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Should I let my cats roam free in car on 8 hour car trip?
This entry was posted in Disaster Preparation and tagged anything, box, car, car trip, cats, crate, freak, freak out, going on a trip, hour, litter, litter box, lot, plenty of room, rodeo, sleep, summer, trip. Bookmark the permalink.
10 Responses to Should I let my cats roam free in car on 8 hour car trip?
My friend carries 5 adult cats when she travels. They are loose in the car. She travels ALOT. However, her cats have almost caused 2 wrecks, as they demanded her attention away from the road. So, my answer would be…….It can be done, but it is risky.
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yes becaus it is good exasis for them
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i wouldn`t
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yes but be careful. cats like to explore things they will most likley crawl under your feet.
Its happened to me
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My cat tries to hide under my legs when I’m driving, but I have taken her on long rides with no problems. I have a wagon-type car, so I put the litter box in the back. If yours don’t mind being in the crate, that’s definitely the safer way to go.
Its happened to me
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Just make sure the vehicle doesn’t get too hot if you’re traveling through places like Florida, Texas, Arizona, etc. It can be really dangerous for pets in extreme heat like that. Even if it isn’t any of those states, warm temperatures can be devastating in an unattended vehicle.
This is a huge responsiblity taking multiple cats with you.
Its happened to me
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Your cat’s safety is very important – just as humans use seatbelts – your cat should be in a pet carrier. Consider if you were to be involved in an accident. Your cat would be loose and could run away or worse get hit by another vehicle and would be scared of the surroundings. In the carrier you could place a blanket or towel or even a shirt of yours with a familiar smell for kitty to take a nap on during the trip – and be aware of kittie’s needs as well as your own and can stop at rest areas or food establishments to take kitty out of the carrier to give food, water, or use a litter box (most pet stores now sell a “disposable litter box” that you can throw away once done with). Have a fun trip!
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This can easily be done. My first suggestion is to limit them to the backseats if you want to keep them from getting underfoot. If they are in the front seat, they could jump on your arm and make you turn the wheel, they could get under your feet so you can’t push pedals, they could even get on one of the pedals and push it themselves, they could jump on the dashboard and block your view, they could playfully bat the nobs on your radio, turning it up really quickly and making you jump, and the scenarios go on. Keeping them to the backseat is best for all around. If that means you and your spouse, mate, friend or whatever have to sit in different seats, ie the front and back, then that might be the sacrifice you have to make. My cat travels really easily in the car. We put things under the front seats so they can’t get under that way, and we tack a blanket between the two front seats to avoid them getting over the arm rests. Any other way he conceives of, I simply tell him no, and after the 2nd or 3rd time he realizes he’s not allowed to try that way anymore. My suggestion is to take leashes along if you are taking such long trips. Get out every couple of hours for a few minutes to let them stretch their legs. Also, if you don’t have air conditioning, or it’s hot, let your windows open two inches to allow the air to circulate, but not enough so that your cat can get through. If you think you’ve got the window open a safe amount, close it two inches from that. As you know, cats can get into things we never thought imagineable. So watch the heat, make sure they have lots of water, and stop 2-3 times on your 8 hour trip to let them roam for a few minutes. Cats VERY RARELY will use the litter in a moving vehicle. If you can’t stop to let them out, at least stop for ten or so minutes to give them a chance to use the litter. Some cats can safely hold it for 8 hours, and you really needn’t worry. I wish you a safe trip!
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Bad idea. My cat crawled under the brakes when we had him in the car loose when he was a kitten. We could have all died.
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Cats are best in a carrier it is safer for them but I have had cats in the car on a leash with harnis so the person not driving can keep them out of trubble but they can rome around a little. If you get in a arcident the cat will still be on the other end of the lease but if the cat goes through the window it could be a dead cat. I only do the lease thing when not on hiway going at fast speads.
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