Any advice on traveling with with a cat across country in a car?

I moving from Washington state to New Hampshire and am planning to drive. All of my stuff is being shipped via navy so it will be just me and my cat in the car. I am concerned about how to get the cat to the bathroom since it is highly unlikely that I can just pull over at a rest stop and take him outside to the bathroom. Should I look into getting sedatives for the cat?I have gone on short trips with my cat and the meowing isn't usually very bad. He calms down after awhile, especially if he can see me.

Wow...I don't suggest this...I say you drive and then have someone ship the cat via airplane...My cat freaks out in the car and won't stop meowing...and he doesn't stop until we get out of the car. It's so loud I can hardly concentrate on the road because I feel so bad for him...

put the cat in a cat carrier

I've done this with two cats. It was in a moving truck that had a cargo area behind the backseat. I built a cage of sorts out of lattice wood. There was plenty of room to have food, water, a litter box and still room for them to move around. It worked fabulously. Maybe you could do something similar? I wouldn't suggest sedating your cat for as long as that trip will take.

Get a dog carrier. That way it will be large enough to house the kitty, the food and water dishes (the type that you attach to the wire door) and enough room for a small litter pan.All contained within that carrier is the best case scenarioTho maybe annoyed in the beginning the kitty will eventually settle down and relax.NO sedatives. At least initially. Get a couple from the vet but don't use them unless your kitty really is freaking out..

I have traveled twice with 2 cats. I usually put them with me in the passenger seat, each in its carrier. The first time, the vet suggested giving them a pill that made them sleep. I know it sounds horrible, but if you think about it, it is good for them in a way because they are not stressed out about being in the car.They hate it, and they cry. I would stop at rest areas, and give them food, and also take them and place them in the litter box while I kept the car doors closed. I only gave them half the dose she recommended so they were relaxed not totally asleep. When the pill wore off though, they started crying and answering to each others, which made me sad for them and mad at the same time, bc the poor babies were driving me nuts !!!!Not sure if there is another solution, I still however prefer this one because at least they are with me.Good luck to you.I am soon moving again this time with the same 2 kitties and a dog !!!

What you could do is get a little cat bed and put in the front seat with the cat so its all comfortable for the ride. If it gets restless, make sure you take some toys with you, or if they're getting shipped to buy a ball of yarn or something. If it has to go to the bathroom have a tiny litter box (stabalized so it doesnt move around) for it to go about its buisiness. Hope you dont have any troubles with your bundle of joy. =+)

Wow, one of my cats would never sit for that, but the other one loves the car. I tried sedatives on them once, but it didn't really work--the one still cried the whole time!If you can, get the largest crate your car will fit. And put a small litter box in it, and maybe some food, if your cat is a grazer-type eater. Otherwise, just give him water in the car and feed him when you stop. If you can, train him to potty on a leash , and you could just stop at rest stops to let him go. Make sure the hotels along the way will accept cats, too. Good luck!

I have traveled with my cats in the past. It depends on cats' personality traits. Some of my old cats like to explore around the car, sit on back of car's window's platform, or stay in the carrier with its open. My other old cat liked to sit on my lap while I was driving on quiet road. It is better to put the cat in carrier if you are in city or busy road that you need to focus on. About refreshment/litter, usually, I put the small litterbox on the backseat's floor and put small bowl of water on other side of backseat's floor. Most of time, my cats don't eat/drink on the road. Alway put the cat in the carrier before you open the door. Sometimes, you may never know he or she will run off quickly. If the climate is too hot, dont leave the cat in car, eventhough the windows are open. If someone needs bathroom or fill in gas, then it might be ok because it takes few mins to complete while the car is under the shade. There are some hotels that allow to have pets. I think Holiday Inn does provide. Check these website for hotels. Hope this helps.Personally, I never give the sedatives on my cats. So far, my cats were doing fine on the road trip.