? OT: Moving with a senior cat

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

Hi everyone! I have a question that I've been saving for my vet -- but why do that, when I have hundreds of years of combined experience to draw from right here? The question is this:

I've been given permission to work remotely for a year, possibly permanently if all goes well, and so I plan to relocate in June. Aside from the hassle of moving, my main concern is how Chispa is going to adapt to a new home. She is sixteen and has lived in one place since I adopted her fifteen years ago. However, I have taken her with me while working remotely for two periods of three months each during the pandemic, both times from my parents' house in Maine, a 12-hour drive away. These two stints were a year apart, and both times, she temporarily went blind from retinal detachments. The first time, in January 2021, the cause was high blood pressure, which in turn might have been caused by recently diagnosed kidney disease. She was started on meds and her blood pressure has been well controlled ever since.

The second retinal detachment, in January 2022, happened for reasons that the vet could not clearly explain (her blood pressure was normal upon arrival at the emergency clinic). But I think it was the combined stress of losing my other cat Chulo, and then having to travel to Maine for the holidays only two weeks later. She was clearly looking for him, wandering into empty rooms and meowing into nothingness.

Some people say that cats live completely in the moment and don't think about the past or the future. They say that as long as she is with me and has everything she needs, she will be just fine. And indeed, she has been doing well (FD aside) for a whole year now. Her eyesight is definitely not great, but she can see well enough to do things like walk around objects left on the floor in unexpected locations. But I feel that her vision is delicate, and the last thing I want is for her to lose it permanently following the stress of a move. Imagine how scary that would be -- stuck in an unfamiliar place and unable to see. I don't think I could forgive myself if that happened.

Have others had experiences, good or bad, of moving with a senior cat? Any insights or advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Ben&Squirrel]

Hi Karen! So nice to see how well Chispa has been doing! I'm sorry to hear about the vision problems she has had. I can understand your concern about her moving.

The last time I moved I had five cats with me, including two who were sixteen and one who was eighteen. They had lived in our previous home together basically all their lives. I think the move was really stressful for them, although I may just be projecting because it was really stressful for me. Myrna, my little tuxie 18-year old had ckd, was tiny, had cataracts, and was at the bottom of the pecking order, so I was most worried about her. During the actual move she peed in her carrier and howled the whole way, just humiliated and angry. The rest of them, each in their own carrier on the 3-hour drive, howled along with her and I have never felt so guilty and sad at what I was putting them through. I cried, they cried, it was a drive I am glad I will never make again.

Once in the new place, I did the thing of keeping them all in small spaces like a bathroom, then moved them to larger spaces like a bedroom, then they all went to find their own territories and accustomed themselves to the whole new place pretty quickly. Myrna did probably have the biggest challenge, being so old and having poor vision, as well as being bullied by Benny, but she adjusted quickly. I had to rearrange things like ramps and steps so she could get up and down, but once she found the new sun spots on the floor she was at home. Their "stuff" was all there, I was there, they settled in just fine. I am not sure about cats living only in the moment, but I do think they tend to take their cues from us and they pretty much left the worrying to me.

Myrna and two of her "sisters" went on ahead three years ago and it's just Ben and Squirrel now. They're fifteen and sixteen and I've been thinking about getting a couple of kittens to join the family, but am going back and forth about it in a similar way as you are. I don't want to stress either of them out too much and am not sure how they would adjust.

 

[Bandit's Mom]

These are a few people that I can remember off-hand who relocated with cats. They aren't online these days, so not sure they will see the tags

@Virginie & Chewie (GA)
@Dkshin89
@Si am cat mom

and

@smorgasbord

I guess you've seen this doc on Traveling with a diabetic cat.

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

Hi Karen! So nice to see how well Chispa has been doing! I'm sorry to hear about the vision problems she has had. I can understand your concern about her moving.

The last time I moved I had five cats with me, including two who were sixteen and one who was eighteen. They had lived in our previous home together basically all their lives. I think the move was really stressful for them, although I may just be projecting because it was really stressful for me. Myrna, my little tuxie 18-year old had ckd, was tiny, had cataracts, and was at the bottom of the pecking order, so I was most worried about her. During the actual move she peed in her carrier and howled the whole way, just humiliated and angry. The rest of them, each in their own carrier on the 3-hour drive, howled along with her and I have never felt so guilty and sad at what I was putting them through. I cried, they cried, it was a drive I am glad I will never make again.

