Anyone have experience of travelling by ferry from/to Ireland with cat

[Moln]

I'd quite like to travel to stay with my family this Christmas however having recently got a cat there's him to think about also!!

My family would be more than happy for him to come to, and I've no concerns about his staying there but I do about the travel part, seeing I've never done that before and nor has he.

I've checked out both ferry companies and they are currently very similar prices and the only difference appears to be with Irish Ferries there is the option of a kennel (will call them shortly and find out if this is for just dogs) otherwise the cat stays in the car.

Also I have the concern about him being in the travel box for so long and there's food and toileting requirements for him.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has done this and can share their experience with me

It sounds a lot of stress and trouble. Wouldn't it be easier to put him in a cattery?.

Christmas is stressful enough surely

I've owned cats for around 30 years( up to 4 at a time)and in all that time there has been 1 that I would have considered doing this to.
The noise, strange smells etc would be very traumatic for most cats and even a cattery would be better IMO.

if we go it'll more than likely be around two weeks. The issue with the cattery I think is that as it's Christmas I might have missed the boat on availability (pardon the pun!), also I've not clue about the catteries around where I live, only having done a small amount of homework on it. My vets has a cattery so I was considering that.

I'm getting him microchipped for certain, and he's to get him second set of vaccinations next week.

I am anxious about causing him stress I have to say, might not even go because of it, feel he's already had enough going on in his short life already - separated from him mother too early and found alone

I'd speak to your vet next week about getting him neutered at 4 months if he's healthy at that point - it's the recommended age these days.

With any luck he'll be bouncing about by Xmas but I have to say that your vet's cattery sounds like a good notion. I've always had to take my boys with me and have had no incidents but your situation is a bit different I think. You'll want to relax at Xmas rather than rushing around closing doors everywhere.

I'm certainly intending to have him neutered at 4 months, it's on my list of things to discuss with vet next week!!!

I've not been to the vet myself as he was rescued by someone else, and hen a freind of mine took him in, she was fostering him but as it turned out he couldn't stay in her house any more so I took him (meaning to be fostering in lieu) so my friend took him to the vets for first set of vaccinations.

However I fell head over heels with him and fostering morphed into adopting!!

Ooh thanks MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels I'd thought of doing that but then was concerned about if he was out of his carrier him dashing out of the car.

I'd disagree actually. I have a really roomy carrier for at least one cat (spec'd for airline standard) and I'd much rather keep them in it knowing that they'll just doze off than have them loose in a car doing Goodness knows what.

I live in Dublin with my 2 cats. If I'm
going to see my family in the uk for longer than a couple of days I put them in a cattery. the lady who runs the one I use is excellent - they
love her. plus I would find the whole ferry thing too stressful - my cats hate being in their boxes for any period at all.

YoBitch can I ask which part of Dublin you are in? I'm in south - but know very little re catteries. I'm drawn to the vets's one, but there's also one close enough that's seems to be run by a lady

I'm South too. I'll PM you the one I use.

did you get it? never sent one before!

I did thanks!!!

I even replied - as it turns out the one you use is the second one I mentioned in my above post, so that's a positive!!

Thought I'd already responded to you on this thread earlier today!