Alice 10/31 - the happiest Halloween - home again! AMPS/PMPS yellow

AliceMeowliss (GA)

AliceMeowliss (GA)

Member Since 2019
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...30-vacation-with-sub-cg-complications.220842/

The week I was gone was horrible. May I never leave Alice again!

How do you travel by vehicle for long distances with your diabetics? Are there medications to help them stay calm? I am considering a move because it may be best for me and my little animal family, and even if not a move, I won’t be traveling again without her. But I don’t have cat travel experience really except moving in town mostly! We actually currently live a tenth of a mile from where Alice was born.

She’s alive. It looks like a pretty bad job was done by the ex-everything, but she’s alive and she actually hit some decent blues today.

She is still excessively belly grooming and that worries me.

I had her at 1.5u right before I left, just starting to hit the good greens as I had to leave, then had to drop her all the way to 1u, starting her back on 1.25u while I love her shot back to 6/6 from 9/9 ish, since that acts a bit like an increase itself.

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Here's a good post on Traveling with a diabetic cat

China was a horrible traveler....she would howl so loud that I'd get dirty looks from people passing by like I had kidnapped a child. She'd throw up and pee all over herself in the carrier.

When my mom wanted to go to Branson to see the Christmas lights and shows, I knew I'd have to figure out something because nobody was going to take care of her as well as I would! So I started experimenting.

Some cats do better in a carrier (China wasn't one of them)….some do better if the carrier is on the floorboard, some do better next to you. Some do better with a blanket covering the carrier. Some want to see outside.

With China, I found she did best when she was left out of the carrier (not that I'm recommending it for safety's sake) but I gradually got her used to wearing a harness and then I literally started by taking her out to the car (she rode on the back seat with the leash tied into the seat belt) and I'd just start the car, take her out and back into the house. Then I'd drive the car down the driveway and back up. End of "session". I gradually increased how far we'd go until she could ride in the back without howling, throwing up or peeing. (a little Cerenia before we left was helpful)

When it was time to actually go, I put a soft blanket on the back seat, put a litterbox on the floor behind the passenger seat, tied her in and off we went. She did great! She got a little antsy about 2 1/2 hours into the trip so we pulled over for awhile and gave her a break (with lots of pets and loving) and we were then able to finish the last hour or so.

We went 3 more times to Branson before she passed. The last time we went, she was so cute! I took her leash from the back seat and she jumped down on the ground and just followed me into the motel room. I think she really enjoyed getting out to "see the world" (and other people in the hotel were shocked to see a cat on a leash trotting along side her mama)
 
Cassandra I am so glad you arrived back to find Alice ok. I can imagine how stressful it was for you.

I can't comment on travelling with cats. I only did it once with Sheba and she ended up very sick the next day. Don't know if the car trip was connected to her being sick or not, but I didn't do it again..But she hated change, loved her home and only wanted to be there.
I've heard of several people who take their cats very successfully on trips.
Wendy took Neko quite a distance twice for treatment.
 
Welcome home.

After steeling ourselves for a miserable trip, Neko turned out not to be so bad for our three day trip each way to Colorado. It is what we had to do for treatment, and it was treat the acro or die sooner for her. I gave her Rescue Remedy before travel, sprayed the inside of carrier with Feliway, brought her favourite bed and scratcher. I had a sedan with split seats, and put her LB in the back. Neko wasn’t happy being locked in the carrier, so we opened the door. She then spent most of her time still in the carrier, but could go out if wanted. She wouldn’t use the LB if the car was moving, so we stopped periodically. Second trip was an airplane flight each way. I think her harness helped calm her down. After that she did day and weekend trips with us.
 
Oh Cassandra! I understand your angst and am so glad you're back too! I'm glad Alice is actually doing well too!! As for traveling, I guess this is the one thing that I've gotten super lucky on. Luci is a travel dream cat. The first time I took her anywhere in a carrier (other than the verboten 'V' place) we flew to Florida - I was so terrified that she was going to throw a fit, try to run away at the airport - every fear imaginable - I ordered one of those 'thunder wraps'; some kind of calming treats; a calming collar - treated with something. As it turned out when we had to check thru security, I'd read that I could ask for a 'private room' -- we were escorted to the private room and I had to take her out of her carrier - and they took her carrier back to the x-ray scanner and then they patted her down (she does have that criminal look on her face...:rolleyes: ) I suppose they were checking her for weapons, bombs, drugs??? Who knows... She was a perfect Lady! Never made a sound. We boarded the plane and were moved to the very front of the plane - not first class - because some other passenger was allergic. She sat in her carrier under the seat and never made a sound - not a peep....I gave her a few treats from time to time - but she was again - the surprise of the day - Miss Purrfect!

Now we drive - no more airplanes for us - and she sits in the back, between the seats (I have an SUV with bucket seats in the front) so I can reach thru and pet her, open/close her carrier door and feed her - mostly in her carrier sleeping or gazing - and relaxes for 2 or more days. She seems to enjoy the hotel rooms with all the 'smells'...and her jingly collar jingles all night as she explores the room -- we're so exhausted after driving for 12 or so hours we can barely stay awake...but Luci is very chill after having slept all day - and is ready to explore! While in the car she doesn't want to eat much although I do offer her food...and she refuses to use the LB in the car - she waits until we get into the hotel room - I set it up FIRST in the bathroom - and she goes in there and takes care of that right away...then the exploring and eating commences...she doesn't care much for me holding off on the food if it's test time...but we manage to get it all done.