Once in the new place, I did the thing of keeping them all in small spaces like a bathroom, then moved them to larger spaces like a bedroom, then they all went to find their own territories and accustomed themselves to the whole new place pretty quickly. Myrna did probably have the biggest challenge, being so old and having poor vision, as well as being bullied by Benny, but she adjusted quickly. I had to rearrange things like ramps and steps so she could get up and down, but once she found the new sun spots on the floor she was at home. Their "stuff" was all there, I was there, they settled in just fine. I am not sure about cats living only in the moment, but I do think they tend to take their cues from us and they pretty much left the worrying to me.

Myrna and two of her "sisters" went on ahead three years ago and it's just Ben and Squirrel now. They're fifteen and sixteen and I've been thinking about getting a couple of kittens to join the family, but am going back and forth about it in a similar way as you are. I don't want to stress either of them out too much and am not sure how they would adjust.

Thank you so much, Catherine -- this really helps, especially given Myrna's similar situation. It's encouraging to hear that she adjusted quickly in spite of her particular challenges.

I feel your misery at being in a car for three hours with the peanut gallery wailing a chorus of "how could you do this to me." I would have cried the whole way too! Luckily Chispa has made this road trip before and travels about as well as any cat could be expected to. She will also be able to stay at my parents' house, a familiar place (complete with doting grandparents , during the actual move. All of her "stuff" will be there when she gets to the new place -- that should help too.

Thanks again, and please give Benny and Squirrel skritches from me! Maybe a pair of kittens would entertain each other and leave their older brothers in peace?

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

These are a few people that I can remember off-hand who relocated with cats. They aren't online these days, so not sure they will see the tags

@Virginie & Chewie (GA)
@Dkshin89
@Si am cat mom

and

@smorgasbord

I guess you've seen this doc on Traveling with a diabetic cat.

Thanks so much, Bhooma. I had not seen that doc before. It made me feel very lucky!!

 

[Virginie & Chewie (GA)]

Thanks @Bandit's Mom for the tag

@Karen and Chispa - How far would be the drive to the place you plan on relocating? Our move was intense, it took a week to cross the country with 4 senior cats (2 were 15, 2 were 16, all with health issues). I won't lie, it was a nightmare, and I never want to do it again. The cats were incredibly stressed while in the car (despite generous doses of gabapentin and huge comfy transport cages), and at night in the hotel room they would crash hard from being so stressed all day. I think the adrenaline kept them relatively stable during the drive and for the first week in the house, but I have to say that I have witnessed a flare up in all of their health issues since. My IBD cat who had been stable on the same food for two years suddenly couldn't eat it anymore (she left us puddles of liquid poop on the floor for five days before we could solve it), and I still haven't found a food she will eat that reliably. Chewie's health deteriorated fast, she seemed stable enough before we moved, although her FD was far from controlled, but within less than 2 months of being here we had to let her go - I'll never know if it was related, and it could just be that the acromegaly caught up with her, but it's still eating at me. Her brother who had also been pretty well-controlled (chronic pancreatitis) is in the middle of a flare up as well. The daily dance of opening can after can of food trying to get those two to eat is wearing me down

Soooo... I'm really sorry because I sound like a Debbie Downer, but if you are planning on moving more than a couple of hours away, the consequences of transport stress can be difficult (in our experience at least). Since she has had two retinal detachments (poor baby ), I would personally be reluctant to move her, unless it's a short drive.

That being said, your circumstances are now different since she's your only kitty (I think?). If you did end up moving, I think keeping her in a small room with you for a week or so would really help (if you could work from your bedroom at first, for instance). Then you could slowly give her access to more and more space. You could also plan on having her on something like gabapentin or CBD to help with stress as she gets used to the new space. Adding Feliway, having her "stuff" and worn clothing around, as well as furniture from your old place also would help her feel more "at home". My brood visibly relaxed when our furniture finally got to the new house, we could tell they recognized it.

