moving our cats cross country

Here is our peculiar predicament:
In about 3 month, I am quitting my job in Pittsburgh, PA, selling
my car and buying a bus with my girlfriend and 3 other friends. We
plan to travel accross the country for about a month or 2, then settle
down for a couple of years in California, probably somewhere around
the Bay area. Sounds great right?
Well, the major thing that is stressing us out right now is what to
do with our 3 cats. They are all relatively young (5,3 & 2). We need
to find someplace for them to stay while we're on the road, (or bring
them with us, but that's probably not a good idea), and we need to
find someway to actually transport them to the west coast.
Does anybody out there have any advice for us? Has anybody ever
done anything similar? Any help you could give would be most
appreciated.

Thanks,
John

"John" wrote in message
m...
Here is our peculiar predicament:

On-the-run-johnny,
Let me get this straight. Your plan is to quit your job, sell your car, buy
a bus with your girlfriend and three other friends, take a month or two to
end up in the Bay Area, then stay for just a couple of years?
Un****ingbelievable! In my opinion the best thing you can do is put your
cats up for adoption before you leave as you're *way* too big a flake to
handle the solemn responsibility that comes with pet ownership.

On 7 Apr 2004 20:24:38 -0700, (John) wrote:

Here is our peculiar predicament:

On-the-run-johnny,
Let me get this straight. Your plan is to quit your job, sell your
car, buy a bus with your girlfriend and three other friends, take a
month or two to end up in the Bay Area, then stay for just a couple of
years?
Whatagreatidea! In my opinion the best thing you can do is take your
cats with you. That is, if they're traveling cats. Do they like to
ride in cars? You _do_ know the answer to that question, don't you? If
not, find out _now_!
Good luck. It sounds like a wonderful adventure.

Turby the Turbosurfer

onthegojohnny wrote:
Here is our peculiar predicament:
In about 3 month, I am quitting my job in Pittsburgh, PA, selling
my car and buying a bus with my girlfriend and 3 other friends. We
plan to travel accross the country for about a month or 2, then settle
down for a couple of years in California, probably somewhere around
the Bay area. Sounds great right?
Well, the major thing that is stressing us out right now is what to
do with our 3 cats. They are all relatively young (5,3 & 2). We need
to find someplace for them to stay while we're on the road, (or bring
them with us, but that's probably not a good idea), and we need to
find someway to actually transport them to the west coast.
Does anybody out there have any advice for us? Has anybody ever
done anything similar? Any help you could give would be most
appreciated.

Cats adapt to car travel fairly well. My old cat (lived almost 21
years) would jump into the car if the door was left open (i.e. while I
was loading for a trip) and she'd happily sleep on the front seat. As
I write I'm in the first part of a ten-day road trip with my new
kitty. It took all of an hour on the first day for her to stop
complaining.
HTH
--Karen M.

"John" wrote in message
m...
Here is our peculiar predicament:
In about 3 month, I am quitting my job in Pittsburgh, PA, selling
my car and buying a bus with my girlfriend and 3 other friends. We
plan to travel accross the country for about a month or 2, then settle
down for a couple of years in California, probably somewhere around
the Bay area. Sounds great right?
Well, the major thing that is stressing us out right now is what to
do with our 3 cats. They are all relatively young (5,3 & 2). We need
to find someplace for them to stay while we're on the road, (or bring
them with us, but that's probably not a good idea), and we need to
find someway to actually transport them to the west coast.
Does anybody out there have any advice for us? Has anybody ever
done anything similar? Any help you could give would be most
appreciated.

Don't tell me you are 50 yr old trying to relive your youth. I think
Woodstock is open for tourists these days.

First step, find a really good friend who likes cats.


Thanks,
John

I moved a cat cross-country last year. Don't take three cats on the
road for two months. It's too long. The best thing would be to keep
your rental place and have somebody sublet or housesit for the time
you're on the road, so the cats will at least have their familiar
environoment, if not their familiar people. If you can't do that, then
you'll have to find a good, caring kennel to take care of them for 2
months and since it's a long time, make sure it's a good one and don't
expect it to be cheap. I'd vote for option 1 myself. Maybe the
subletter can take over the new lease or you can charge them very low
rent for a few months in exchange for the cat-sitting. Have a friend
stop over to make sure the housesitter is taking good care of the
cats. You owe them that much.

