BajaNomad - Traveling with cats

Traveling with cats

dtbushpilot - 9-26-2008 at 10:08 AM

We will be flying our plane (cessna 180) from New Mexico down to our place in Buena Vista and this time we plan to bring our 2 adult cats as well as our dog. The cats have never been on a trip farther than the Vet and they protest the entire time. The trip from our house here to our house there will take about 10 hours.

Does anybody have expirience or recomendations.....besides not doing it in the first place?.......dt

Bajaboy - 9-26-2008 at 10:15 AM

Perfect timing...we plan on taking our cats to Asuncion with us in November. I'm curious as to advice as well.

Zac

Paulina - 9-26-2008 at 10:15 AM

I'd recommend that you talk to your vet. Perhaps he/she can give you a sedative for them.

You could always get them little kitty earphones and play their favorite music.

Or, there's always duct tape.

(just kidding)

P<*)))>{

[Edited on 26-9-2008 by Paulina]

Dave - 9-26-2008 at 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dtbushpilot
The cats have never been on a trip farther than the Vet and they protest the entire time.

Tell them to lay still and be quiet or you will open the door and throw them out.

vandenberg - 9-26-2008 at 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dtbushpilot
The cats have never been on a trip farther than the Vet and they protest the entire time.

Some cats travel well and others not at all.
Hard to take our cat across the street.

Here a sample :biggrin:

Paulina - 9-26-2008 at 10:55 AM

Vandenberg, Is that really your cat?! I got a good laugh out of the photo and it reminded me of traveling with Mary Ann's cat this past summer.
He was the most well behaved cat/kitten I've ever traveled with BUT every once and a while we'd hear Mary Ann say, "NO BITING!"
The kitty would get bored every so often and take it out on the poor dog. Not as bad as your photo, though! All the rest of the drive (8 hrs.) he looked pretty much like he does in this photo.

P<*)))>{

[Edited on 26-9-2008 by Paulina]

BajaGringo - 9-26-2008 at 10:55 AM

We have two neurotic Siamese cats and have learned by experience. If they have never been out beyond a trip to the vet, taking them on a long trip and several thousand feet off the ground could be several grades below a postive experience. A few suggestions that we have followed and helped:

1. Take the cats on some short trips in the car. First time for ten minutes and then another for an hour or so. Do this a couple of times and you will see the cats reacting less and less each time. They do acclimate.

2. Take them in carriers on such a long trip as they might complain but they do find comfort in a secure setting.

3. They make sedatives for long travel - ask your vet.

Good luck

vandenberg - 9-26-2008 at 11:01 AM

Paulina,
NO not my cat. Found that somewhere.
But my cat, as docile as he looks, doesn't travel well and is a pain in the burro from the moment you put him in the car till he gets out.
This is him, putting on an act.

IM001634 (Small).JPG - 49kB

Paulina - 9-26-2008 at 11:07 AM

I thought that was your cat as a kitten. Almost the same color, but not long enough fur.

I can see why your cat doesn't like to travel, he has it made right where he is!

P<*)))>{

woody with a view - 9-26-2008 at 11:13 AM

if all else fails, try this!

kitten.jpg - 22kB

dtbushpilot - 9-26-2008 at 11:16 AM

Sorry, that spot is reserved for me :bounce:

....dt

fandango - 9-26-2008 at 12:28 PM

my vet prescribed acepromazine 10mg for my cats to make the 5 hour trip to baja. 1/4 tab per cat. she says that the cats will sleep most of the time. i agree with bajagringo about taking longer and longer local trips to acclimate the cats to travel.
i just started taking 1 cat to different houses locally for short visits so she can get accustomed to different smells and noises. each of my cats has a sizeable carrier and a halter. they can't walk yet with the halter on, i don't know why, it is very funny. but it gives me something to grab if they try to run away.
once the cats and i get the courage to GO, we won't have any reason to come back to calif.

Skeet/Loreto - 9-26-2008 at 12:39 PM

Virginia and traveled up and down the Baja Road many times with both Cats and Dogs. Brough "Baggoate" and "Spreckels" with us from Loreto.
Spreckels is buried out back after living 14 years{A Loreto Born Kitty} Goate is still going strong at 13 years, has the color as if she had 5 different Pappas.

We were advised to give our Animals i/2 of the Animal Tranqualizers, which we did. never had any trouble on our 2 Day runs from Los Banos to Loreto.

When Flying, we had our Mexican Dog who would always set up in the Back Seat and watch the Take off and Landings. As soon as I leveled off he would lay down and sleep the whole trip. {Cessna 170 B}.

What part of New Mexico??