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

Thanks @Bandit's Mom for the tag

@Karen and Chispa - How far would be the drive to the place you plan on relocating? Our move was intense, it took a week to cross the country with 4 senior cats (2 were 15, 2 were 16, all with health issues). I won't lie, it was a nightmare, and I never want to do it again. The cats were incredibly stressed while in the car (despite generous doses of gabapentin and huge comfy transport cages), and at night in the hotel room they would crash hard from being so stressed all day. I think the adrenaline kept them relatively stable during the drive and for the first week in the house, but I have to say that I have witnessed a flare up in all of their health issues since. My IBD cat who had been stable on the same food for two years suddenly couldn't eat it anymore (she left us puddles of liquid poop on the floor for five days before we could solve it), and I still haven't found a food she will eat that reliably. Chewie's health deteriorated fast, she seemed stable enough before we moved, although her FD was far from controlled, but within less than 2 months of being here we had to let her go - I'll never know if it was related, and it could just be that the acromegaly caught up with her, but it's still eating at me. Her brother who had also been pretty well-controlled (chronic pancreatitis) is in the middle of a flare up as well. The daily dance of opening can after can of food trying to get those two to eat is wearing me down

Soooo... I'm really sorry because I sound like a Debbie Downer, but if you are planning on moving more than a couple of hours away, the consequences of transport stress can be difficult (in our experience at least). Since she has had two retinal detachments (poor baby ), I would personally be reluctant to move her, unless it's a short drive.

That being said, your circumstances are now different since she's your only kitty (I think?). If you did end up moving, I think keeping her in a small room with you for a week or so would really help (if you could work from your bedroom at first, for instance). Then you could slowly give her access to more and more space. You could also plan on having her on something like gabapentin or CBD to help with stress as she gets used to the new space. Adding Feliway, having her "stuff" and worn clothing around, as well as furniture from your old place also would help her feel more "at home". My brood visibly relaxed when our furniture finally got to the new house, we could tell they recognized it.

Hi Virginie -- Thank you for sharing your experiences. I can't even imagine how difficult that must have been, and I'm so sorry that the fallout continues. Don't apologize for the honesty -- all input is valuable and appreciated.

So there are a couple of things in my favor. The drive is 12 hours (one long day), and this would be Chispa's fourth time making the trip. I am lucky that she is a calm traveler -- she pretty much settles into her comfy carrier and howls only once in a while, either to complain that it's taking too long or to make sure I'm still there, who knows. It also helps that she can stay at my parents' house (a familiar place) while the furniture etc. is being unloaded and set up. I've given her gabapentin in the past but haven't tried CBD -- I'll look into it. I have the Feliway spray that I use in her carrier, and I could also pick up a diffuser to put in the new place. Working from the bedroom at first is definitely an option.

It's scary even so. She is my only cat now -- I don't know if that helps or hurts.

Thanks again for weighing in. I hope your other kitties will find their balance soon.

 

[Virginie & Chewie (GA)]

So there are a couple of things in my favor. The drive is 12 hours (one long day), and this would be Chispa's fourth time making the trip. I am lucky that she is a calm traveler -- she pretty much settles into her comfy carrier and howls only once in a while, either to complain that it's taking too long or to make sure I'm still there, who knows. It also helps that she can stay at my parents' house (a familiar place) while the furniture etc. is being unloaded and set up. I've given her gabapentin in the past but haven't tried CBD -- I'll look into it. I have the Feliway spray that I use in her carrier, and I could also pick up a diffuser to put in the new place. Working from the bedroom at first is definitely an option.

I think it will definitely help that she travels well, it's "only" one day, and most importantly she has done it several times before. I would also think that landing in a familiar place would take a tremendous amount of stress off her! She would have time to recover from the drive in a place she knows before making the move with you. The fact that you'll be working from home and therefore able to be with her a lot during the first few weeks of settling into the new place is also a big advantage. All fingers and paws crossed that between that and taking all the precautions you can to minimize her stress, the move goes smoothly for both of you

Thanks again for weighing in. I hope your other kitties will find their balance soon.

Thank you I really hope so too. One day at a time! At least we have a good, cooperative vet in our corner, that's a plus.

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

Thank you I really hope so too. One day at a time! At least we have a good, cooperative vet in our corner, that's a plus.

Yes -- a good vet that you trust is worth their weight in gold. Best wishes to all of you

 

[Dkshin89]

These are a few people that I can remember off-hand who relocated with cats. They aren't online these days, so not sure they will see the tags

@Virginie & Chewie (GA)
@Dkshin89
@Si am cat mom

and

@smorgasbord

I guess you've seen this doc on Traveling with a diabetic cat.

Hello Bhooma! i just saw your message.
Gumung and Danchu is doing well from relocating. we moved from New York to Orlando, Florida.
ask me any questions!

