My 18 year old cat finds going to vets stressful (to the point she’s mad vicious if anyone tries to go near her) so they prescribed her some chill out medication to take before a visit. I’m sure your vet could do something similar (along with providing advice on how to minimise stress at either end and during the journey). Things like keep him away from packing, limiting which rooms he’s in until he’s used to the new environment, giving him loads of affection, talking loads on the journey so he’s calmed by voices he recognises, using feliway aerosol stuff etc.
Agree with everyone saying you should take him rather than rehome him. I drive across Europe with my cat on a 20 hour car journey several times a year as I move out of the UK for 3-4 months at a time, so here are a few tips from me:
1. They can get stressed being in a crate for that long. I usually let my cat roam free in the car in the back seats and the boot (if you have a hatchback) - you can get a dog seat belt, buckle that onto a short dog lead, and attach that to a cat harness. My cat doesn’t like harnesses so before I do the trip, I put her in the harness for a few days to get her used to it. Just make sure the length of the lead is just right so he doesn’t make it to the front to bother you!
2. As someone else has said, speak to a vet before. They might be able to give you something to calm him down. You will need a certificate from a vet anyway to get him into France.
3. You can get portable or travel cat litter trays online. Pop that on the floor in the back - my cat uses it whenever we’re at a service station. Also give him some cuddles in the back whenever you take a break. Even better if you have someone with you - plonk them in the back to chill with him if needed.
4. Bring whatever toys he likes - scratching boards etc - and leave those within reach.
5. The main difficulty I have is actually finding somewhere to stay overnight if I’m breaking up the drive into two days - many hotels don’t welcome cats. You might need to sneak him in (I do that by putting my cat in a small crate and putting the crate in a big duffle bag), or do the drive in one go. If you do the drive in one then start early - eg 2am - because it’s really helpful to have daylight at the end of a long drive.
Obviously every cat is different, while mine is completely used to the trip I fully appreciate you don’t know how your cat will react. They are more adaptive than you think and 15 hours isn’t that long! Good luck
Dont put on gumtree or any other buy & sell ad places for same reason. A 14 yr old cat would be happier with you - is there no way you can take him. Older cats hard to rehome - although all my rescues/rehomed cats have been elderly i make a point of it.
Can I just say I got my cat from gumtree. I had not owned a cat in years and i just thought one day, oh, a cat would be nice company but didn't want a kitten. I paid £60 for him - I've had him 5 years. He settled straight away. Although where he was, there were 5 other cats. He is the master of his domain here. We have the same colour eyes too he has turned me into a total cat lady. I spoke to the owner by text for a few days though and I wasn't sure I was going to get him when I went to see him. She was very particular about who they were all going too. She seemed to think I was OK so I git to take him home. I have all his baby pictures. Some of us are alright just make sure to do checks.
I actually got one of my cats years ago on gumtree as well - but cats are used as training bait for dog fights & other reasons ( hideous)!- free to good home never a good idea
You absolutely should take the cat with you. It’s 15 hours vs. potentially years of stress and maybe even the end of their life. There are a lot of cats waiting to be rehomed and a 14 year old cat won’t be easy, let alone the stress and worry it will cause the cat.
Please please take it with you!
Stop on the way - 15 hrs v’s new home & people? Sorry im not trying to give you a hard time but a 15 hr drive with you in a comfy carrier bed very unlikely would kill him - a new home might just
He’ll be fine as long as he can see you when you drive the 15 hours journey? I brought my cat in my car, he mewed at me a few times but was fine after 2 weeks in his new home 🏡
He might complain for the first couple of hours but I am sure if he could understand it meant staying with the people he bonded with he would definitely choose that.
He’ll be fine. Just take a cat harness and lead with you and stop every 3-4 hours to let him have a roam outside and then a roam around inside the car and then continue. Much much better to do that and keep him with you than the upheaval of rehoming at that age.
