I have 2 beautiful and obese fat happy cats. I love them very dearly. They have been with me for some 7 years. Unfortunately my fiance just got a job in Canada. It seems all of us (as in both the cats, the white rat wannabe dog and the cockatoo) will all be going on a 5 day road trip. It is more or less a one time thing. I would never torture them this way on a regular basis. But so now i have to figure out how to deal with 2 cats in a car 20 hours a day for 5 days. I am at a loss. I don't know what to do or how to manage this. One cat lives to pee all over himself in the car which poses a problem. The vet has offered me some yummy drugs to help them out atleast a little. But i am afraid i am still very worried and uncertain of how to do this. I want it to be as comfortable and non troubling an experience as possible. Please i am begging someone help me. Thank you.
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Help Me Help My Babies!
Replies (3)
Hi There,
I would consider flying to your destination with the cats, or possibly having them flown to you when you get there. Your vet can probably board the cats for you while you are traveling.
If you still want to take your cats on the road trip, tranquilizers MAY help, but the problem is that you don't know how your cats will respond to them. Even if you test the drug at home, the cats may react quite differently while on the road.
There is another issue that you probably haven't thought of, and this is the possibility that the cats won't eat while traveling. They are both obese, and this would put them at high risk for developing fatty liver disease if they stop eating. Even a couple of days can be dangerous, but 5 days with no food might require hospitalization for both of them.
I think that flying with the cats would be the best option. The trip would be much shorter and less stressful for them.
Regards,
PHKitkat
Because of the recent changes in security flying might not be so easy, although it is an option to check out. If you are dealing with a plane change then things might get complicated.
For the sake of the cats, perhaps you could break the car trip up into shorter legs - say not more than 8 hours a day.
There are companies that offer ground transportation for pets, but that is expensive, however it might be an option in your case.
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Thank you for your thoughts but flying them just is not possible. I looked into it rather seriously and at the costs involved. It can't be done. Yes i had them to the vet already and talked all about it with her. We went over most of what you have said. She was really helpful also. She thinks they will be fine on tranquilizers. Which she has agreed to give me along with directions on their usage. If they wont eat i will just water it down and pour it into them. I would never allow them to be damaged in any way. Sadly we have no other alternative besides the road. I also considered leaving them here. But i can't.... One of them needs the other after being together for 8 years. It would be past cruelty to separate them. The other one, was abused as a child. Not by me. If i ever find out who... There is going to be hell to pay. Anyway, by the time she came to me at 9 months old she was very shy and demented. I have spent years and years... seven of them working with her. She has grown very attached to me. To separate her from me at this point would be passing on a death sentence. Because she would stop eating then. And she would gget very depressed. She is still very terrified of other people over time she will warm up and if it is someone in my home though she is still shy with time she can and does come out to check them out before going to hide again.... Then as she gets used to that person coming she gets more comfortable. But it took us 6 months to get close. For the past 6 and a half years she has crawled under my shirt at night to sleep all curled up against my stomach. She has to be close to me at all times when i am home and gives me nasty looks if i dare to leave even for a few minutes. Leaving her just wouldnt be right. And separating her from the other cat... That would be the end of him. At this point i am afraid we are a package deal and so we go together. Can't afford to fly. But thanky you for your thoughts.
