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dwmc_gw

2nd Question Re Sub-Q's & Traveling w/ A CAT

dwmc
10 years ago

Appreciate those who responded to my question from last night, but yet another:
I'd really like to get out of town a few days, but I can't depend/ask anyone to come check on kitty (he does wet food only and no one knows the sub-q's). A few years back (prior to sub-q's) I up and took him in the car out of state. He meowed the first 100 miles and then finally quit. He often stayed crouched coming/going on the floor of the backseat, but while at my friend's he was perfectly fine. Like one of you said, he may be around a couple of more years, but I can't wait that long to take a break!!
Question:
Have YOU traveled w/ a "sub-q's" animal?

David

Comments (5)

  • 3katz4me
    10 years ago

    We always took our cat to our lake cabin on weekends and all the subQ stuff came right along with us until the very end. No big deal. We also traveled for work and went on vacation without our cats. Unfortunately our vet tech cat sitter wouldn't do SubQ fluids for some reason or injections of any kind. Amazingly we were able to have our neighbors 16 year old daughter do it. She had no fear and was interested in the medical field plus he was very easy and tolerant of the procedure. I have since found a new vet tech cat sitter who can do injections should I ever have the need again.

  • annzgw
    10 years ago

    My suggestion was going to be similar to gibby's......call around and find a vet tech that house sits or one that will stop by the house and do the SubQ. Then, since you have the other issue of feeding soft food, maybe a neighbor would be willing to feed her?
    Other option is to find a cat vet that has a boarding facility, or leave her with your vet. When it comes to boarding though, I prefer facilities that provide a room for each cat.........not kennels/crates.

    My worry about taking the cat with you is the stress she will go thru during the trip. But if you think the trip won't be too much for her, then definitely take her. You mentioned she crouched on the floor of the backseat.....did you not have her crated? I suggest you purchase a carrier for her to travel in since that will be safer for everyone, but mainly it will give her a place to hide and offer some security. If you're going on a long trip, then I suggest you buy a crate that has enough room to hold her and a small litterbox.

    Tip: if you decide to take her, leave the carrier/crate open (with bedding) in your home so that she can explore it and get used to it before the trip.

  • spedigrees z4VT
    10 years ago

    Personally I have never travelled with a cat, except by necessity when moving. Generally speaking, most cats dislike car travel, or any kind of change, especially older cats.

    When I need to be gone for up to 3 days, this is the routine I follow: I board my dogs at a trusted daycare if I cannot bring them with me, but often the dogs come along. I leave my cat or cats at home because it is the least stressful option for them. Because I home cook for my cats, I freeze several dishes of their food and leave these dishes out for them, to be eaten when they thaw out. I also leave a dish of unfrozen food for them to eat right away. This is the only circumstance where I buy commercial petfood (dry food) and leave a large bowl out in case the unthinkable should happen and our homecoming should be delayed. This way my cat(s) will not starve no matter what happens. I also refill the three water buckets and dishes in the house right before leaving. (They would never go thirsty.) And I fill at least one extra litter box for them.

    Even if one or more of my cats is on daily fluids, I give the fluids right before I leave, and again when I return 2 or 3 days later. I believe that my cats suffer less from missing one or two fluid treatments than they would suffer from the stress of being displaced from their home.

    If I have to be away from home for longer than 3 days, I board my cat or cats at my vet clinic with instructions that they be given fluids daily. The vet clinic that I use is an AAHA place that I trust implicitly. There is stress involved in being boarded, but at least they are being looked after 24/7, and they do not miss their fluid treatments.

    I weigh the amount of stress and its detrimental effect on my old cat against the palliative care that my cat needs and try to come up with the best way to care for my pet while I'm gone.

    You, and all caregivers, definitely deserve a vacation getaway at reasonable intervals. Much depends on the individual cat, the individual owner, as to what solution allows for both to have maximum relaxation without sacrificing health needs.

    Good luck and enjoy your time away. We all need a vacation!

  • lisa_fla
    10 years ago

    Our kitty hates the car. I wouldn't travel with him, but we go on vacation a few times a year. One of my teenagers friends comes over and does the fluids. Its not hard to teach someone. If your kitty likes travel, it wouldn't be hard to bring everything.

  • Debbie Downer
    10 years ago

    Agree with advice to get carrier or crate for travel or leave Kitty at home.

    This is from POV of someone who for the past 4 weeks has been looking for my missing kitty and in the process has seen literally at least a hundred cats at the Humane Soc who were picked up as strays - just heartbreaking. You may think your cat won't get spooked and dart out the car at a gas station or somewhere but - stuff happens.