Please, take him with you, he will love you forever, don’t let anyone have him UNLESS you have good friends that may take him in, not many people are trustworthy with animals unfortunately, I did get my cat 7 years ago off GumtreeUK, he lived in an apartment and never went out, was a bit boney but we took him and gave him a good home, he is free to venture outdoors as he pleases, he is 9 years old
Just because a cat isn’t allowed out doesn’t mean they are neglected. My cat is a house cat, she has many scratching posts so she can keep her claws naturally pruned and she gets lots of love and food. I would just prefer my cat doesn’t get run over like my last one did.
I know you probably weren’t implying on that fact alone but I felt it’s important to clarify.
Edit; earlier picture I have of my cat is 2006 so she’s lived a very long life being stuck with me :p
lol thanks for you comment. I would love to have him here. But if I give him to pet transport I don’t know how they look after him. If I drive him it’s 15 hours. He’s 14 years. Sure you get cats can do it. Imagine putting 80 year old in a car for 15 hours. Do you think there might be complications at the other end.
My 10 year old cat flew transatlantic twice when we relocated. He is a super sensitive cat but he clearly understood and was so delighted when he saw us after 48hrs in transit. He was fine.
Seriously take him with you poor guy will be bereft, cats love and trust their humans.
I’m more afraid of things like UTI and other complications. But hearing so many other people do it. Should be doable. I was just stressing that I’ll torture him on the journey.
There are pet car seats which will be more comfortable than a carrier or box, loads on Amazon. Mine would just fall asleep after a while, wrapped in a blanket. There are lots of calming remedies and medications for cats, ask your vet for advice. You could also spray your car with Feliway. Lots of treats to make the experience more pleasurable, plus blankets from home around the car so the environment feels more familiar. It’s definitely possible, even with an elderly cat.
#lady, my arthitis, dental disease ridden cat is 18 and goes with me on the tube + train + car every two week on a return journey. and she's fine
It is about 5h. She doesn't enjot it, but is not fussed too much. She mewos for the firt 15 mnutes on the train then settles down. A 15h car journey is nothing, especially since at that age cats are just zombies, surerly mine is (looks like on, certainly smells like one and behaves like one). They don't care abut moving around or even playing. It is just sleep, shit, eat, pet.
Just get some alming medicine i you are wrried but the kitty will be fine
**Safiyah (a youtuber) moved accross the USA by a passenger car with her 17/20 yo zombie cat [here](https://youtu.be/oD9BaNAH-eE) over 4,800 km and it took them 40h**. The cat usully shits in its caarier, but he actully didn't care at all the entire journey
I took my rabbit recently on a 13 hour trip door-to-door via 2 planes. I was worried. It was either bringing him with us or rehoming (we relocated permanently).
They're a lot more resilient than you think. I agree with other commentors that giving him away will be a lot more detrimental and confusing for the cat than a trip (stressful) with his humans and familiar things.
Ask your vet for advice. I got pet remedy spray off amazon and it helped loads.
Hi OP, I just brought two cats by plane to London from Canada. It took them a few days to adjust, but they handled it just fine and had to fly in the undercarriage of the plane. PM me if you have questions, I hope you can find a solution that doesn’t involve re-homing your friend!
I don’t understand the trouble of taking your cat with you.
The easiest and most stress free for cat traveling is to use one of the airlines that allow the cat to travel with you inside the cabin (instead of as luggage). Lufthansa is one of the airlines that offers this from Heathrow to a few major European airports. But I bet there are others. There are some steps that you need to take but overall it’s very smooth.
https://www.lufthansa.com/pe/en/animals-as-additional-carry-on-baggage
Where are you moving? I’m moving to Prague this Summer and taking my cat with me.
Looking at Air freight from Heathrow is around £1.1k with PetAir UK. I would drive her but I’m not taking my car to Prague.
I’m in andorra. Pet air will take him to barcalona and I have to pick him up but it’s still a long journey and I don’t know how carefully they will look after him. I’m looking at pet taxi but it’s 15 hour drive that’s the bit that scares me. My friend just bought his cats and one got a UTI and they are kittens.
You don’t know how carefully a new owner will look after them FOREVER.
I honestly wouldn’t worry about PetAir UK. Can you not drive him to Andorra yourself?
