Tomorrow I fly out of Dallas for Knoxville Tenn on a property hunting trip to secure a place to live. Next week Dudley (my cat) and I strike out for Tenn. together in the Truck. Now I know you can go to a vet and they will sell you a chill pill for Dudley, for a price, but what I'm looking for here is experienced Family Members that have traveled with a Cat in the car before. What should I expect, I don't want to leave him in the carrier the whole trip. Do I put some food / water / litter box in the back floorboard????? Someone told me to give him a little benadrill (mispelled) and he will chill out the complete trip. Anyone ever heard of that?

Anyway any advice you could provide would be helpfull

Thanks and that's all for now

See ya from the Smokies

Hillbilly Dragon

Trust me when I say, "Your gonna need the knock out stuff! " That is unless your baby rides with you often.I helped my sister move her adult fur ball when she was going to Germany.That was one screaming baby.They do tend to run fever when traveling.My son moved his beloveds cat from Texas to Ohio, and yes the fur ball was sedated via the vet.I would be concerned about over the counter people meds,unless a vet says they can be used without any problem.Thirty years ago when I traveled with a geosource company, I raised a kitten on the road with me.Dang kid wouldn't let me pass a Dairy Queen without screaming or I should say Demanding I turn around and hit the drive thriugh

EXCUSE ME....Drive through for a small dish of vanilla ice cream.....lol
Happy casa hunting and prayers over your move.

I have spent HOURS on craigslist looking at rentals and rent to own......so far this one is my favorite..........We will see how it works out. Sorry the pic's came out small ....My Bad
Dragon

Duct tape works the best

number ! shoot the cat
Number 2 buy a new cat

The last time I moved with a cat. I drove the pickup with the U-Haul and my wife drove the car with the cat. That worked pretty good.

So where is this cabin and how can we see more (better) pics of the place?  We've often looked at cabins in Tn but alas, it's not going to happen.  Due to the housing market I'm expected to give my house away and that's not gonna happen..  Hope ya find and get what  ya want and then I'll have another place to crash when in Tn.   LOL

Uh, why leave Texas?

Peace

BTW, experienced travel with cats.....I don't where to begin except to say I won't do it again.

Peace

I am an experienced animal trainer and handler with over 30 years experience....yeah sure, I may be a Limey but.....

1.   Keep The Cat In The Carrier During ALL Travel Time...

2.   When you stop for a break on the road, check your cat and if neccesary let it into the vehicle to do its "rest stop" if it needs one...make sure windows and doors are SHUT, your cat is in a strange place and may panic... 

3.   YOU need to be watching the road - NOT what the cat is doing, shut in its carrier it is safe, YOUR Driving will be safe...

4.   If the cat is not used to being in a vehicle offer only tiny amounts during the trip, make water available ONLY at rest stops...

5.   Turn the carrier so that the opening end is facing the seat or a bulkhead or other surface where going under bridges etc will not startle the cat as it wont see them coming...

6.   If the carrier is located on a seat use the seatbelt to secure the carrier in place just as securely as you would a child...

7.   If the cat appears to be panicking dont check on it straight away, if ignored it will settle very quickly, if it does persist over say 50 miles then stop and check on it, but do NOT open the carrier, if the cat is stressed it will not think twice about attacking you and out the door and gone in just a few seconds...Keep The Carrier Closed unless all doors are closed and windows too, a medium size cat can get through a window gap of around 3 to 4 inches-dont take a chance with it... It comes out just to take on water and if it does not use the "rest stop"/litter tray within a minute or so then it does not actually need it yet...it will hold its water for anything up to 12 hours if it is scared...At ALL times keep it in the carrier...a stressed cat is best contained for ITS safety and for YOUR safety...

I have travelled cats all over the world without ANY kind of incident during travel, Cats can safely go without food for well over 24 hours without any detrimental effects on the cat...Water is only offered during rest stops and taken away during ALL driving times, DO NOT leave water with the cat - this is because of spillage, NO cat wants to be doing any journey lying on a wet bed...

I hope this helps in you making the right choices on your journey...Have a Safe Trip.....

I have never traveled with a cat before, but wanted to wish you the best on the trip and your new place

Actually, my wife says the cat never did settled down and between the baby crying and the meowing the trip was a nightmare. We only had to go 200 miles, which took over 4 hours.  I guess it depends on the cat because we have had other cats just lay down and sleep the whole trip.

Anyway, Good Luck with the house hunting and the move.

Don't they sell cats in Tennessee?

As i said
Number 1; shoot the dam cat or cats
Number 2; buy a new cat or cats in Tennessee
Cats are like buses; a new one comes by every 20 minuets
They have 9 lives they will be on earth after all but the cockroaches are gone
Just cats and cockroaches setting around munching on what was society
Makes you wonder about the way they look at you don’t it, they know something
Just biding there time, waiting, in no hurry, they know what is to come
And besides Texas cats don’t know how to speak Tennessee, they will be ridiculed
So do yourself a favor and the rest of man kind and eliminate the cat population when ever you can
Signed the Dog

Best to go with the slick bastard's advice. (HEY, his moniker, I didn't give it to him!) That's Jetman to those who ain't in the know...

And NEVER, I mean NEVER give your cat ICE CREAM, but especially on a long trip! Sorry BTGypsy, gotta stop ya there. You may have done it, and been VERY fortunate, but regular people dairy products wreck havock on a Kitteh's intestinal tract, and can not only cause diarrhea, but can, in severe cases, cause intestinal blockage or bleeding, and even death. DON'T DO IT. Same advice for chocolate, BTW.

I have traveled, back and forth, from here to Ohio, from here to N.Y.C., from here to there and a whole lotta
in between, with my cat, and the safest, most comfortable thing for him, and everyone else, is to leave him, in his
"carrier". And you can actually (if the car is well ventilated or the "air" is on), toss a towel over the cage, to mimmick night time, and he'll go to sleep. Driving with the potential of "furface", running up under your feet, or climbing on your head, while you drive isn't worth what it might cost you...TRUST ME.

Be safe out there, eh? For you, and for kitteh!

Ride Free
Tweek

Man there was some good advice from you out there that I didn't know. Just returned on a flight fromTenn looking for a place to live, and it will probably be in the Severeville or Pigion Forge area of Tn' and I got to tell ya there is some awesome riding back there in those Smokies Mountains! I am heading out next Thursday for them hills with my trailer loaded, and Dudley in his carrier.
One last question......do I need to sedate him?

Hey everyone will get back in touch when I get established in the Smokies

Thanks again to all that provided good information on this post

Hillbilly Dragon

If your trailer is covered put the cage and him in the trailer so ya don't have to listen to him wail the whole way.
Yep, there's great riding in eastern TN and western N. Carolina. Go down there a couple times a year. Keep in touch.

Peace

Best of luck brother. I wouldn't go that far with any animal. Except may a wild hog strapped across the hood :-)

Have a safe trip

Well for all the negative family members out there Dudley and I have arrived in Pigeon Forge Tenn without a single problem. He road in his carrier for about 600 miles without a peep, so the last 350 miles he road under the back seat without a problem, no med's involved. He always has been a pretty laided back cat. We will post pictures of our new digs pretty soon.

Thanks everyone and be safe out there
Hillbilly Dragon

Didn't mean to be negative. I'm glad Dudley survived the trip.