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

Gumung and Danchu is doing well from relocating. we moved from New York to Orlando, Florida.
ask me any questions!

Hi @Dkshin89 -- First of all, your kitty is adorable! Love the photo

Thanks so much for replying, and I'm very glad to hear that the move went well. How old were your two when you moved, and how long had they lived in the place you moved from? What did you do to help them stay calm and get settled in the new place? Is there anything you would have done differently? All insights and ideas greatly appreciated!

 

[Dkshin89]

Hi, Karen

Both of them are from the same litter and they came to our home in New York around 3 weeks old. So basically they grew up from that place. I was so worry since I never took them out on the road other than visiting vets.

Last year August was when they became 5 and half years old.


Driving 16 hours straight was impossible for our family so we stayed 2 nights at pet allowed hotel. And when we got to Orlando, we had to stay one week at another hotel to wait for clearing in house documents. So my cats have been moved location 4 times until finally get to our house.


While we were in the car, they ate a bit and pee regularly but no poop. But when they were in hotel, didn’t touch anything at all except last hotel we were staying for week. They got used to it and came out from hiding 2 days after.


Luckily and thankful to Gumung, he was on first week of OTJ. So there was no insulin I needed to give him but I had it with me in ice box. I still checked his BGs as much as I could. Also I tried to make the trunk section (SUV trunk sections are reachable from the back seat) feel like home s]as possible. Our car was full of cat toys, boxes of their wet can foods, litters instead of our family stuffs. I even took old ripped box that Gumung liked to sit.


There are two things I bought from amazon to make a less stressful trip for our cats. Thunder shirt (tight cloth for cat and they made Gumung zoned out ) and FELIWAY Classic Cat Calming Pheromone Spray. I am not sure what worked out, but my talkative Danchu was so quite and calm for the rest of 15 hours. First hour was hell though. Gumung was so calm and just slept through almost all hours of driving.


When we arrived to new house, in my bedroom, I made their hiding spots, placed their food, water, litter and just closed door. Few days later when they were used to the room and explore, I opened the door to let them go look around the house. They settled pretty quickly than I thought.

Hope this help you to prepare for your trip.

https://ibb.co/album/6YSVVC
here are some picture taken when we were in trip.

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

Those are great suggestions -- thank you for taking the time to share them. What an adventure for your two little travelers! It sounds like they handled it very well, thanks to your thoughtful preparation.

Congratulations to Gumung for being OTJ! Best wishes to all of you

 

[LizzieInTexas]

We drove to a family reunion from Houston Texas to Omaha Nebraska a couple of years ago and took our young (2 yo) Daisy with us because I couldn't find a reliable pet sitter, the first day/night was stressful, but the 2nd leg of the trip went fine and then we were in one hotel for 5 days. Trip home with no issues either.

The only issue we had after the first day was getting her to eat, but that is just the way she is (more interested in exploring/playing than eating even at home).

A holistic vet recommended these as a calmer for Gizmo (my GA FD kitty in my profile) because he always stressed out so much going to the vet. I have continue to use them with Frankie (GA) and Daisy as needed for stress. Do they help? I think so, but stress is stress. I have also used CBD oil/pills and Gabapentin (RX from vet) for calming. All suggestions were just mixed with food 30-60 min before the endeavors. The Calm I used a pill crusher, the others are capsules and just opened caps and sprinkled them into the food.

ETA-keep some familiar items unwashed (towels that you have used after you washed your hair, pillow cases, pet bed/blankets) that you can spread around the car/new home so she knows she is where she should be.

 

[smorgasbord]

As far as the traveling to the new home, bring lots of junk bath towels. Like, more than you think.
You'll get water spilled out of the bowl Every. Single. Time.
The towels can cover every inch of the car to help with stability if she wants to explore. There may be accidents so junk towels can stop it from reaching the car leather/fabric. We put a plastic litter box in the car for Temp's 3,000 mile trip but he refused to use it. He resorted to going in his carrier a couple times and the towels were a lifesaver.

When you stop for the night make sure every single thing you need for food and bathrooms is in the first bag you bring in and put that bathroom down first thing. We trained him to go on plastic waste basket bags in hotels so that's fast and easy. You can also put a newspaper page on the plastic bag and make it crinkle for encouragement.
And more of those junk towels can cover a surface in the hotel room to make her comfy and smell like home.
I can't speak much for acclimation, maybe just try and put blankies everywhere so her nose can sniff familiar things?
Temp insists on immediately exploring every inch of a new place to get the boundaries, so that's what I would do, and then have a nice spot next to mom where she can relax after she gets her sniffs?
Good luck with your move and I hope it goes the best it can, considering!