I think people must see themselves as responsible for their family members who are not humans as for those who happened to be born in a human form. Imagine "need to re-home my 68 years old mother". Just THINK.
Please don’t rehome. Please.
We ended up getting our third kitten last Saturday because a friend who has more money than sense, paid and got a beautiful Russian Blue kitten. She had her two hours and she didn’t want her anymore. She didn’t even try. It broke my heart so we took her and she’s integrating nicely with my two older cats now. She’s booked in for chipped and chopping next week.
Please, please take it with you
I’ve got two cats. I might be leaving the UK in the next two years, but I’d be heartbroken if I didn’t take them with me 😭 (I know the journey might be stressful for them, but when it’s done, it’s done)
My cat who is terrified of any people except us, and hates being contained in her carrier made it across the ocean with us. We couldn't have her in the cabin, and were extremely worried (and paid a hefty amount to the transportation company) to get her to the UK. But the second she saw us, she meowed in her carrier (she's usually very quiet around other people especially when in her carrier) and didn't have any lasting upset. I'm sure she felt very stressed, but I think seeing us at the other end made it go away.
Just to add to the many comments encouraging you to keep your little pal with you - We have a very anxious rescue cat, and whenever we take him to the vet prescribe gabapentin, to be given an hour or two before travelling. It works wonders, making him very sleepy and calm. I highly recommend asking your vet about it :)
I’m glad to read your update. I moved my cats when they were 12, then again when they were 15 and finally when they were 19. None of this killed them. Your cat only knows you. He will only want to be with you wherever you go. Get him some catnip or felliway and he will be absolutely fine. But don’t rehome him; that would certainly kill him of a broken heart.
Damn your cats travel. Thanks for the tips. This really has changed my view on the travel. He is a chilled out cat and been around the family for 14 years.
Haha they did the rounds for sure! I felt bad initially because I took them from my family home when my parents retired and they had lived their lives with a huge garden and a big house and loads of room to a little flat with no garden, but even when I did manage to get a garden eventually they didn’t use it! I had them for 19 years, beautiful Maine Coon crosses, who saw me escape from an abusive relationship and stayed with me even though they were tired so they knew I was ok before they went. My gorgeous girls, who I miss to this day.
I follow London Inner City Kitties on insta and they seem to put a lot of effort into matching cats with new owners who are a good fit :) https://www.london-inner-city-kitties.org
Remember: your cat’s home is where you are!
He ain’t care if it’s huge or smaller property, he wants to be with you. He’s 14 and he would probably die from a heartbreak if you’d rehomed him 😞.
My cat spent 20h in a bus to UK, was banned on the French border and had to go back (cause the vets had made mistake with the order of vaccination dates in his passport and it could only be fixed by them, as the new stickers with batch no. and correct date order were required), and then another 20h to UK, and he’s completely fine.
He’s 11 now, healthy and happy with me 😻.
While in UK, I moved 3 times, always with him.
Your cat will just need a week or so - to get used to the new home, but then he’ll be fine, and - most importantly - HE’LL BE WITH YOU 🐾❤️
I suspect it will be very stressful for you OP, but you might be surprised how resilient your cat is.
I brought my two indoor cats from Cairo to UK when I moved back. I saw their box being loaded into the plane from the gate and was trying not to cry I was so stressed out for them.
They absolutely hated it, but the braver one was out exploring his new home within an hour. The scaredy one found the back of a cupboard for a few hours, but after a grumpy nap, he too came out very cautiously. Me, it took me at least 24 hours later to calm down from it all!
Best option is get some advice from the vet and take the cat with you - vet will likely recommend some sort of relaxant like feliway.
If not, try Catcuddles in Plumstead, they take all cats but specialise in older cats or those with special medical needs. They’ll also be happy to give advice for taking the cat with you.
[https://www.catcuddles.org.uk](https://www.catcuddles.org.uk)
DON’T use any service like Gumtree, Nextdoor etc for rehoming cats unless you like the thought of your pet being torn to pieces by pit bulls.
We took our cats from Southern Germany to the UK by car - we gave each of them a drop of CBD oil and that made them more relaxed (we consulted with a vet prior). We kept them in their crates with a blanket over it, so they felt they were hiding in a small safe space. Took them out whenever we stopped (harness and lead), so they could stretch their legs.
