Dear Sinéad, Siouxsie and Thomas:
In a few months, it will be moving day for me, my S.O., our three cats, and one rat. It will be a one-day journey, and we need to move everything in just one trip. I've already read your past columns on moving with cats, but I still have some questions. We currently have only one cat carrier, since we've never needed to take the cats anywhere together. It's a large carrier, about 18" x 16" x 13". I'm not sure who should ride in this carrier. The cats are as follows:
E and J love to wrestle, cuddle, bathe each other, and sleep together. Would it be better to keep the little ones together in this large carrier and buy one new carrier for H, or should we split them up into two new carriers and put H in the large one?
We plan to buy the new carrier(s), leave them out with blankets and toys for a while, take the cats one some non-vet car rides complete with treats and Rescue Remedy, and keep the cats safely confined for the moving process.
Do you think Heisenberg would appreciate taking the ride alone with her human, while the little ones ride in the other car with me? She doesn't hate them, but she doesn't like being smashed together with them either. The only thing I'm concerned about is my car's AC doesn't work very well, and it gets a little warm when I'm driving on hot days, unless I roll the all windows down. Would it be better to put all the cats in the car that has good AC?
Thanks,
Elizabeth
Sinéad: Elizabeth, it's wonderful that you're asking these questions ahead of time. It's very important to be considerate of the cats' needs during a traumatic and stressful time such as moving.
Siouxsie: From the way you describe the relationship between the three cats, it sounds like it's definitely a good idea to keep Heisenberg separate from the other two cats. Putting her in a carrier of her own will allow her to feel safer and more comfortable because she won't have to share space with the other cats.
Thomas: You don't mention exactly how overweight Heisenberg is, but if she weighs much more than 12 pounds, we think she should probably travel in the large cat carrier you already have. Overweight cats are more likely to get overheated if they're stuck in a small place for too long, and she'll need to have room to shift positions and keep herself comfortable during the trip.
Sinéad: If you have to put two cats into one carrier, it definitely should be the two smaller ones who get along well. They will soothe each other and keep each other company for the trip.
Siouxsie: If you want to keep Escher and Johnny together in a carrier, we suggest that you buy a larger one than you currently have, perhaps one suited for a 20- to 40-pound dog. The carrier should be twice the size of a standard-size cat carrier if it's going to have two cats in it. The carrier should have enough room that both cats can stretch out and shift positions. Even if Escher and Johnny love each other to death, they may get hot during the long road trip. They might want to have the option of not being crammed together into a small space.
Thomas: Of course, large carriers can be a logistical problem in terms of getting them into your vehicle. They don't usually fit all that well in the back seat of a regular or compact car. If you have an SUV or a station wagon, that shouldn't be as much of a problem because you can arrange space for them in the back of the car.
Sinéad: When we have to travel, Mama puts each of us into our own carrier. That way, we have room to stretch out and relax. The carriers Mama bought for us are about 16" x 10" x10" -- this is a "standard size" cat carrier appropriate for carrying one average-sized (7- to 12-pound) cat.
Siouxsie: You can buy two standard-size carriers for Escher and Johnny and let each of them have their own space, too. The good thing about this solution is that you should be able to fit all three carriers into the back seat of one vehicle -- even if that vehicle is a compact car -- if you put them in so that the doors of the carriers face the front seats of the car.
Thomas: You mention that you have concerns about the air conditioning in one of the cars. I don't know how hot it gets in the car with the bad A/C, but if it's hot enough to be uncomfortable for you, it can definitely be harmful for a cat. On the other hand, if the temperature in the car is tolerable with the windows down, it should be OK for the younger cats, at least.
Sinéad: But Heisenberg, being a senior cat with an obesity problem, needs to be in a vehicle that isn't too hot. Probably the best choice for her comfort would be to have her travel in her carrier, with her human, in the car with the good air conditioning.
Siouxsie: We think it's probably best and safest for all three cats to have them travel in the car with the good A/C. There's much less risk that the cats will get overheated that way.
Thomas: Of course, it goes without saying that no matter what, you should never leave the cats alone in the car, not even for a few minutes. If you have to get food as you travel, use a drive-through. If drive-through isn't an option, either because you want to eat food that has some nutritional value or because there isn't one you like along the way, have the person in the car without the cats go into the restaurant or store, get the food, and bring it to the person in the car with the cats.
Sinéad: That way the cats can stay in their air-conditioned environment and you won't have concerned citizens breaking the windows of your car to rescue your cats. Don't laugh! Mama knows someone who did this -- after exhausting all other options including paging the car's owner over store P.A. systems -- and saved the life of a dog that was dying from heat stroke.
Siouxsie: This is a very serious issue. A car can become an oven in less than five minutes, even if it's parked in a shady area. Mama's put a thermometer in her car before and found that it gets up to 120 degrees in a very short period of time. And that's in Maine, where the sun isn't really that strong!
Thomas: Any animal locked in a 120-degree car will die of heatstroke in half an hour. Even if you leave the windows open a crack, it still gets much too hot to be safe. It's just not worth the risk to leave a live animal in a car "just for a few minutes while you get a couple of things at the store." All humans know how easy it is for "a five-minute errand" to expand to an hour or more, so don't chance it.
Sinéad: So, in a nutshell, our answer is: Put Heisenberg in the big carrier, get standard-size carriers for Escher and Johnny, and let them all travel in the car with the good air conditioning. Don't leave them alone in the car at any time, even in a shady area.
Siouxsie: When you make "pit stops" along the way, give the cats a little bit of water. Bring extra towels to line the bottom of their carriers in case they make a mess and plastic grocery bags to store any soiled towels. Some cats do get carsick, and you're not going to want to drive all day in a car that reeks of cat vomit -- or any other cat waste, for that matter.
Thomas: And of course, if you have to take a cat out of his or her carrier or open a carrier door for any reason during the course of your trip, make sure that all the car doors and windows are closed! You don't want any of your kitties fleeing for their lives at a highway rest stop or roadside diner.
Sinéad: Mama says you should make sure that you and your S.O have a way to communicate between cars while you travel. That way you can keep track of each other if you get separated in traffic, make sure neither of you gets lost, and coordinate rest and fueling stops. If you don't have cell phones, the small walkie-talkies you can buy at electronics stores will do the trick quite nicely. They have a range of up to a mile (and some higher-priced models have even longer ranges).
Siouxsie: Don't forget: If you get worried about the cats because they're making some odd noise, or a smell tells you somebody's soiled their carrier, please make sure you pull off the road to check on them! We'd hate for you to have an accident because you're trying to figure out what's wrong with the cats and not watching traffic!
Thomas: Good luck with your move, Elizabeth, and please let us know how things go.
Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail Sinéad and Siouxsie at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the advice in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.