Skeet

woody with a view - 9-26-2008 at 12:40 PM

we used to take "cheeto" out for walks at Sunset Cliffs when he was still alive. coolest cat ever. didn't try to get away and if i saw a dog running with it's owner i'd pick up cheeto and he wouldn't get all freaked out. we call the harness the "monkey suit" because it looks like the organ grinder and his monkey.

the new cats will tolerate the monkey suit but if you try to leash them they freak and try to pull away until they slip it off over their head.

DUMB CATS....if they only new all the cool places we would take them!

cheeto (Medium).jpg - 28kB

BajaGringo - 9-26-2008 at 01:14 PM

I don't feel so dumb now. We have used the harnass idea on our cats as well and that actually works quite well. The youngest Siamese is built, looks and acts like a monkey so we get a lot of laughs from folks when they see her. They all say we need to get her a red hat and buy an organ grinder.

I'll take a picture next time...

Santiago - 9-26-2008 at 01:30 PM

I'm afraid to even go look at what they're saying about this thread in Off Topic.

Gypsy Jan - 9-26-2008 at 02:07 PM

Our vet advised against tranquilizers, also.

During the drive. the Siamese yowled all the way down (8 hours) and she was in a crate.

The Russian blue, a more laid back cat, was quiet during the trip.

The ocicat rode up front, leaning on my arm and looking out the window at the scenery (he was more like a dog than a cat - loved car trips and walking on a leash}.

Once we arrived, we kept them in one room, together, for a couple of days so that they would calm down and get used to the new smells and sounds of their new home.

All three cats were more than ten years old at the time and they adapted very well to the new place, and were tolerant (but disgusted) when we started adding puppies and other cats to the mix.

dtbushpilot - 9-26-2008 at 02:17 PM

Skeet, We live in Farmington in the Northwest corner of the state.

Thanks to all for the advise and funny stories. Our cats are inside cats so going outside is rare. I tried putting a harness on both of them. One just stood there for a few moments then fell over on his side. The other one didn't like it but He tolerated it. I clipped on one of those retractable leashes on him and took him outside. Everything was ok for a while but then he suddenly bolted and when he hit the end of the leash it pulled out of my hand and slammed into his rear end. What a rodeo, he ran into walls, ran in circles and finally got tangled up in the patio furniture......I haven't put the harness on them since........dt

Paulina - 9-26-2008 at 02:24 PM

:lol:

BajaGringo - 9-26-2008 at 02:50 PM

Like I always say, only cat owners know how entertaining they can be.

If you train them on the leash when they are small they adapt to it much more easily. Our youngest Siamese thinks it is no big deal anymore. If a barking dog comes running up fast she just jumps up in my arms and then looks down at the dog as if to say, "let's see you do that!"

They keep us in stitches...

qtystarr - 9-26-2008 at 02:52 PM

:light:

we are moving from Ensenada to Cabo and are driving so i have been very worried how to do this with our 3 little dogs and 2 cats thanks for all the ideas.i was thinking about to get a large cage/cat carrier and put both cats in it together(we have a van so there is room)

BajaGringo - 9-26-2008 at 03:10 PM

Funny! Our cats would be upset if you DIDN'T put them in the same carrier together. I get the wife upset when I tell her I think they are lesbians...

:biggrin:

[Edited on 9-26-2008 by BajaGringo]

dtbushpilot - 9-26-2008 at 03:12 PM

Our cats have lived together for years and are best friends but when I put them both in the same carrier to take them to the vet a major scuffle ensued.......they each have their own carrier now.....dt

Natalie Ann - 9-26-2008 at 03:41 PM

One thing I'd like to add.... the importance of a really sturdy carrying cage and a secure way to anchor it.

Never ever ever underestimate the power of a crazed caged kitty - even on tranquilizers. I learned this lesson while driving, when my yowling cat and kitty carrier came flying from the rear of the car into the front seat, then began to wildly bounce around the front of the car as the cat screamed and fought for freedom. That carrier had been firmly squeezed into the floor space in the back - but in it's fear my little 8 lb. cat had jerked and wiggled it loose. It was not fun on the freeway. Imagine it would be waaay less fun in the air.

Nena

woody with a view - 9-26-2008 at 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dtbushpilot
Skeet, We live in Farmington in the Northwest corner of the state.

Thanks to all for the advise and funny stories. Our cats are inside cats so going outside is rare. I tried putting a harness on both of them. One just stood there for a few moments then fell over on his side. The other one didn't like it but He tolerated it. I clipped on one of those retractable leashes on him and took him outside. Everything was ok for a while but then he suddenly bolted and when he hit the end of the leash it pulled out of my hand and slammed into his rear end. What a rodeo, he ran into walls, ran in circles and finally got tangled up in the patio furniture......I haven't put the harness on them since........dt

sounds like great entertainment. you know, like when the family comes over for the holidays. :light:

dtbushpilot - 9-26-2008 at 04:09 PM

BajaGringo, Our cats are gay too. They are inside cats, both spayed males and have lived together for about 6 years. Once in a while one will get "frisky" with the other. My beautiful wife Jill will react in horror but I remind her that they are inmates in jail and only trying to get by.

