Hi, we are moving via car from NJ to Florida end of June. I have searched the web but cannot find the right crate to transport our 12 year old cat in. He's so good and I want him to be comfortable. Can you suggest a crate which will hold the disposable litter box and a small bowl of food and water for him. We plan to drive 12 hours a day for 2 days to get to Florida and I've checked for pet friendly hotels already along the route. Our cat is 15 lbs and tall and I want him to be able to stand and be comfortable in his crate. Thanks in advance for any help in finding the ideal travel crate. I have a carrier but it's not big enough for him to spend 24 hrs in and it wouldn't hold litter.
Thanks! Laura
Hi Laura,
A while back I faced a dilemma very similar to this. I was moving from northern California to Austin, TX with my big 13lb male cat Indo. Having an outdoor cat from early on, I did not have a lot of experience with litter boxes and I was unaware of some of the issues that might occur while traveling with one in the car. Fortunately, I have learned from my experience and feel very qualified to address this question.
First and foremost, make sure to have a littler box with a lid. You do not want your cat flinging feces all over your car! That is not pleasant for anyone.
Secondly, I recommend only giving your cat potty breaks when you get potty breaks. In other words, keep the litter box separate from the travel crate and let your cat out to do their thing on your rest stops. If your sweet little kitty makes a doodoo while on the road, your entire car is going to smell for a while - no matter what litter you use! If they go while you are stopped, you can clean it out before the smell takes over your car - but you have to be quick! In addition, keeping your kitty separate from the litter box will keep your kitty cleaner.
As for the travel dog crate, if you follow my advice and do not put the litter box in with your cat, you can go with a standard Varikennel or SkyKennel (size 200 or 300 depending on your preference) which will be plenty roomy for your cat during the long drives.
I hope my advice is helpful.
Best of luck!
Jillian, Asia-Pacific Specialist
Petrelocation.com
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Great advice - thank you!
I'm going to be driving from Montgomery, Alabama to Boise, Idaho this winter with my two cats. I was concerned about how to do it. I've taken them on short drives - 1-3 hours - before and while it went okay, I am nervous about how they will do on such a long journey.
On our very short drives, I've just put a divider up between the front and back seat and let them sleep on the seat or in the back window. That works okay when we drive to my parents' house in rural Alabama. But, this trip will involve driving through cities and heavy traffic, plus a lot of my luggage will be in the car as well. So I knew it just wouldn't be safe to let them be loose in the backseat! Your kennel suggestions will be perfect for us and will lead to much happier kitties and mommy!
I'm glad you found it helpful! Let us know how your trip goes! You can even chronicle it on MyPetMove.com with pictures!
Cheers,
Jillian