Cats that don't travel well?

Answers:
Yes, your cats need vaccinations even though they are indoor pets. Rabies vaccination is required by law so you must do at least that vaccine. It's much cheaper to vaccinate your cat annually than to risk him or her getting a disease that could have been prevented that will cost you hundreds of dollars to treat. Check with local feed stores in your area. Many of them sell vaccinations for cats %26 dogs that you can administer at home. The rabies vaccine, by law, must be given by a veterinarian. Also check with your local ASPCA for free or low cost vaccination clinics. As for traveling with cats, you can call your veterinarian and ask for a mild sedative to give to your cats before putting them in the car. At the veterinary clinic I work at we use the sedative Acepromazine. It doesn't completely knock them out, but it does make them very sleepy so they are easier to handle. You may also have a traveling veterinarian in your area that makes house calls. Check with your local shelters about that, or sometimes they are listed in the Yellow Pages. Most cats don't lilke being taken out of their comfort zone but as a responsible owner it's your duty to keep them healthy. Good luck!

---

Oh yeah, I've got one of those - anything longer than a few blocks, she starts barfing and then the diarrhea starts - she's a real joy! Luckily the vet is only about 3 blocks away - we still make the trip saying "please don't barf please don't barf".

---

most cats dont travel well in cars and will might either vomet pee and poop everywhere in its kennel so bve causios

---

Hi cha cha:
The best thing to do is always make sure the cat has some way of getting fresh air in his carrier while you travel. Even a small amount of air coming in from an open car window will do the trick.
You might have to go to the vet and get a relaxing agent pill for the cat. You are not the first person with this problem and will certainly not be the last!!
All the best with your cat!
iamjustrandy@yahoo.com

---

I had a cat that did not like to travel anywhere-across town -across the country nothing .. He would howl the minute he was in the car. Once I was moving back to my home state with kitty and dog and I did not have a carrier for the cat..figured he'd just sit under my seat -fat chance..lol..He crapped on the floor in the back seat b4 we left town -I had to stop and clean it up and get some thing to make it smell better back there ..lol. So now any time I am traveling with my new kitty I have a carrier for her to go in so there are no mess's ( My cat loves her travel tote and she don't howl..lol..) Dog's are better at traveling than cats..lol..If your gonna travel with kitty you should try it around town first then if she/he don't do so well talk to your vet about a mild sedative so she/he don't' spas out when traveling..

---

some vets pay house-visits for injections-vaccines etc.

another trick: put each cat / together would work too if not very big -in her carrier-close carrier door- in your appartment. start with 10 min. move the carrier around the appartment. Every time 5 min.longer. First of all cats have to get used to the carrier then they do not care if away from home, 'cause carrier becomes their "little home".

---

I think you should go to www.littlebigcat.com and read Dr. Jean Hovfe's article titled "Vaccination". The articles are in alphabetical order so it is near the end. She also has several shorter articles on vaccination in her newsletter archives, Volume #2, # 4, 5, 6. This should reassure you that annual vaccinations are not necessary for cats living indoors.

I have a cat who is TT (terminally terrified). I have had him since he was a kitten and he is a big, strong boy and very difficult to get into a carrier for vet trips. My vet gave me amatyriptaline (sp.?) in a gel form which I can put on the inside of his ear and he calms down in about thirty minutes and I can get him in a carrier. So you might ask the vet if you could have something like this to have around the house in the event of an emergency. You would need to know if there is an expiration date on the medication.

---

This might work for you.

I use a thin pillow case when I have to take one of my cats. My oldest hated the cages too.
I had a friend make the suggestion and it works great.
They can still breathe just fine and they can sit right next to me on the seat when I'm driving there and I will pet them and talk to them on the way to and from the vet.
When I get to the vets I will let them peek out of the pillow case but still hold onto them firmly.
If they are just there for shots, I don't even have to take them completely out.

---

They do need check-ups, even if they're indoors. Some vets say that vaccinations are only necessary every other year instead of the widely-popular once-a-year.
There is dissention, most likely due to the fact that a lot of vets are in it to make money and not necessarily provide the best care. There is evidence that once-a-year vaccinations increase chance of some types of cancer. My very first cat developed a tumor right in the area where vaccination injections were made. I don’t think anything of it the time (I just though it was because she was old) but now I'm thinking that maybe there's a connection.
To ease your cat’s travels, get them a nice soft-bottom carrier, so they can sink their claws into something. Second, allow them to get familiar with this carrier, make it more appealing and less ominous by putting toys in there or maybe even a little catnip. They will eventually explore this, and maybe even take naps in there. Next thing to do is take them on short car rides. Cat’s definitely have their own personalities and some just aren’t as social with other people. The main thing for you is to remain calm and relaxed. If your cat “freaks out” stay calm, don’t touch the cat or talk to it, simply remain calm and wait for your cat to follow suit.
Never try to remove a cat from it’s carrier by pulling them out with your hands. It’s much safer and gentler to simply open the carrier and tip it on an angle, your cat will exit the carrier on its own. Once done at the vet’s, your cat will most likely be glad to re-enter the safety of the carrier when the examination is over (I know my cats always did).
Just remember its important for you to make them comfortable with the carrier and for you to remain calm.

---

let them get used to the carrier by leaving it open in the house with soft bedding and maybe even a few treats or catnip inside at first. after a while they will accept it as part of the house and hang out in it on their own. cats are naturally drawn to small cavelike places, especially if you put it up high, like on a bookcase.
then, when you need to go to the vet (yes, yearly checkups are a must) just throw a few treats in, and they'll wander, unsuspectingly into it.
tip: a vet recomended this to me: get a herbal relaxer at any healthfood store. they say they are for people (generally they are mouth sprays) but work fine to calm cats down just a bit, and doesn't make them dopy. spray a little on their paws and they will lick it off. good luck!