Here is a pic of them plotting the demise of our smelly dog.....dt

BajaGringo - 9-26-2008 at 04:19 PM

You made me burst out laughing with that one...

:lol:

Oso - 9-26-2008 at 04:50 PM

Never flown with a pet but we had quite a logistics problem moving from NC to AZ 8 yrs. ago, with 3 cats, Nikki, Tick and Cabron and our big Chow/Lab, Chu Foon. To move furniture, I rented a U-Haul moving van. Not enough room in the cab and no air or light in the back of the van. I didn't want to get rid of my truck, so I rented a flat bed trailer and loaded it on. Since it had a camper shell, we figured the animals could ride there. As it was a 4 day drive (wife doesn't drive), she didn't think the cat sized carriers would be comfortable for them but 3 cats and a dog loose in the camper sounded like a recipe for disaster too. The solution? Rabbit cages. We looked for pet friendly motels each sunset and had no really major problems but I wouldn't want to do it again.

dtbushpilot - 9-26-2008 at 05:21 PM

A couple of years ago We were going to take the cats on this same trip and I was struggling with what to do in the event that we ended up in the Sea of Cortez. We wear inflatable life jackets, have a life raft and ditch bag, personal locator beacon etc. but what about the cats? Well, I had an idea. I bought one of those foam floating noodles at WalMart and ziptied it to the cat carrier. I figured it would work but really didn't know how well. Well, after a bottle of wine I had the great idea to try it out. I filled the bath tub with water and grabbed Seth (the biggest cat, if it worked for him it would work for Bob) and carried him to the bathroom. He immediately knew something was up and although he put up a valliant fight I was able, with the advantage of size and the opposing thumb, to wrestle him into the carrier. I dropped the carrier in the tub, doing my best to simulate actual emergency conditions and the carrier sunk like a stone. I quickly fished it out of the tub and opened the carrier. Seth came out like he had been shot out of a gun. he landed in the middle of the bathroom floor, turned around and glared at me with that "I'll feast on your carcas tonight" look and ran away.

I decided to leave the cats home on that trip..........dt

bajadogs - 9-26-2008 at 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by woody in ob
we used to take "cheeto" out for walks at Sunset Cliffs when he was still alive. coolest cat ever. didn't try to get away and if i saw a dog running with it's owner i'd pick up cheeto and he wouldn't get all freaked out. we call the harness the "monkey suit" because it looks like the organ grinder and his monkey.

the new cats will tolerate the monkey suit but if you try to leash them they freak and try to pull away until they slip it off over their head.

DUMB CATS....if they only new all the cool places we would take them!

Woody, You were SO whipped! :lol:

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
dogs

fishbuck - 9-26-2008 at 09:17 PM

I think most cats prefer to ride in 1st class when they fly. They get the pampering that they expect there. Skip the hot wet towel though.

woody with a view - 9-26-2008 at 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajadogs

Quote:

Woody, You were SO whipped! :lol:

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
dogs

WERE? "kitty" whipped, if you will. :wow:

Packoderm - 9-26-2008 at 10:53 PM

I'd think you'd just throw them in a bag.

...Just kidding. Also, I really like the picture of the cat on the leash. It looks so un-spazmatic.

ecomujeres - 9-27-2008 at 01:43 AM

dtbushpilot:

We've traveled with our cat since he was 8 weeks old. He's now 7 years old and a 7 winter Baja veteran. He walks on a leash better than most dogs I know, follows commands (clicking for OK and short hiss for the not OK directions to go in). He's fine when approached by dogs and has been known to go after unsuspecting ones who get too close.

It is of course best to start them young but don't underestimate older cats. I also took my previous cat to Baja for the first time when she was 13. The acclimation plan really didn't work with her so we ended up giving up on that and stuffing her in her roomy carrier on the day of departure and hoping for the best. She wailed for awhile but finally gave up and settled in. Each day of the trip, she'd start out loud and upset but would quickly quiet down. By day three, she was blase' about it all and knew the routine. She made three yearly trips down to and up from Baja.

The 7 year old does the same at the beginning of the trip, but quiets down quickly and sleeps for 6-8 hours at a time on the way. I will only offer a little water if it's been really hot or stressful for him. Otherwise, cats can easily go 10-12 hours without food/water. I don't use tranqs. I find that on our trips, he doesn't eat as much as usual, which is good since he's 18 lbs! and can stand to lose a few.