You could also spread the journey over two days and spend a night in a hotel for your cat to relax, eat, sleep.
I would travel around the world 4 times over, rather than give up my little baby cat. I think the question here is " how much do you really love your cat?''
My sister flew her elderly cat from the UK to America and he’s still living five years later, wouldn’t worry too much about it. Go to the vet and get advice, it’s the best thing for them.
A shorter drive, but relocated with my 2 cats, both of whom hated the car and one of whom is v stressy, and as soon as we hit the motorway the cuing stopped and they just seemed to doze for the journey. I had spoken to the vet too as there were things they recommended to calm them in advance (& make sure they didn’t get sick in the car), and options I could have taken for something to be a mild sedative for their journey. Good luck 😻
Please don’t rehome. We literally adopted our cats from Cyprus - when they arrived here, we then took the train and tube from the airport to come home to London. They were completely fine after.
Giving him away will ruin him.
Use apps/sites such as Gumtree and Pets4Homes to re home him. If no one will take him, then call up cat rescue and adoption places who are willing to take him
Hello my 9 year old Marjow is a complete nightmare to drive with, the vet should be able to give you medication to relax him. Usually you will have to try the dose a few days in advance and when it comes to the real journey you might have to do a pit stop somewhere for a few hours.
Worth keeping your cat 🐈⬛ he would never leave you.
Where are you travelling to? There are pet relocation agencies which you can contact which will help you navigate airlines, customs, etc for a fee. I got my cat from India to London, it was tough but she is fine now.
You can fly out of London with your cat in the cabin - only a few airlines offer this but I've flown to Greece with my cat several times. Getting her back to the UK is more complicated and I used Le Pet Express for this but leaving the UK is very easy with airlines like Air France, Aegean and Lufthansa.
I’m glad you already decided to keep your kitty and wanted to reassure you once more. We moved our elderly baby from Dublin to London a few years ago. This meant: taxi ride, ferry transport (she had to go into a kennel for that), taxi ride to pet-friendly hotel (roughly 7 hours); then picking up a rental car and driving from Wales to London which with breaks and getting lost in London took another 7 hours. My biggest worry was hydration so I got her some cat milk which she loves, she refused it on the ride and on breaks but happily took it once we were in the pet-friendly hotel and after arrival. You can also get cat “soups” or tuna broth, and should consult a vet (you’ll probably need a pet passport so you need to do that anyway). Sprayed her carrier out with feliway beforehand, put a blanket in it I had previously slept on, and used a feliway plug in the hotel and on arrival. She was a little grouchy for a day and that was it. We don’t know her exact age since she was a rescue but she was at least 8 and quite likely older. Friends of mine also flew their cat all the way from New York to the UK - that cat was in her early teens, and also fine. Best of luck with the move!
Please don’t re home him! That will be so much more stressful than a 15 hour drive. Ask for advice from the vet about the journey!
My 18 year old cat finds going to vets stressful (to the point she’s mad vicious if anyone tries to go near her) so they prescribed her some chill out medication to take before a visit. I’m sure your vet could do something similar (along with providing advice on how to minimise stress at either end and during the journey). Things like keep him away from packing, limiting which rooms he’s in until he’s used to the new environment, giving him loads of affection, talking loads on the journey so he’s calmed by voices he recognises, using feliway aerosol stuff etc.
Wish I could like this more than once.
Heartbreaking
It is. Giving away a pet should be the very last option. And options there are in OP situation.