 

[smorgasbord]

These are a few people that I can remember off-hand who relocated with cats. They aren't online these days, so not sure they will see the tags



Traveling with a diabetic cat.

Oh my gosh, how could I forget. All the Ziploc bags. All of them. wet food is a nightmare when traveling. So just waste a bag and toss the food plate in one after each meal. Trust me. And paper plates are a must, and disposable utensils. We had 3 metal water bowls because SOMEHOW they would hide from us. 1 for the front of the car, 1 for the back, and 1 in the "hotel bag".

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

We drove to a family reunion from Houston Texas to Omaha Nebraska a couple of years ago and took our young (2 yo) Daisy with us because I couldn't find a reliable pet sitter, the first day/night was stressful, but the 2nd leg of the trip went fine and then we were in one hotel for 5 days. Trip home with no issues either.

The only issue we had after the first day was getting her to eat, but that is just the way she is (more interested in exploring/playing than eating even at home).

A holistic vet recommended these as a calmer for Gizmo (my GA FD kitty in my profile) because he always stressed out so much going to the vet. I have continue to use them with Frankie (GA) and Daisy as needed for stress. Do they help? I think so, but stress is stress. I have also used CBD oil/pills and Gabapentin (RX from vet) for calming. All suggestions were just mixed with food 30-60 min before the endeavors. The Calm I used a pill crusher, the others are capsules and just opened caps and sprinkled them into the food.

ETA-keep some familiar items unwashed (towels that you have used after you washed your hair, pillow cases, pet bed/blankets) that you can spread around the car/new home so she knows she is where she should be.

View attachment 66135

Lots of great suggestions. Thank you, Lizzie!

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

As far as the traveling to the new home, bring lots of junk bath towels. Like, more than you think.
You'll get water spilled out of the bowl Every. Single. Time.
The towels can cover every inch of the car to help with stability if she wants to explore. There may be accidents so junk towels can stop it from reaching the car leather/fabric. We put a plastic litter box in the car for Temp's 3,000 mile trip but he refused to use it. He resorted to going in his carrier a couple times and the towels were a lifesaver.

When you stop for the night make sure every single thing you need for food and bathrooms is in the first bag you bring in and put that bathroom down first thing. We trained him to go on plastic waste basket bags in hotels so that's fast and easy. You can also put a newspaper page on the plastic bag and make it crinkle for encouragement.
And more of those junk towels can cover a surface in the hotel room to make her comfy and smell like home.
I can't speak much for acclimation, maybe just try and put blankies everywhere so her nose can sniff familiar things?
Temp insists on immediately exploring every inch of a new place to get the boundaries, so that's what I would do, and then have a nice spot next to mom where she can relax after she gets her sniffs?
Good luck with your move and I hope it goes the best it can, considering!

Thanks, @smorgasbord ! You sound like a very well organized traveler. I really appreciate your taking the time to share your hard-earned knowledge!

 

[Wendy&Neko]

We drove with Neko for 3 days to Fort Collins to Colorado State University for her SRT treatment, and 3 days back. She was 11 at the time. A few years later I did the same thing, but took the plane to Denver then drove, so it only took one day each way. The driving trip meant staying at new hotels each night, and then 5 nights in the same hotel in Fort Collins. Both trips I stayed at the same pet friendly hotel recommended by CSU. I learned to stuff behind the headboard with spare pillows or she'd hide there and I couldn't move the bed to get her out. Actually, another FDMB member who'd been there 3 weeks before at the same hotel me warned me about that.

For a cat that absolutely hated driving, even the 10 minutes to the vet, she adapted pretty well after the first day. I sprayed her carrier with Feliway and gave her some Rescue Remedy for pets (for calming) in the AM. I also discovered she liked having her carrier door open. She mostly stayed in the carrier. I did have a sedan with a split seat in the back, and put her favourite bed and litter box in the back. She went in there whenever we stopped for gas or food. Having said that, the first part of the journey, until she got used to it, puppy pee pads for the carrier were essential. As was finding hotels that had laundry machines for those extra towels.

