Tips needed for moving house with a cat

[StuntNun]

I am moving from Northern Ireland to Surrey next month and will need to transport my cat. One option is a 8-hour ferry crossing and a 4-hour drive BUT the cat would need to be left in the car alone for the duration of the crossing. The other option is a 2-hour ferry crossing and an 8-hour drive.

Does anyone have any tips for making things easier for the cat? Whichever option we choose she will be in the cat crate for a long time.

I would do the ferry then drive. You then at least have the chance to feed her, clean up any mess she makes and even let her out of the crate And have a stroll around your car.

Ours were out of the crate for about three hours drive but would depend on how relaxed she would be. Is she used to her crate? Is she happy in it?

Do the longer drive and shorter ferry. For all the reasons given above. My cat got really sea sick on a 4 hour ferry crossing, she must have been miserable and it was awful to clear up.

Are you sure that the ferry companies don't have a place where you can bring her up, in her box, to sit with you? Many do.

You could ask your vet's advice. Maybe they would consider sedating her to help keep her calm.

I'd never ever sedate a cat for a journey, Nanny. (It might actually be dangerous if I recall.) Most cats will grit it out successfully if they have a long travel.

Would she tolerate a harness and lead that's available for cats so you could stop along the way and let her get some fresh air?

I wouldn't want to sedate her. She's okay in the car on short journeys so I don't think sedation is necessary. I might get some Feliway to try in advance as that could help.

The ferry only allows dogs on deck so she would have to stay in the car - probably okay for two hours but not for eight.

A harness would be a good idea but she has never worn one so I don't know if it would work. Heaven forbid she would run off en route though.

What I'm most worried about is her wees/poos. I wouldn't want her to get in a mess as that would be very unpleasant for her and the move is going to be hard enough as it is.

As its such a long journey I would get the biggest crate you can manage and get a small tray of some sort to put some litter in it. Maybe one of those disposable foil roasting trays so that you could put some litter in at the back of the crate with a blanket at the front.

And if you're going to try a harness it's probably worth putting it on every day just for a few mins so she can get used to it.

You don't want her pooping in the crate it will go all over her if she's on a blanket or anything.

Would there be room in boot for a dog crate? You could put litter tray in crate,use a coop cup hooked on side for water and one for dry food then put a radiator bed hooked up high for a bed. That's worked well for me before.

I've got well travelled cats so here's what I've learnt: have huge crates, line them with puppy pads so it absorbs if they wee. And carry replacement blanket and wipes. Don't give them food/water for four hours before travel. Don't make a fuss of them in the crate, ignore them as hard as that is! I have one cat who is calmer of she can't see me, so I cover one side of her crate. The other one is happier on the front seat next to me. Leave crates around the house for weeks before trip so they are happy using them as beds going in and out as they please. . No food or water in crate either.

I think I'll have to get a roof box so there's room for a crate in the boot.