Cat Downers?

its called pet rescue get it at pets mart

Wow that is interesting, Walter. Never heard of it with a dog. Cats are animals that are VERY much oriented to territory. Watching all that real estate just fly by tends to stress them out. Dogs as a species are more into migration and so aren't typically that way but maybe since GSDs are control freaks it could have a similar effect?

Thanks all for the great ideas. Didn't find the feliway but something with the same concept. We are on the road and he's not being too bad. The bird is in his traveling cage next to him. Hoping for good fishing weather in Texas! Happy camping

Code2High wrote:
... a sheet over the crate....

I'll toss something out as a purely anecdotal experience.

Quite a few years ago, our now departed Missy (GSD mix) was a terrible traveler in the car/truck. For hours, non-stop panting, whining, pacing. She could NOT relax. We tried Rescue Remedy with not much success. At that time, we did not want to use any prescription meds, so we just "lived" with it. When we finally got to our destinations, Missy was just fine, back to her old normal self.

Anyway, getting to the point, we finally realized that if we were traveling at night she was much calmer. She couldn't see the world whizzing by, which upset her sensibilities.

I would by all means try covering the crate. It costs nothing, and might even work!:)

BTW, we hate traveling at night, so we put up with a lot of years of traveling angst. We had never crated Missy, so we could not cover her's up. In retrospect, perhaps a black hood or blinders . . . . . :@

Have you tried covering the crate with a sheet so the cat can't see out? It is amazing how much more secure a cat will feel if the cage/crate is covered. It is almost like they think if they can't see you then you can't see them. We used the sheet covered cage with all of my Mom's ferals on the trip for spay/neuter. Worked wonders - non of them made a sound once the cage was covered. Should be a dark color sheet to minimize the amount of light that gets through. One caution, make sure it isn't too hot under the sheet.

Feliway, a sheet over the crate, l-tryptophan, rescue remedy, are all readily available and things I have found useful for calming kitties down. There are probably others, but I would start with those.

You might also start reconditioning kitty with respect to the crate. Ztart by feeding in front of it, then just inside, all the way inside, inside with door closed... You can create a calmer association with being in a crate, which will help with travel.

I'm a little disturbed by your vets reaction. While anti-anxiety medications shouldn't be routinely administered and isn't a cure all for these situations, there are valid situations where chemical help is the safest and best way to treat phobias and anxiety during a training period.

This goes for cats as well. The feliway is a very good recommendation. If that does not work, amitriptyline (Elavil) is my next favorite tool.

Doug, DVM

Our pets have always had a place they like to sleep when traveling. We have never used a kennel/crate as most were rescues that spent years and years having to live in one. They absolutely panic is even placed near one. Try to find what makes kitty comfortable. Obviously it is not comfortable or tolerable of prolonged confinement. Our RV is their home, so life continues as normal when we are on the road or parked.

I'd vote for the Feliway too. It's helped when we've been through other stressful situations with our cats, like introducing a new cat to the household, etc.

My cats always travel in a kennel, and the dogs have safety harnesses that fasten to seatbelts. A loose animal becomes a projectile in an emergency stop and can become injured or injure someone else. They also cannot get under foot at an inopportune moment.

Have you tried using a pheromone spray like Feliway? I give the inside of the kennel two or three squirts just before I load the cats.

My two elderly (16 & 18) Siamese are not really fond of travel. They are fine once we get to our destination and they can settle in on the bed but find the travel stressful. The Feliway really helps

Feliway

There are other, herbal calming products, but Feliway works well enough for us that I have not tried them.