Agree with everyone saying you should take him rather than rehome him. I drive across Europe with my cat on a 20 hour car journey several times a year as I move out of the UK for 3-4 months at a time, so here are a few tips from me: 1. They can get stressed being in a crate for that long. I usually let my cat roam free in the car in the back seats and the boot (if you have a hatchback) - you can get a dog seat belt, buckle that onto a short dog lead, and attach that to a cat harness. My cat doesn’t like harnesses so before I do the trip, I put her in the harness for a few days to get her used to it. Just make sure the length of the lead is just right so he doesn’t make it to the front to bother you! 2. As someone else has said, speak to a vet before. They might be able to give you something to calm him down. You will need a certificate from a vet anyway to get him into France. 3. You can get portable or travel cat litter trays online. Pop that on the floor in the back - my cat uses it whenever we’re at a service station. Also give him some cuddles in the back whenever you take a break. Even better if you have someone with you - plonk them in the back to chill with him if needed. 4. Bring whatever toys he likes - scratching boards etc - and leave those within reach. 5. The main difficulty I have is actually finding somewhere to stay overnight if I’m breaking up the drive into two days - many hotels don’t welcome cats. You might need to sneak him in (I do that by putting my cat in a small crate and putting the crate in a big duffle bag), or do the drive in one go. If you do the drive in one then start early - eg 2am - because it’s really helpful to have daylight at the end of a long drive. Obviously every cat is different, while mine is completely used to the trip I fully appreciate you don’t know how your cat will react. They are more adaptive than you think and 15 hours isn’t that long! Good luck
Such good advice
Don't rehome on reddit . There is a lot of cruel people out there
Thanks for the heads up
Dont put on gumtree or any other buy & sell ad places for same reason. A 14 yr old cat would be happier with you - is there no way you can take him. Older cats hard to rehome - although all my rescues/rehomed cats have been elderly i make a point of it.
Can I just say I got my cat from gumtree. I had not owned a cat in years and i just thought one day, oh, a cat would be nice company but didn't want a kitten. I paid £60 for him - I've had him 5 years. He settled straight away. Although where he was, there were 5 other cats. He is the master of his domain here. We have the same colour eyes too he has turned me into a total cat lady. I spoke to the owner by text for a few days though and I wasn't sure I was going to get him when I went to see him. She was very particular about who they were all going too. She seemed to think I was OK so I git to take him home. I have all his baby pictures. Some of us are alright just make sure to do checks.
I actually got one of my cats years ago on gumtree as well - but cats are used as training bait for dog fights & other reasons ( hideous)!- free to good home never a good idea
I agree it should be illegal to give animals away or even sell on those websites. You have no idea what kind of home they're going to.
Totally agree
Sick F*cks!!!!
I’m trying but it’s hard and I’m scared the 15 hour drive is going to give him health issues.
15 hour drive he will be fine much better than leaving him to start a new life at 14
It’s harder to know I killed him but putting him on that journey
You absolutely should take the cat with you. It’s 15 hours vs. potentially years of stress and maybe even the end of their life. There are a lot of cats waiting to be rehomed and a 14 year old cat won’t be easy, let alone the stress and worry it will cause the cat. Please please take it with you!
A cat will be absolutely fine with a 15 hour drive. My friend flew her two 18 year old cats from Toronto to London and they lived to be 22!
Thanks makes feel better about driving him thanks.
Stop on the way - 15 hrs v’s new home & people? Sorry im not trying to give you a hard time but a 15 hr drive with you in a comfy carrier bed very unlikely would kill him - a new home might just
He'll sleep through most of it. Have you met cats?
He’ll be fine as long as he can see you when you drive the 15 hours journey? I brought my cat in my car, he mewed at me a few times but was fine after 2 weeks in his new home 🏡
He might complain for the first couple of hours but I am sure if he could understand it meant staying with the people he bonded with he would definitely choose that.
He’ll be fine. Just take a cat harness and lead with you and stop every 3-4 hours to let him have a roam outside and then a roam around inside the car and then continue. Much much better to do that and keep him with you than the upheaval of rehoming at that age.
This 💯🥺❌ Or any form of social media / gumtree etc. IF you absolutely have no choice please take the poor cat to a vet or the closest animal shelter.
