Saturday, February 24, 2018

moving with cats - part 2

Packing the car with all the cat stuff and cages took quite a bit longer than I anticipated. The result was leaving Seattle in the afternoon rather than morning as planned. I wanted to make sure the cats had as comfy digs as possible.


Theo, Nahum, and Rose have the crates behind the driver.


I expected Nahum and Theo to be scared and hide in the back, instead they were glued to the window, watching everything.


The weather going over Snoqualmie Pass (out of the Seattle area) was a bit wintery. Grateful we sprung for the AWD.


The cages behind the passenger seat are for Oliver and Pierre. Each grouping of cats have two medium sized wire dog crates that are wire-tied together. Therefore each grouping has their own litter box in the back crate and a living space in the front crate. Marvin has a soft sided crate that is down below at the front. I'll try to get some pictures of the setup for a future post.


Dinner time

The first night, we just slept in the car for a few hours at a rest area in Idaho. Since the cats all have litter boxes, they have everything they need for their comfort and needs. They even have heating pads in their spaces in case it gets too cold.


Marvin loved having lap time in the sun! He's so chill about new spaces and experiences.


I've never seen Marvin this relaxed!


The first day, Theo talked and talked, but on the second day he just chill. We used some oral sedative on Theo and Oliver to help them relax.  Nahum's super chill from the start.


Friday night, the weather was not looking so good in the Utah mountains, so we splurged on a pet-friendly hotel room. Nahum, Theo, and Marvs get to enjoy the hotel.



Meanwhile Oliver, Pierre, and Rose are staying in their crates in the van. 


With the other boys in the hotel, I let Oliver explore the a van a bit.


Oliver exploring Marvin's soft-sided crate in the van.

Pierre has done great. He even came up to the front of his crate and parked and talked with us. He only talks when he's relaxed and feeling good. I love his unique voice. Rose on the other hand has not been enjoying this adventure. She's spent most of the journey hunkered between her litter box and the side of the crate. Poor thing! With the boys inside the hotel, she's got the space to herself and thus more opportunity to eat and relax with no car movement nor humans around.

For the last many months, I worried a ton about how the cats would do on the road trip. I've been very pleased with how they are doing. With the exception of Rose (who always hates change) it's going quite well.

14 comments:

  1. You've put incredible thought and effort into the travel set-up for them all. And they're all doing great...Rose excepted and even she's so-so, IMO. I think Derry would have a coronary and Nicki...not sure about Nicki, he goes berserk confined. So your crew is exceptionally well-behaved, IMO. Good luck with the remainder of the journey! (Or are you already there now?)

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  2. Not there yet, only in Utah. Have long way to go yet.

    For the first time, Marvin spent the night free roaming the hotel room with Nahum and Theo. I'm really hoping they can all be together in our new space, it would vastly simplify matters. At our house Marvin had to be separate cuz he would dominate the others. Maybe, just maybe, Oliver and Pierre could also be integrated into one family unit! That would be awesome!

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  3. Yes, are you there yet? This is a monumental undertaking and me, Katie's mom, is absolutely beyond impressed and admiring. This is absolute love I see from you two and they as well, as a family, right here for the reading.

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  4. So far so good and we enjoyed the photos. I hope Rose can chillax a bit more though.

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  5. This is all very promising and we are glad everyone is doing so well.

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  6. So glad things are going well, I'm glad they've got you <3

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  7. You are taking such great care with them. They seem to be doing well. I find cats in general do not like change but will adjust. Safe Travels to both Humans and Felines!

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  8. So glad to hear it's going well and Marvin is being good! I prayed he wouldn't "serenade" you the whole way there!

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  9. Oops that unknown is Denise H :)

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  10. Wow, I really admire you. We're about to embark on a cross-country move with two cats. We've done it before, but I'm still dreading it. You're really doing it right and taking such care of them. I wish you all safety for the rest of your journey.

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  11. I am glad it is going well. Poor Rose though, I bet she will be glad to be done with it.

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  12. Well I will try one more time to say we are all missing you and following your journey's, and sending you many best wishes for an uneventful trip. This crazy blogger site doesn't like me so I don't know if this will go through, but here we go – sleep well and take care! Nancy

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  13. Oh, glad to here about your moving adventures! And remember, the cats aren't going to remember it after a little while, so don't make yourselves crazy...you are NOT permanently 'damaging' them by all of this. Take care; that driving looked crazy nasty...

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  14. I am having flashbacks to my two hour drive from ME to NH.. you have my deepest respects for this..

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