🐾Well-Travelled Fuzzballs🐾

    Dan and I like to think of ourselves as a "well-oiled machine" when it comes to trip planning and travelling, and we have some incredible trips under our belt to show for it. Dan plans logistics and I plan the "fun" and food...perfection! But, this cross-country adventure has introduced new considerations and challenges neither of us have had before. One of the most challenging but absolutely worth-it considerations: bringing our kitties along!

    We couldn't imagine not seeing our little furballs for 6+ months, so not 🐈bringing them with us wasn't even considered. I mean.... LOOK AT THESE FACES.

 

    Cats can easily be stressed out in cars and away from their familiar environment, so that was our main priority during planning. Cats also require a bit more "equipment" than dogs, so we also had to figure out how to make them mobile and organize their things in the most time-efficient way. There have been some lessons learned along the way and a few panicked moments, but overall we think we've nailed it and wanted to share how we did it!

Pre-Trip Planning

• All hotels and Air BnBs we reserved needed to be "Pet-Friendly". Hotels were easy to add a note or call ahead to verify but Air BnBs posed a bit of a challenge. About 50% of the Air BnBs listed as "pet friendly" were actually just DOG-friendly. We had to message before reserving to ensure they would allow our kitties. (Side note: Someone please explain to me how cats are seen to be more destructive than dogs?!?! Also, why do dog people not like cats but cat people usually also like dogs? LOL).
• We took the kitties to the vet to get a physical exam to ensure they're in good health before this potentially stressful time. 
• We ordered anti-anxiety medication (Gabapentin) from the vet in case they absolutely lost their minds in the car. We also practiced dosage with them a few times before we started the trip so we knew how much to give them. 
• We purchased sturdy & portable litter boxes. They were familiar with enclosed litter boxes so we got some with a handle on top (so we can transport them and not have to disassemble them each move). 
• We got cat harnesses and leashes and practiced with them on them. We knew the car doors would need to be opened frequently and we needed some way to subdue them quickly when we didn't have the carrier on hand. Fiyero, my little drama queen, still thinks he can't stand up in his harness (except when a treat is put in front of him). Elphie took to hers immediately. Walking them on a leash is a whole other story, but luckily that rarely needs to occur.
• We reduced driving hours to 6 hours max to not overwhelm them, so we planned our overnight stops accordingly. If they didn't want to use the litterbox or eat while in the car, it wouldn't be too long before we'd be in a hotel or Air BnB with their stuff set up.
• We practiced riding in the car before we left for the trip to see how they'd react, both on the Gabapentin and off. We learned a lot during these trips - like not to leave them hooked up to the leash while driving, and that both of them will explore a bit but always end up lying on the driver's lap for a majority of the ride. Overall they are doing just fine - there were a few stressed mews the first day, but both got used to it quickly. Picture below of our curious kitties on one of our practice trips to downtown GR.

On the Road Considerations

• We set up a litterbox for them to use while driving. This might be overkill since we are only doing 6 hours max, but kitties are prone to UTIs so we wanted to give them an option. They have used it on a few occasions!
• We took two cars instead of one to give them enough space to move around in the car. Dan takes the kitties in the Subaru and I take all of our stuff in my car. We considered renting a U-haul trailer or a small RV instead of taking the two cars, but cost wise, time wise, and risk wise - it just made sense to take them both. Plus, I listen to True Crime and loud music in the car while driving, so I didn't want to annoy the kitties or Dan 😜
• We hook them up to an anchored leash when we need to get out of the car. Fiyero is a runner. 

Hotel / Overnight Considerations

• Getting kitties in the carrier and setting up the litter box is first priority upon arrival. This ensures that no one runs while we unload the rest of the stuff. We brought our collapsible wagon with us, so we just throw the litter box in the wagon (already set up) and wheel it to the room. Once the litterbox is set up, we put each of them IN the litter box so they can sniff it and identify it as their litter. So far we've had no accidents and they almost immediately use it.
• We check the hotel room / Air BnB for all the "nooks and crannies" before letting them out of their carrier. Fiyero still managed to find a hole in the bottom of a pull out couch in one hotel and hide, resulting in us flipping mattresses and desks to find him and getting a noise complaint from a neighbor. Elphie also still found a way behind the corner cabinet unit in Tennessee and was stuck for several hours. 
• We brought a few of their toys and blankets that are familiar to them. Familiar smells definitely help them adapt to the new room / place quicker.
• We try to reduce the noises in hotels as much as possible - such as slamming doors. This has been the only time on the trip they get nervous, likely because of all of the new noises such as stomping in the room above us, or slamming doors of rooms around us. They got used to it in hotels we stayed in longer than one night.
• We brought an air purifier to keep litterbox odors down. So far we have just used this in the places we stayed at for longer periods. The litterboxes are virtually odorless even though we have had to put them near our living spaces. We're also clean-freaks, so it just made us feel better about our air quality.

So yeah, a lot of planning and considerations - but SO worth it. They have adapted so quickly and have made this trip so much more rewarding. There is nothing like having a little furball purring on your lap... I need all of the dopamine releases I can get these days. As we start wrapping up our time in Maine (😭), we're getting excited to head out West with them! Dan has made it his personal goal to show the kitties both coasts - here's a pic of them seeing the Atlantic Ocean. These guys will be more travelled than many people we know after this adventure is done!

Next week we'll be on our way back to Michigan, where we'll be bouncing around for a few weeks! More to come about Maine, and plans for the rest of our travels. Stay tuned!