I have also found that we tend to underestimate cats' abilities to orient to their new surroundings. He is so used to traveling that he knows all the places we frequent, can find our hotel door if we stay in one, knows his car and trailer. In new places, if I walk him outside around the yard or such to acclimate him to the place, I don't worry so much (though I don't like it) if he gets outside on his own, because I know he knows where to return.

I love to see people's faces as they realize that the small dog I'm walking is really a tuxedo cat. It's also interesting to see how some people will try to ignore that fact, acting instead as if all is normal and that's NOT really a cat she's walking on the beach, is it?

One last thing. We took him on a short flight from Palo Verde to Guaymas one spring. Tucked his crate in the "luggage area" of the small passenger plane and off we went. Made not a peep. Then it was through customs, where I realized belatedly that I'd stuffed his stash baggie (catnip) under his blanket. Smiled and smiled and chatted with the customs agent as he started to inspect the cage then realized there was a really BIG cat inside. Whew...big sigh of relief. We then took a taxi to the bus, the bus to Hermosillo, a cab to another bus and finally dragged him on a luggage carrier 6 blocks. Talk about a trooper. His only compliant was when his carrier went flying off the carrier and down the sidewalk of its own volition after I hit a really big bump. SO? Don't underestimate their flexibilty. I really think both my cats have enjoyed their adventures and have benefitted from being with us for the 6 months we are in Mexico rather than under the care of other family/friends.

Buena suerte. Tell us all how the trip goes.

ecomujeres - 9-27-2008 at 01:56 AM

PS. I'd highly recommend the use of a harness, the type that has two loops, one goes separately around the neck, the other around the chest with the type of fasteners often seen on fanny packs or knapsacks.

I've tried a couple of other styles, but the cat got out of it like Houdini, or it was so difficult to get the cat's legs through the loops that he eventually sunk his teeth into my wrist and then got away as I tried to staunch the bleeding.

I recommend a harness, even if you aren't going to use a leash because it gives you something to grab on to in order to manage the cat or catch it as it tries to slip away. My guy doesn't appreciate the tail grab and others won't either as they are trying to escape out the vehicle door.

A catnip-filled sock is a great tranquilizer. I leave one in his carrier while we travel.

And really, the last for now: Always watch out for overheating in any vehicle. Cats don't sweat so they will pant when hot, or really stressed out, but they should eventually cool themselves down doing this. If they don't stop, then you need to decide if the vehicle (car, plane) is too hot for them, even if its ok for you.

fishbuck - 9-27-2008 at 02:18 AM

I just came back from the store. And I saw "my" cat.
He's really sort of a tough alley cat that lives in the bushes around my apartment somewhere.
I hadn't seen him for a while and was a little worried that maybe he had been captured by animal control.
He is a very funny cat. He likes to sleep on the seat of a really nice harley parked here at the apartment. The harley is less than a year old and has a cover on it. But the owner isn't exactly crazy about this dirty tough alley cat sleeping on his bike. He tries to make it uncomfortable for the cat. But when I walked by the cat was sitting there eyeing "his" bike trying to figure out how to climb on and get comfortable.
There is a bunch of padded chairs stored near the bike so I suggested he sleep there but he wasn't buying it.
I guess his name must be Harley.
Man, I like that cat.

[Edited on 9-27-2008 by fishbuck]

BajaGringo - 9-27-2008 at 03:09 AM

Cats definitely do have "personality".

Harley sounds like a perfect name...

capt. mike - 9-27-2008 at 08:22 AM

dt - was that your Q on BBP about return check in procedures last week?

dtbushpilot - 9-27-2008 at 12:10 PM

Capt. Mike, I was wondering if I could file a return flight plan via email and was looking for the phone number for Prescott FSS if not. I have the number from last years BBP membership card and am assuming it to still be accurate: 928-5836126. Do you know the answer to the email qx?....thanks..dt

capt. mike - 9-28-2008 at 06:40 AM

no - the number changed and there are 2.

1st try 928.778.0314 as primary
then try 928.583.6154 as alt.

if yur exiting out of loreto DO NOT rely on them to forward your ARR like MMGM does.
so yes, call PRC within 24 hours of your dep time to get it in the system. then UPDATE your ETA in the air as soon as you get in radio range on 122.4

have fun - can i come visit you?? please huh, can I??!! :biggrin:

dtbushpilot - 9-28-2008 at 10:28 AM

Capt. Mike, Thanks for the info. I usually clear customs at MMGM both ways and use DGL for US airport of entry. Customs almost always isn't there and I have to wait in the circle for 30 minutes while the FBO calls them. On the way down (after clearing at MMGM) I have to stop in La Paz for fuel, by going to Loreto instead I can make one less stop at a controlled field in Mexico. Customs is also easier at OLS. I am a little concerned about the latest negative posts about Loreto, Have you had any recent expirience there?

Of course you can come visit.....as long as you don't mind sharing your space with the cats.......dt