Is it okay to take my cat on a long road trip with a fast return?

What a lovely kitty you have! Yes she can travel with you. You will need a carrier that can be closed securely. You should put the carrier into the car in such a way that your kitty cannot look out the window as she will not understand how the landscape can go by so fast and that will scare her. She may be crying a lot and that is somewhat unnerving. Some cats settle after a while and sleep, others will cry for 2 hours. She will likely pee in the carrier, so put a potty pad into the carrier that absorbs the pee. Make sure it is not too hot in the car, have water ready, but if it is only a two hour trip, she will likely not need water until she reaches her destination.

Hello, and thank you for your question. It is likely not possible to get a cat used to travelling if it is so infrequent. Travelling can be stressful for cats, so I would only advise it if you have no options for pet-sitters or pet boarding in your area. If you do end up taking your cat with you, you can try a feline pheromone spray called Feliway, which is designed to help minimize stress. You can start spraying it in your house a few days before your travel date, and spray it in the carrier. Leave the carrier out for a few days in advance, and try putting some treats and toys in it to get her exploring and getting comfortable with it. If you are flying, check the airline for requirements for pets. Some require a health certificate within 10 days of travel, and require up to date vaccinations. If you suspect your cat will be very stressed during the trip, consider taking him or her to the vet to discuss the use of temporary sedatives to make the trip easier for them. I hope this helps!

Most cats do best in familiar environments, and since you will be gone short term, it is probably better for Olivia to stay at home and have a sitter or neighbor come in when your husband can't be there. That way she isn't dealing with the stress of a new place in addition to being away from you. I highly recommend adding in some calming devices such as pheromone diffusers that can help her relax some while you are away. Leaving behind a shirt or blanket that smells like you that she can also snuggle may help as well. Some cats may also respond to voices via phone or voice chat, but it depends on the individual cat.

Hello. No, I do not think a drive that long will be particularly stressful for your new kitten. Offer food & water up to about an hour before leaving. Keep the kitten crated on the floor of your vehicle ( not the seat ), with a light sheet covering it. This will help to decrease motion stress. While at your parent's house, you will continue to bond with the kitten. You do all the feeding & litter box cleaning, but everyone else can, of course, play with her. She is so young, that once you return home, she will figure things out pretty quickly. Take care.

If Shakira stresses very easily, I think the best thing to do is have her seen by her vet before she goes on this trip, and discuss using medication to help ease her stress during it. The medication would be safest to use on a long car ride, not a flight. Make an appointment with her vet to discuss options. I hope this helps!

If you have someone that can bring her food at least once a day, you can leave her at home without any problem and this would be the best option, otherwise you could take her with you but she might get stressed from the car ride and the new place.

Hi. It sounds like you're trying hard to do what is best for Daisy. Some of it depends on her personality, some cats enjoy traveling and new places. I've known several that travelled the country in an RV! That said if you do bring her with you there are certain things you should do for her health and safety. First make sure she is up to date on vaccines and parasite prevention. This is to protect her as she may come into contact with other animals on travels. I would also ensure that she is spayed, as an intact female will try to get outside every heat cycle. She could get lost or injured if this happened someplace she was somewhere unfamiliar. Also, please make sure she has a collar with your cell phone number and I would recommend a microchip as well. If she doesn't enjoy the new places, consider someone to come to your house while you are gone to care for her and keep her company. In these cases, sometimes a companion cat helps ease boredom if people are absent for long stretches. I wouldn't recommend leaving her for more than 24 hours without someone checking food, water and litter boxes.