Is long-distance travel safe for my senior cat with kidney issues?

I would think it would be safe for Cindy as long as she doesn't have any blood pressure issues. There are sedatives that would be safe. Talk to her veterinarian about Alprazolam which most cats tolerate very well. I recommend a trial run before the plane ride to make sure Cindy does well with it. Best of luck!

Stress can affect a senior cat's health, but it is possible to take Rainbow with you to college. A one hour flight will be much easier for her than a 12 hour car ride, and I'd recommend taking her that way. You can talk to your vet to see if they feel she may need any medications for the trip, but I personally flew my cats from the US to New Zealand when I moved here without medication and that was a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Auckland. Cats do handle flights well, and one hour is a short flight. I think that having her there with you will help with your transition to college, and she will like being with her owner. I would consider taking her with you.

I would not recommend such a journey in an older cat especially if her routine will be changed from a free ranging cat to an indoor cat as this would provide an ongoing environmental stress even after the journey. Contact local humane societies and shelters to see if they can help provide a foster home for her or inquire of your neighbours if anyone is willing to monitor her and take responsibility for her ongoing care and health needs as she gets older.

Ginger should be examined by the veterinarian prior to the flight to check her heart and blood pressure. She will likely need a health certificate and vaccine update (if due). If she is prone to stress, sedatives/anti-anxiety medications may help. In general, the over the counter options don't tend to be effective (though you can try them). Your veterinarian will have proven medications that work. It is also recommend to have a trial run at home a few days before your flight so you know how Ginger responds to them. Here is also a helpful article: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-travel-with-a-cat/ I hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! My favorite to use in cases like this to prevent stress is something that is actually sprayed in the environment/objects in contact with him instead of actually being given as a medication. This is called Feliway and you can find it online or at your local pet store. Works great in these scenarios. Good luck and have a great day!

Here is a great article regarding traveling with cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/safe-summer-traveling-tips-for-cats/ You should also get the cats use to the crates so have the crates out for at least a week in advance. You may also try feeding the cats in the crate to create a positive association. If the cats become stressed out easily, you may discuss getting sedatives for them from your veterinarian. Make sure the cats are up to date on vaccines, have a record of their vaccines, you may also want a health certificate just to be safe and you may also want to microchip them (if this is not already done) just in case they escape. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor Zoe! Usually CKD is a condition more associated with older cats. Obviously I can't see her blood work so don't know how bad she is in medical terms. However, it is very hard to know how long a cat with CKD has. Sometimes it is months, sometimes years. If she is comfortable at the moment I would let her be and monitor the situation. If her signs worsen and she starts vomiting and being unwell you ought to consider putting her to sleep. However, there is no reason why she can't travel to your new home with you if her signs are still manageable.