Taking cat with you on a u/k holiday?

[oakdale]

Our cat has always stayed at home and been looked after by a good neighbour when we go away on holiday.

She is now quite elderly (I mean the cat, she's nearly 16) and has become quite clingy and dependant, she got very stressed when we went away last time which caused her to have a bad bout of stress induced cystitis.

She also needs to be given meds and I think the main problem is that she gets stressed when alone at night so we've decided the only option is to holiday in the u/k and take her with us.

It seems that several holiday cottage owners will allow cats, but I'm wondering if anyone has done this and if so, how did it work out?


You can't really take the cat out with you like you would with a dog, so would have to leave it in the house and although our cat is not a destructive animal I'm unsure how it would react?

[bexVN]

I'd also be concerned about the travel to the holiday spot. Especially for a 16yr old cat that isn't used to it. Different if you'd done it all her life.

She would have to stay in during your stay so you may need a collapsible cage with you or have somewhere for her to go whilst you are out so she doesn't scratch furniture!

[oakdale]

bexVN said:

I'd also be concerned about the travel to the holiday spot. Especially for a 16yr old cat that isn't used to it. Different if you'd done it all her life.

She would have to stay in during your stay so you may need a collapsible cage with you or have somewhere for her to go whilst you are out so she doesn't scratch furniture!

Hope you can answer this for me Bex.
We're going to take the cat away with us for a few days to a place that's not too far away to see how it reacts.

I'm going to get a metal cage that is 42"L x 28"w x 31"H (106cm x 71cm x 77cm) to keep her in when we're out but I'm not sure what to do about the litter tray.

I know Vets have to keep cats in cages sometimes so what do you do about the litter tray?

It obviously has to be in the cage but does there need to be a separate compartment/barrier or will the cat be o/k with it being in the same area as its cat bed?

[bexVN]

They actually cope very well with the tray near their bed area. Obviously we monitor regularly and clean trays promptly which helps.

As long as the crate has enough room for a decent size comfy blanket, so your cat can be comfy when at rest, food and water bowl it should be fine short term . We find a lot of cats like to sleep in there litter trays!! (when clean!)

[matt666]

If your cat is anything like my cat this won't go well. When we moved house he was terrified for days and took every opportunity to try to escape. He hates even the 5 minute car ride to the vets and howls all the way.

Yours might be different though, taking your cat out in the car seems to be popular in the US from the pictures I've seen.

[TwistingMyMelon]

When we moved, our cats went nuts in the cages, proper nuts, was only 1 hour of straight M4 driving.

Wouldn't surprise me if a new environment stresses the cat out along with the journey more than leaving it on its own

Better the devil you know imo

[HOGEPH]

House sitter perhaps, so the cat has company?

[crispyshark]

We take our 8 year old ragdoll on holiday with us (UK). He's an indoor cat anyhow so we don't have a problem there.

He's also see's his travel case as a 'safe' place so is always willing to get in.

First 30 mins of the journey aren't great but he settles after that.

We usually take his food away 12 hours before the journey so he clears out before we leave. Occasionally he has an accident but that's what baby wipes are for!

Hope all works out for you.

[Ste1987]

matt666 said:

He hates even the 5 minute car ride to the vets and howls all the way.

That's normal

[CaptainMorgan]

My dad and his mrs take their cat on the long trip from London to Glasgow twice a year to stay at the in laws for a week. Thomas the cat even goes out up there and comes back when called to go home, but he's been doing it for years so might help him take it all in his stride.

[clarkmagpie]

Indy is a very vocal little Bengal but seems to enjoy car trips.
As long as the cat box door is open so he can stick his head out and see what's going on.
If he gets a bit adventurous then just shut the door for a bit.

The only time he went berserk was in the back of a police car where he cried for the full journey.
Nothing could quieter him down, the 2 policemen were in stitches!

[BoredNerd]

I couldn't take my two Bengals anywhere, but my parents used to take their two moggies to their caravan on weekends. The two would get excited as the car approached the caravan site! And I mean, a caravan site practically in the middle of nowhere - no land marks. None my feeble human eyes could see, anyway.

Once settled, they would roam around and generally behave like kids on holiday. They loved it.

That said, one did get sick after swallowing something he shouldn't have. We weren't sure if it was poison, or what, but that was a scare. He was fine, though.

[bexVN]

My parents first cat loved their car, she used to join them at work during the week and then they'd take her to their new house they were doing up at weekends. She used to jump into the car onto the parcel shelf .