My cat cannot tolerate riding in a car even for a short ride to a vet. Any tips on how to help her?
septemberkaren asked:
We’re moving to another state soon. It will be a good 14 hour drive. Will my cat die from this ride? How should I make it easier for her? I am really worried.
She keeps meowing desperately non-stop. Her tone goes very low at times (sounds as if she is in pain). I just can tell that she is in intolerable discomfort.
We’re moving to another state soon. It will be a good 14 hour drive. Will my cat die from this ride? How should I make it easier for her? I am really worried.
She keeps meowing desperately non-stop. Her tone goes very low at times (sounds as if she is in pain). I just can tell that she is in intolerable discomfort.
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March 21st, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Please update your question and give us some details about what your cat does or what happens to your cat during a car ride.
Give us something to work with.
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Ask the vet for some Tranquilizers for your cat!! that should calm her down or make her sleepy!
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:36 pm
leave her carrier out so she can go in and out as she wants. Put treats in there.You can also buy feliway at petco that’ll help. Also, cover the carrier so she can’t see out. It’s less stressful for her.
I sing to my cats, they all have their own songs lol but they don’t cry as much when I do it.
March 25th, 2009 at 4:21 am
first of all is this the only place she goes in the car? if so then take her on small short trips other places and she will notbe as scared of that car. she simply sees the car and says oh no vet. another shot. no way
March 26th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Every cat I have ever owned cried in the car all the way to the vet and home again. One cat, if taken elsewhere in the car, would stop crying once she realized she was not going to the vet. The rest of them pretty much were constant criers. So your cat’s behavior may be more ordinary than you think. She may well be uncomfortable, or stressed out, or worried, but she is not necessarily in intolerable misery. There is a good possibility that you suffer worse than she does, because of how much you worry about her. But if you believe that she is in an unusual distress, you can discuss with your veterinarian the possibility of motion sickness (which can be a real issue with some cats) or if the use of a sedative might be appropriate (some medications for motion sickness also cause sleepiness as a side effect, so you might be able to get both benefits from one medication). If you do choose to do that, you may wish to give her the medication on a trial *before* your move, because some cats have the opposite reaction to sedatives, and end up frantic rather than relaxed.
I and two cats survived driving from Arizona to Minnesota. One of them cried a lot on and off during the whole trip, the other kinda quit crying after a while. I advise getting a pet carrier that is big enough for your cat to stretch out in, that is also big enough to hold a small litter box (or get a small aluminum baking pan and put some litter in it). Don’t let the cat out of the carrier until you are safely and securely in your new place. Some cats will panic and escape from a car at rest stops, if they are given a chance.
Good luck on your move.