Some cats are just better travelers than others - she only meows initially - because she thinks we're going to the 'V' but then relaxes after a bit and I open the carrier door and sometimes she comes out to sit on the console (wearing her leash and halter) but mostly prefers to retreat to the comfort of her little 'cat cave' carrier.

I hope next time you can take Alice along with you - in the meantime, start practicing like China suggested. It might go much better than you think.:bighug:
 
Hi, You must be so pleased to be home! Toby is a very seasoned traveller, he has travelled by car, ferry and sailing boat! He falls in the camp of liking to see where he is going. I always take his big blanket and put it on the back seat so he can rest, and he likes the arm rest in the back to be down so he can sit up higher to look out. I found that my car with leather seats was trickier for him as he couldn't get a grip as he moved about, the cloth seats were much better. As others have said, having him on the hardness was a great comfort as I knew he was safe and couldn't come forward. He has his litter box on the floor in the back and he would only use when we stopped, he liked to stop and get out on his harness for some fresh air. I really feel it has added to his life to "get out and see the world", as he is a house cat and so really was very sheltered. He has travelled since he was a kitten (I would bring him to work with me) so I am sure that has helped. I actually genuinely think he loves it! Less so now as sadly our trips are mainly to the vets now :-(
I love the story of China going out for practice rides, I am sure this would help Alice. Good luck xx
 
With both Stu and Rusty on our 6+ hour drives to NYC we carried wet cat food in a little cold case. Neither was ever very eager to eat, but at least when we stopped for our brown-bag lunch they knew they had something to eat, too. Both rode "free" in the car (an SUV). We put the back seats down and had the carrier (door propped open) on the passenger side, just in case the cat wanted to sleep in it for a while (both did, from time to time). We put the litterbox in the very rear of the car, with newspaper lining a "path" through all our stuff, which was piled on either side of the aisle. Both cats used the litterbox whenever they had to. We carried paper towels for pick-up of the contributions and disposed of them in a plastic "dog poop bag" when reaching one of our rest stops. Rusty rarely got sick in the car, but Stu did from time to time. The newspaper proved a quick way to clean up: simply tear off the soiled spot. Rusty liked to ride on the armrest between the driver (me) and the passenger (Edward). We padded the armrest with a thick, fleece blanket. He also liked to sit on top of his carrier and watch outside the rear window (to the delight of other travelers). We timed our trips so that we never had to administer insulin.

Poor Alice (a civvie) had to make do with the strapped-down back seat of a VW Beetle. She didn't like the car trip (from Brooklyn to a camp in the Adirondacks), but she put up with it because she knew where she was going. She spent a lot of time on the floor, under the front seats.

Gus has ridden a few times in the car, and he is a handful. Edward has to hold on to him to keep him from trying to get onto my lap or under the pedals! But he tires eventually. He never gets sick.

Hope this helps. We were given a tip a long time ago: carry the cat in his/her carrier into the car. Then, after getting going, reach back and open the carrier door. It has always worked for us. After a trip or two, you can simply carry the cat in your arms into the car.

Hope this helps.
 
Cassandra, I am imagining your distress over this whole thing, and have to let it go right away! Grrrrrrr - BUT -
Welcome Home to your darling Alice. I know she's soooooooo glad you are back:) I am saving those travel tips above.
Have a marvelous day:)
 
The leash and harness is so very important. As a non-thinking teenager, I took my Buster for a short ride in the truck. He did so well that I did not pay as much attention as I should have. We lived on the edge of the bush on the west coast. When I went to do the 90 degree turn in the road, I couldn't. Buster was halfway through the steering wheel. I hit the brakes. Fortunately, there was a lane straight on that I could continue up. If it wasn't for the lane, we would have hit some subsantial trees. This was a road that was used frequently by big west coast logging trucks. It could have ended very badly.

Rest today. Hug your critters. They are what matters.
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
The leash and harness is so very important. As a non-thinking teenager, I took my Buster for a short ride in the truck. He did so well that I did not pay as much attention as I should have. We lived on the edge of the bush on the west coast. When I went to do the 90 degree turn in the road, I couldn't. Buster was halfway through the steering wheel. I hit the brakes. Fortunately, there was a lane straight on that I could continue up. If it wasn't for the lane, we would have hit some subsantial trees. This was a road that was used frequently by big west coast logging trucks. It could have ended very badly.

Rest today. Hug your critters. They are what matters.
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Oh my goodness!!!

I usually buckle the carriers in and everything. Like a car seat or something! One time on the way back from the vet with 4 cats and a rabbit in carriers in my little Honda, on the two lane rural highway a car tried to pass about 5 cars and was suddenly in my lane barreling forward towards me and it was terrifying having to hit the brakes and avoid an accident while also trying not to slam all the animals against their carriers.

One time during a move Alice was so stressed and she was the last cat to be loved and I think she thought I was going to leave her behind. I held her against my chest for only about two miles but she never moved from being curled up next to me and then she didn’t leave my side for three days at the new place.

I think it’s safe to say travel and moving and change are not her favorites. The drives coming up possibly would all be over 12 hours so I guess I should get a harness and start trying to get her used to it not being about the vet or moving!

/

Thank you everyone! I appreciate you sharing. It gives me a lot to consider and it seems like there’s a consensus on giving the carrier as an option and leaving the door open. She cries anytime the car moves and always quiets if I stop for a moment. I never thought about cats vomiting from travel, but it makes sense!
I wondered if flying on a plane... do you suppose their ears hurt when the pressure changes, too?
 
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