Taking a cat on a train

[blondie999]

Hi all. I'm moving from London to Newcastle in August and am taking my beautiful cat. I'm just so worried about the 4 hour train journey.

There is nobody who can drive me so the train is the only option.

I'm worried about him getting too hot, meowing constantly (he's very vocal) and just altogether him being frightened and upset : (

Does anyone have any advice, or experience in taking a cat on a long train journey?

The last time I did it was bringing Darling Oneago home as a kitten and that was a five hour journey (including connections.) He was in his carry cage with a rug over for privacy and the only problem I had was children in the train who kept coming up and wanting to 'see the pussy'. (I'm not joking there - the mums just sat smiling so I had to deal with the kids - it seems that carrying a cat on public transport makes you fair game for any approach/comment.)

Oneago - whom I'd only known for a few hours - handled all the adulation like the little tart pro he was and wasn't at all fazed: it was I who was semi-frazzled.

Your boy should be fine. Odds are he won't want to drink or eat but you could carry a little dried food and a small bottle of water/plastic bowl in a bag and use if necessary. He's unlikely to pee, either, but maybe take some kitchen towel in the bag also for accidents (with some spare plastic bags) and get a pad for the bottom of the carrying cage. (Have you got a suitable one?)

It should work out OK so I wouldn't worry too much.

We brought ours from Italy and we put a small disposable tin foil tray like the take away ones with a bit of litter in it in case they needed to pee. One of them did so it might be worth having it. Cover the carrier with a light cotton breathable blanket and be prepared for loud howling! I'm sure your kitty will do superb.

Yes - I should perhaps explain that the 'rug' was a very light one which I could position in such a way that it covered the back of the carrying box but still allowed air flow and - if I angled the box right - a view of me for reassurance.

I did a 7 hr drive with my Dcat a few years ago. I asked the vet for advice and got some zylkene, which is a calming milk extract. She also said to give him some Bach flower remedies and I used a Feliway spray too (do not spray directly in the cage but in surrounding area which may not work in a train.) If you can avoid the Bach though then I would. My old boy had a terrible thirst on him the next day as it does contain alcohol. Please check that all this is still advised though as its a few years back. See if you can get book one of the larger seated areas by the toilets (on modern trains) and try to dissuade children from coming over as it may distress kitty even more.
Good luck!! I got a wonderful last year with my boy that I never would of had if I had rehomed him.

It might be more reasonable with a grown cat. Oneago (sadly on that journey) was a chocolate-box Siamese kitten adrift on a sea of white in his cage so was, unfortunately, the centre of attention wherever he went.

We took DSs kitten on a 5 hour train journey in his carrier. Kitten was fine - we put newspaper on floor of carrier.