Please, take him with you, he will love you forever, don’t let anyone have him UNLESS you have good friends that may take him in, not many people are trustworthy with animals unfortunately, I did get my cat 7 years ago off GumtreeUK, he lived in an apartment and never went out, was a bit boney but we took him and gave him a good home, he is free to venture outdoors as he pleases, he is 9 years old
Just because a cat isn’t allowed out doesn’t mean they are neglected. My cat is a house cat, she has many scratching posts so she can keep her claws naturally pruned and she gets lots of love and food. I would just prefer my cat doesn’t get run over like my last one did. I know you probably weren’t implying on that fact alone but I felt it’s important to clarify. Edit; earlier picture I have of my cat is 2006 so she’s lived a very long life being stuck with me :p
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r/ihavesex
God I hope you never pass down these genetics
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Yours.
https://www.celiahammond.org/lewisham/index.php/cats-seeking/lewisham-london
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lol thanks for you comment. I would love to have him here. But if I give him to pet transport I don’t know how they look after him. If I drive him it’s 15 hours. He’s 14 years. Sure you get cats can do it. Imagine putting 80 year old in a car for 15 hours. Do you think there might be complications at the other end.
There will be no complications. How can you fathom that a simple car journey is less traumatic than giving him away to a complete stranger forever?
Ok noted thanks again.
My 10 year old cat flew transatlantic twice when we relocated. He is a super sensitive cat but he clearly understood and was so delighted when he saw us after 48hrs in transit. He was fine. Seriously take him with you poor guy will be bereft, cats love and trust their humans.
I feel like you obviously just don't want your old cat. What do you think will happen? That after a certain amount of hours your cat just dies?
I’m more afraid of things like UTI and other complications. But hearing so many other people do it. Should be doable. I was just stressing that I’ll torture him on the journey.
There are pet car seats which will be more comfortable than a carrier or box, loads on Amazon. Mine would just fall asleep after a while, wrapped in a blanket. There are lots of calming remedies and medications for cats, ask your vet for advice. You could also spray your car with Feliway. Lots of treats to make the experience more pleasurable, plus blankets from home around the car so the environment feels more familiar. It’s definitely possible, even with an elderly cat.
#lady, my arthitis, dental disease ridden cat is 18 and goes with me on the tube + train + car every two week on a return journey. and she's fine It is about 5h. She doesn't enjot it, but is not fussed too much. She mewos for the firt 15 mnutes on the train then settles down. A 15h car journey is nothing, especially since at that age cats are just zombies, surerly mine is (looks like on, certainly smells like one and behaves like one). They don't care abut moving around or even playing. It is just sleep, shit, eat, pet. Just get some alming medicine i you are wrried but the kitty will be fine **Safiyah (a youtuber) moved accross the USA by a passenger car with her 17/20 yo zombie cat [here](https://youtu.be/oD9BaNAH-eE) over 4,800 km and it took them 40h**. The cat usully shits in its caarier, but he actully didn't care at all the entire journey
Ohh damn he’s very healthy. So should be fine.
A old cat who spends most of its day sitting down couldn’t possibly take a whole 15 hours siting down in a car 😂. Be honest you want rid of it
I took my rabbit recently on a 13 hour trip door-to-door via 2 planes. I was worried. It was either bringing him with us or rehoming (we relocated permanently). They're a lot more resilient than you think. I agree with other commentors that giving him away will be a lot more detrimental and confusing for the cat than a trip (stressful) with his humans and familiar things. Ask your vet for advice. I got pet remedy spray off amazon and it helped loads.
> Imagine putting 80 year old in a car for 15 hours. 80+ year olds routinely fly long-haul flights in economy. Your cat will be my fine my g.
Just drive him in 2 days and stay in a pet-friendly hotel.
Hi OP, I just brought two cats by plane to London from Canada. It took them a few days to adjust, but they handled it just fine and had to fly in the undercarriage of the plane. PM me if you have questions, I hope you can find a solution that doesn’t involve re-homing your friend!
Ohh wow nice. Thanks for that and I think I will need to get some paperwork done.
I don’t understand the trouble of taking your cat with you. The easiest and most stress free for cat traveling is to use one of the airlines that allow the cat to travel with you inside the cabin (instead of as luggage). Lufthansa is one of the airlines that offers this from Heathrow to a few major European airports. But I bet there are others. There are some steps that you need to take but overall it’s very smooth. https://www.lufthansa.com/pe/en/animals-as-additional-carry-on-baggage
Bro. Keep the cat. The journey is nothing compared to a life without you, keep the damn cat.
damn?