For the plane trip, I had a harness, Kitty Holster, that acts a bit like a Thundershirt. It kept her calm in the plane (and lineups in the airport - weekend before US Thanksgiving - doh!) and was easy to grab onto, to keep her close by. I gave her several opportunities to use a litter box in transit (folded down Fancy Feast box lined with plastic bag and with litter in it), she refused all of them until we got to the hotel. Then flooded it. Ditto for the way back, but she held it for the LB in the car when DH picked us up at the airport end of day. For the airplane trip and later vacation trips with her, I bought a washable pee pad.

One thing I will say about those long trips, it did seem to bring Neko and me even closer.

 

[Jackie and Biggie]

I moved Biggie in with me two weeks after he became diabetic in Aug (15 min drive). He did really well, but the move of course was stressful. He’s the only kitty here (his sister and other friends passed away over the past few years). The first night he made tiny howls every 15 mins for most of the night. But he explored the bedroom and didn’t hide too much.

In the coming days he did hide a lot, though and I ended up getting under-the-bed storage containers to keep him from going under there for too long because it would be hard to get him out for his bg tests. I also put pillows behind the headboard to keep him from going behind the bed and hiding.

He didn’t really leave my bedroom at all for the first month, by his own choice. Part of that was his fatigue from the diabetes. But it took him a long time to get used to the rest of the house. Only in the past few weeks has he started to visit me in the living room and snuggle on my lap while I watch tv.

I wonder if it would give you peace of mind to visit a kitty ophthalmologist prior to your move, just to see if there is anything they can see going on and if they had any recommended treatment prior to the move to keep her stable?

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

We drove with Neko for 3 days to Fort Collins to Colorado State University for her SRT treatment, and 3 days back. She was 11 at the time. A few years later I did the same thing, but took the plane to Denver then drove, so it only took one day each way. The driving trip meant staying at new hotels each night, and then 5 nights in the same hotel in Fort Collins. Both trips I stayed at the same pet friendly hotel recommended by CSU. I learned to stuff behind the headboard with spare pillows or she'd hide there and I couldn't move the bed to get her out. Actually, another FDMB member who'd been there 3 weeks before at the same hotel me warned me about that.

For a cat that absolutely hated driving, even the 10 minutes to the vet, she adapted pretty well after the first day. I sprayed her carrier with Feliway and gave her some Rescue Remedy for pets (for calming) in the AM. I also discovered she liked having her carrier door open. She mostly stayed in the carrier. I did have a sedan with a split seat in the back, and put her favourite bed and litter box in the back. She went in there whenever we stopped for gas or food. Having said that, the first part of the journey, until she got used to it, puppy pee pads for the carrier were essential. As was finding hotels that had laundry machines for those extra towels.

For the plane trip, I had a harness, Kitty Holster, that acts a bit like a Thundershirt. It kept her calm in the plane (and lineups in the airport - weekend before US Thanksgiving - doh!) and was easy to grab onto, to keep her close by. I gave her several opportunities to use a litter box in transit (folded down Fancy Feast box lined with plastic bag and with litter in it), she refused all of them until we got to the hotel. Then flooded it. Ditto for the way back, but she held it for the LB in the car when DH picked us up at the airport end of day. For the airplane trip and later vacation trips with her, I bought a washable pee pad.

One thing I will say about those long trips, it did seem to bring Neko and me even closer.

Wendy, thank you for taking the time to share your experiences. Your driving three days to get Neko to an SRT facility (had to google that) speaks volumes about your devotion to her. She was lucky to have you as her very best friend.

Thank you for the Kitty Holster link. I got a Thundershirt for Chispa many years ago -- luckily I bought it used on eBay and didn't pay much for it, because the experiment did not go well. She has since learned to wear a regular harness without drooping over in despair, so a kitty holster might actually be worth a try to give her a little extra feeling of security.

I have set up a litterbox on the back seat floor of the car for every trip and offered Chispa (and Chulo, when he was still with us) frequent rest stop opportunities. Only once did she actually pee in it. The other times she chose to hold it for 12 hours -- pretty impressive for a CKD cat, but I really wish I could figure out a way to encourage her to just use the darn thing.

The four long drives definitely brought Chispa and Chulo and me even closer. We relied on each other and they were my anchor through uncertain times. The days were long and stressful, but there is nothing quite like falling asleep in a twin bed wedged between two cats purring in stereo.

