortably. They were not outfitted with litter boxes. I lined each with new foam that my ex bought at Walmart and sprayed the foam with Feliway, a MUST for any travelling cat. The cats made the 100-mile trip from our desert home on unpaved, boulder-strewn dirt roads to the pavement and freeways and to LAX, made the journey, and arrived safely and calmly, I am told. They did not meow on the trip and they did not need the litterbox at all. There were twelve of them.
Another thing you can investigate is a large plastic chest, the kind a lot of people use for storage of sweaters, etc., that has a top on it. They were available at Walmart and probably still are. You cut the type of openings (holes, slots, whatever your preference) in the sides (making sure the cut surfaces are sanded down so they are not sharp) you need for ventilation and visual, and then put in a small litter box as well as some foam and/or blankets, towels, etc., for bedding. You can also buy small food and water dishes for dry food and a little water, and attach them through the holes you have made, using wire or plastic.
 

1 bruce 1

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If he only has diarrhea while traveling, it's probably just travel stress and being in a small carrier with "that" wouldn't be something I'd consider pleasant either.
I like the idea of a large crate with a box in it. People who move house and have a day or two's drive sometimes do this and it seems to ease things up.
Hearing that you've adopted a 14 year old cat who is outgoing with people after a 2 hour car ride and loves to play is the best thing I've heard all day, wait a minute, make that all year to date. Thanks for giving this older gent the best days of his life :wave3::hearthrob::redheartpump:
 

tarasgirl06

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If he only has diarrhea while traveling, it's probably just travel stress and being in a small carrier with "that" wouldn't be something I'd consider pleasant either.
I like the idea of a large crate with a box in it. People who move house and have a day or two's drive sometimes do this and it seems to ease things up.
Hearing that you've adopted a 14 year old cat who is outgoing with people after a 2 hour car ride and loves to play is the best thing I've heard all day, wait a minute, make that all year to date. Thanks for giving this older gent the best days of his life :wave3::hearthrob::redheartpump:
:yess::hugs:*Me, too, Bruce!*
 

lalagimp

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Ask your mom for a well lived in item from their house to keep in a baggie until you are going to travel, and put it with him in the carrier, and see if he associated that household scent with better feelings about being stuck in the carrier, since he has such a great time there.
Stuffed animal, tshirt, etc.

I broke my cat, too. We took a road trip from Phoenix to D.C. because we had to relocate, and now he ends up drooling, foaming, and barfing within 15 minutes of any trip. He had so many car trips the first year we were here for the vet, the ER, the hospitals. I told them upon his release to be sure to give him an injection of Cerenia before we arrived so he wouldn't vomit in the car because he needs those fluids and needs to remain calm. When he was having overnight stays, I told the staff to put my hoodie in his cubicle just trying to help that he has something familiar.
 

tarasgirl06

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Ask your mom for a well lived in item from their house to keep in a baggie until you are going to travel, and put it with him in the carrier, and see if he associated that household scent with better feelings about being stuck in the carrier, since he has such a great time there.
Stuffed animal, tshirt, etc.

I broke my cat, too. We took a road trip from Phoenix to D.C. because we had to relocate, and now he ends up drooling, foaming, and barfing within 15 minutes of any trip. He had so many car trips the first year we were here for the vet, the ER, the hospitals. I told them upon his release to be sure to give him an injection of Cerenia before we arrived so he wouldn't vomit in the car because he needs those fluids and needs to remain calm. When he was having overnight stays, I told the staff to put my hoodie in his cubicle just trying to help that he has something familiar.
*FELIWAY* lalagimp lalagimp . Use it liberally.
 

lalagimp

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*FELIWAY* lalagimp lalagimp . Use it liberally.
He doesn't respond to it. I've sprayed his carrier. I have also used Bach's Rescue Remedy Pet, and he built a tolerance to it in a few days. I tried the dramamine. No dice. I asked for Cerenia twice - Once when transferring him from the E.R. to a hospital an hour away, and then the second was that hospital upon his release after surgery for the hour long ride home.
 

tarasgirl06

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He doesn't respond to it. I've sprayed his carrier. I have also used Bach's Rescue Remedy Pet, and he built a tolerance to it in a few days. I tried the dramamine. No dice. I asked for Cerenia twice - Once when transferring him from the E.R. to a hospital an hour away, and then the second was that hospital upon his release after surgery for the hour long ride home.
He's a tough one!
 

sabian

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Anytime I've taken any of my cats on a trip, past and present, I don't put them in carriers and just put a litter box in the floor board. It's always worked for me. You just have to be a little more vigilant with your driving habits and don't slam on the brakes to suddenly or they may slide off the seat or worse. Another thing that helps is, if you make a quick run to the store or to get gas or something where your not going to be gone long, just take them with you for a short ride. Sometimes I just take Manny for a ride around the block and come straight home. He seems to enjoy riding now.
 

lalagimp

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I've also let Tommy ride without a carrier, wearing his harness and mostly laying on a blanket in the floorboard. He still ends up vomiting by or before twenty minutes lapse. Nature's Miracle makes a foaming upholstery cleaner. So handy.
 

tarasgirl06

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When we adopted Samuda, we didn't have a carrier with us in the car. He rode very well all the way home, looking out the back windshield. He was always a very calm little man. Riding without carrier/other safety securing is NOT recommended for cats and I would never do this normally.
 

lavishsqualor

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I do a lot of driving for work and if I'm going to be gone for more than three days, my cats come too. I have a pretty big SUV and put their huge litter box in the floorboard of the back seat, so Atticus, Thirteen and Bella Roma can get to it easily. I know I shouldn't but I've always let them just do their thing in the car. I'm lucky because all they do is sleep.
 

maggiedemi

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What time do you usually leave for your trip? My cats poop & pee early in the morning usually before 9am and they don't go again for several hours.
Also, maybe put a sheet or something over the cage.
I agree with the others, try to find a bigger cage that will fit a litterbox.
 
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