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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Calming cat for travel

17 replies

Normaknowall · 18/12/2018 08:38

His Catness is a young, healthy ginger boy, goes outside, accomplished rodent killer. He is quite skittish and shy which I don't mind as I think when he's out I'd rather he was cautious. He's lively, curious and not a cuddly boy - strictly at night if he deigns to visit the bed he'll cuddle in to my neck but otherwise - hands off!

He was a rescue cat - 3-4 months old when we got him, was dumped with sibs after mother run over. No idea what happened to him but absolutely petrified of travel. Fine when he gets somewhere, will eat and explore but going in cat carrier and travelling is awful.

Carrier sits out in spare room, he did sleep in it with cover off, won't now even though I wash the inside lining after he has travelled. So used to it being there. Once put in it, he gets really loud, low pitched yowling, sweaty feet, stress purrs, won't eat a treat he'd normally bite your hand off for, and he poops. Every damned time he's in for longer than 20 mins (trip to vet time).

Vet says he'll get used to it and he's fine, but he's not. She won't give him a sedative and as a result he is a nightmare to take anywhere. We've to go to my mums at Christmas, 3-4 days too long to leave him and I'll have to take him on the train! It's a 2 hour journey, I'll try and sit next to the loo so hopefully can scoop and dispose of evidence before being chucked off but does anyone have any ideas on how to calm him down? Feliway sprayed all over carrier beforehand doesn't seem to help much.

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Normaknowall · 18/12/2018 08:41

Sorry for long post - also meant to add DP has tried taking him for trips in the car for increasing time but no improvement.

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Vinorosso74 · 18/12/2018 08:51

Pet Remedy? It's similar to Feliway but when our vets have put some on a cloth for our lad he completely chills! Granted he isn't too bad in the carrier.
Can nobody pop in to feed/do litter trays for the few days you're away?

Normaknowall · 18/12/2018 16:56

Thanks Vino, I'll try that. Sadly no, neighbours away as well!

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GiantKitten · 18/12/2018 17:03

I have 3 cats & 2 of them behave exactly like yours, OP. It’s a nightmare. The nicest cattery near us is a 30-minute drive away & I just gave up using it; now I get someone to come in instead. (Luckily there’s always been someone available so far. And the vet is walking distance away!)

Have you tried looking for a paid pet sitter locally? I can imagine at Christmas it’d be harder to find one, but worth trying instead of putting you both through that journey.

Surprised vet refuses to sedate but I suppose in this case you’d be stuck for the return journey

Toddlerteaplease · 18/12/2018 17:47

Could you get a professional pet sitter? I have one. The other passengers will not thank you. And it's not fair on him to take him on the train

Lonecatwithkitten · 18/12/2018 18:17

Sedatives mean they still feel all the fear, but are unable to express it, hence why there is a reluctance to prescribe them. Using pet remedy or feliway combined with an l-troptophan product such as zylkene or nutracalm is the best route.

Fluffycloudland77 · 18/12/2018 19:52

Ear plugs and puppy pads.

OlennasWimple · 18/12/2018 19:57

Feliway and catnip help calm down ours (two international moves, including long drives and flights)

OlennasWimple · 18/12/2018 19:58

Though I second getting a sitter in for this trip - a stressful trip, plus 3-4 days in an unfamiliar house (more stress) , then another stressful trip.... Doesn't sound like it will be much fun for any of you

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 18/12/2018 20:01

Not sure I would do it on a train if dogs around but our cat is much happier in a harness strapped in to the car than in cat carrier. Could you harness him for the journey so he can sit on your lap? Then just use cat carrier to get to and from train?

Mia184 · 18/12/2018 22:50

What is your carrier like? I used to use a transport box like in the first picture and my cat absolutely hated travelling in it and made it a nightmare to takenherbanywhere. Now I use the basket in the second picture and she is absolutely fine. It might be because she can see more and isn’t locked in a box where she can see only a little of what is going on around her.

Calming cat for travel
Calming cat for travel
Normaknowall · 20/12/2018 23:46

Thanks everyone for suggestions. No joy finding a sitter sadly - guess it's a busy time but ones I tried booked up.
He has a lovely carrier, it's a soft one with a mesh top so he can see out if he wants but has quite deep sides he can hide in. The lining is reversible fur or waterproof so using waterproof side for obvious reasons. He just hates being in it or any carrier. In the car he has been less yowly in a harness but sat on my lap and pooped, so think he needs to be somewhere constrained! We even had a little travel litter box and he didn't make it so think it's sheer fright.
I will try the feliway+something, and puppy pads might be a good idea! The carrier has a hook inside so might try his harness hooked to that so he can sit in carrier but I can open the top a bit for him.

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Normaknowall · 02/01/2019 00:55

Little update:
Feliway spray and seemed to calm him enough for journey to be poop free and less yowly. Perfectly happy once he got to mums - here reclining on best leather chair....
Will try sitters or cat home (boarding section) in future but thanks all for suggestions.

Calming cat for travel
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Normaknowall · 02/01/2019 00:55

And zylkene

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YetAnotherSpartacus · 02/01/2019 09:23

What a beautiful boy! Is he home yet? Did you have to bring his chair with you?

Poppins2016 · 02/01/2019 09:34

His Catness is very handsome!

I also have a cat that hates travel... He's a rodent hunting 'macho cat', fearless... Except when it comes to the dreaded travel carrier.
I've tried feliway and covering the carrier with a blanket (recommended by my vet), but it doesn't do much to help...
I'm currently using up my maternity mats in the carrier when travelling (one for the journey to the vet and one for the journey back). Then back to puppy pads!
I book a pet sitter to come in twice a day when we go away, rather than taking my cats to a cattery, as they're so miserable travelling (and being left in a strange place).

Normaknowall · 02/01/2019 20:13

Thank you YetAnother andPoppins!
he is home without the new cream leather chair (you have no idea how stressed I was), bit of a nightmare getting him in the carrier but again the combo seemed to help a (no poops this way either) and he was in the car this time.

Took a couple of days to forgive me, but did creep on the bed last night and lie on DP so could make biscuits on my arm, so think we're ok now.

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