As for transporting the cats, the only humane way to do it is for
three people to go back to Pittsburgh and fly the cats in the seat
section with you. One person to a cat. Hopefully you have some
frequent flyer miles. The cats will cost about 75-100 each. Do not put
them in the cargo hold and do not have them "shipped" to you by some
service. They will be terrified and you will have no ability to make
sure they aren't lost, mishandled or worse.

I don't think you'll have much luck rehoming 3 adult cats, so you'll
just have to bite the bullet to do the right thing for them.

I am not sure about this one. I have interviewed a couple of performers from
Hanlon-Lees (they perform the jousting at the various Ren Fests and of
course do stunts for movies and TV) and they actually take their cats with
them on the road. Apparently they have trailers so the cats just stay inside
when they are out performing. So, I guess cats do indeed travel well.

--
Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of All Your Computer Needs!
www.members.cox.net/catprotector/panthertek

Cat Galaxy: All Cats, All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com
"Tracy" wrote in message
om...
I moved a cat cross-country last year. Don't take three cats on the
road for two months. It's too long. The best thing would be to keep
your rental place and have somebody sublet or housesit for the time
you're on the road, so the cats will at least have their familiar
environoment, if not their familiar people. If you can't do that, then
you'll have to find a good, caring kennel to take care of them for 2
months and since it's a long time, make sure it's a good one and don't
expect it to be cheap. I'd vote for option 1 myself. Maybe the
subletter can take over the new lease or you can charge them very low
rent for a few months in exchange for the cat-sitting. Have a friend
stop over to make sure the housesitter is taking good care of the
cats. You owe them that much.

As for transporting the cats, the only humane way to do it is for
three people to go back to Pittsburgh and fly the cats in the seat
section with you. One person to a cat. Hopefully you have some
frequent flyer miles. The cats will cost about 75-100 each. Do not put
them in the cargo hold and do not have them "shipped" to you by some
service. They will be terrified and you will have no ability to make
sure they aren't lost, mishandled or worse.

I don't think you'll have much luck rehoming 3 adult cats, so you'll
just have to bite the bullet to do the right thing for them.

On 7 Apr 2004 20:24:38 -0700, (John) wrote:

Here is our peculiar predicament:
to find someplace for them to stay while we're on the road, (or bring
them with us, but that's probably not a good idea), and we need to
find someway to actually transport them to the west coast.
Does anybody out there have any advice for us? Has anybody ever
done anything similar? Any help you could give would be most
appreciated.

Thanks,
John


We took our four cats across the country, from NYC to the High Desert
of CA, last year. We also made the trip back. We had them in three cat
carriers in the back of a small JEep Wrangler and they did just fine.
One cat meowed for about 1/2 out of the city and for about 1/2 after
each motel. The trips took us 8 days. The vet gave us cat sedatives,
but we never used them, thankfully.

BUT, all cats are different...they may get stressed or vomit or howl
the entire way. We just got lucky I think.

On a personal note, I don't agree with taking two months to transport
them, I think it will stress them out badly, but I could very well be
mistaken as again, all cats are different. Also, please make sure your
friends know to keep the windows UP and the door SHUT at all times in
case your cats get out of their carriers. You are using carriers
aren't you?
All the best and good luck with your trip!
Chris

"Christopher" wrote in message
...
On 7 Apr 2004 20:24:38 -0700, (John) wrote:

Here is our peculiar predicament:
to find someplace for them to stay while we're on the road, (or bring
them with us, but that's probably not a good idea), and we need to
find someway to actually transport them to the west coast.
Does anybody out there have any advice for us? Has anybody ever
done anything similar? Any help you could give would be most
appreciated.

Thanks,
John



I knew some homeless people who lived out of their van *with* their cat.
All seemed pretty happy. It was a woman, her three kids and their cat. If
that worked, why not just go for it?

kili

"kilikini" wrote in message
...

"Christopher" wrote in message
...
On 7 Apr 2004 20:24:38 -0700, (John) wrote:

Here is our peculiar predicament:
to find someplace for them to stay while we're on the road, (or bring
them with us, but that's probably not a good idea), and we need to
find someway to actually transport them to the west coast.
Does anybody out there have any advice for us? Has anybody ever
done anything similar? Any help you could give would be most
appreciated.

Thanks,
John



I knew some homeless people who lived out of their van *with* their cat.
All seemed pretty happy. It was a woman, her three kids and their cat.
If
that worked, why not just go for it?

kili

Maybe you're right. The cats could come in handy when John is panhandling
in SF after he gets tired of stirring through dumpsters for rotting scraps
of food.