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

I moved Biggie in with me two weeks after he became diabetic in Aug (15 min drive). He did really well, but the move of course was stressful. He’s the only kitty here (his sister and other friends passed away over the past few years). The first night he made tiny howls every 15 mins for most of the night. But he explored the bedroom and didn’t hide too much.

In the coming days he did hide a lot, though and I ended up getting under-the-bed storage containers to keep him from going under there for too long because it would be hard to get him out for his bg tests. I also put pillows behind the headboard to keep him from going behind the bed and hiding.

He didn’t really leave my bedroom at all for the first month, by his own choice. Part of that was his fatigue from the diabetes. But it took him a long time to get used to the rest of the house. Only in the past few weeks has he started to visit me in the living room and snuggle on my lap while I watch tv.

I wonder if it would give you peace of mind to visit a kitty ophthalmologist prior to your move, just to see if there is anything they can see going on and if they had any recommended treatment prior to the move to keep her stable?

Jackie, thank you for telling me about your move with Biggie. I'm so glad he has adjusted well and continues to get bolder in his new environment. Also glad that he is feeling better and rocking his dose reductions!!

As it happens, there is an EXCELLENT opthamologist at the veterinary hospital a mile up the road. Chispa has seen her twice in the last year, and I feel she is in the best of hands. Thank you for suggesting a pre-move visit to talk it over and see if she can suggest any preventive measures (or just tell me not to leave the area, haha). That is a great idea. I will call on Monday and make an appointment (usually takes a few months to get in).

Thanks again -- give Biggie a skritch for me

 

[Wendy&Neko]

As it happens, there is an EXCELLENT opthamologist at the veterinary hospital a mile up the road.

Maybe she can recommend a specialist in the are you are moving to.

 

[Jackie and Biggie]

Thank you, Karen. Biggie appreciated the extra scritch and sends purrs to Chispa! I’m so glad you have an eye vet you trust that can give you some more advice on top of the great advice folks have offered here.

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

Maybe she can recommend a specialist in the are you are moving to.

Thanks, Wendy. I was thinking the same thing. Luckily the vet care is very good up there — Chispa got great care from the emergency clinic when she lost her vision last year. She saw a very smart internist who I wouldn’t hesitate to go back to. Hopefully there’s a good ophthalmologist too.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Karen -

Gabby moved to Columbus from Chicago with me -- a 6 hour, non-stop trip about 7 years ago. Like others suggested, Feliway and Rescue Remedy were helpful. She was a terrible traveler. She hated the car with a passion. Going to the vet (a 20 min ride) always resulted in poop, and sometimes vomit, in the carrier. I quickly learned to wrap the cushion in pee pads.) I had a friend driving on the move to Columbus. What seemed to have helped was that my carrier opened from the top (as well as the front), and we drove with my having my arm around Gabby. She needed the security despite a towel and tee shirt in the carrier. I think the vet also gave me Cerenia to help with the motion sickness. Gizmo, my other kitty, traveled without a problem. I think he slept most of the trip.

The first thing I did on arrival was to plug in Feliway diffusers - lots of them. Other times when I had local moves, the stress was offset by having my furniture already in place when the cats arrived so all of the familiar smells were there. With a relocation, I was waiting for a moving company to bring my "stuff." The Feliway helped.

 

[Karen and Chispa (GA)]

Karen -

Gabby moved to Columbus from Chicago with me -- a 6 hour, non-stop trip about 7 years ago. Like others suggested, Feliway and Rescue Remedy were helpful. She was a terrible traveler. She hated the car with a passion. Going to the vet (a 20 min ride) always resulted in poop, and sometimes vomit, in the carrier. I quickly learned to wrap the cushion in pee pads.) I had a friend driving on the move to Columbus. What seemed to have helped was that my carrier opened from the top (as well as the front), and we drove with my having my arm around Gabby. She needed the security despite a towel and tee shirt in the carrier. I think the vet also gave me Cerenia to help with the motion sickness. Gizmo, my other kitty, traveled without a problem. I think he slept most of the trip.

The first thing I did on arrival was to plug in Feliway diffusers - lots of them. Other times when I had local moves, the stress was offset by having my furniture already in place when the cats arrived so all of the familiar smells were there. With a relocation, I was waiting for a moving company to bring my "stuff." The Feliway helped.

Thank you, Sienne -- I really appreciate these tips. Definitely will be stocking up on Rescue Remedy and Feliway diffusers before we go anywhere!