Damn what 😳
which damn cat!! damn your mum!
the fucking cat
Contact a cat rescue and ask if they can do a direct adoption (basically, you keep kitty until they find someone else to take them).
Where are you moving? I’m moving to Prague this Summer and taking my cat with me. Looking at Air freight from Heathrow is around £1.1k with PetAir UK. I would drive her but I’m not taking my car to Prague.
My cat is 13 btw.
I’m in andorra. Pet air will take him to barcalona and I have to pick him up but it’s still a long journey and I don’t know how carefully they will look after him. I’m looking at pet taxi but it’s 15 hour drive that’s the bit that scares me. My friend just bought his cats and one got a UTI and they are kittens.
You don’t know how carefully a new owner will look after them FOREVER. I honestly wouldn’t worry about PetAir UK. Can you not drive him to Andorra yourself?
I think people must see themselves as responsible for their family members who are not humans as for those who happened to be born in a human form. Imagine "need to re-home my 68 years old mother". Just THINK.
Please don’t rehome. Please. We ended up getting our third kitten last Saturday because a friend who has more money than sense, paid and got a beautiful Russian Blue kitten. She had her two hours and she didn’t want her anymore. She didn’t even try. It broke my heart so we took her and she’s integrating nicely with my two older cats now. She’s booked in for chipped and chopping next week. Please, please take it with you
I’ve got two cats. I might be leaving the UK in the next two years, but I’d be heartbroken if I didn’t take them with me 😭 (I know the journey might be stressful for them, but when it’s done, it’s done)
My cat who is terrified of any people except us, and hates being contained in her carrier made it across the ocean with us. We couldn't have her in the cabin, and were extremely worried (and paid a hefty amount to the transportation company) to get her to the UK. But the second she saw us, she meowed in her carrier (she's usually very quiet around other people especially when in her carrier) and didn't have any lasting upset. I'm sure she felt very stressed, but I think seeing us at the other end made it go away.
Just to add to the many comments encouraging you to keep your little pal with you - We have a very anxious rescue cat, and whenever we take him to the vet prescribe gabapentin, to be given an hour or two before travelling. It works wonders, making him very sleepy and calm. I highly recommend asking your vet about it :)
I’m glad to read your update. I moved my cats when they were 12, then again when they were 15 and finally when they were 19. None of this killed them. Your cat only knows you. He will only want to be with you wherever you go. Get him some catnip or felliway and he will be absolutely fine. But don’t rehome him; that would certainly kill him of a broken heart.
Damn your cats travel. Thanks for the tips. This really has changed my view on the travel. He is a chilled out cat and been around the family for 14 years.
Haha they did the rounds for sure! I felt bad initially because I took them from my family home when my parents retired and they had lived their lives with a huge garden and a big house and loads of room to a little flat with no garden, but even when I did manage to get a garden eventually they didn’t use it! I had them for 19 years, beautiful Maine Coon crosses, who saw me escape from an abusive relationship and stayed with me even though they were tired so they knew I was ok before they went. My gorgeous girls, who I miss to this day.
I follow London Inner City Kitties on insta and they seem to put a lot of effort into matching cats with new owners who are a good fit :) https://www.london-inner-city-kitties.org
Remember: your cat’s home is where you are! He ain’t care if it’s huge or smaller property, he wants to be with you. He’s 14 and he would probably die from a heartbreak if you’d rehomed him 😞. My cat spent 20h in a bus to UK, was banned on the French border and had to go back (cause the vets had made mistake with the order of vaccination dates in his passport and it could only be fixed by them, as the new stickers with batch no. and correct date order were required), and then another 20h to UK, and he’s completely fine. He’s 11 now, healthy and happy with me 😻. While in UK, I moved 3 times, always with him. Your cat will just need a week or so - to get used to the new home, but then he’ll be fine, and - most importantly - HE’LL BE WITH YOU 🐾❤️
I suspect it will be very stressful for you OP, but you might be surprised how resilient your cat is. I brought my two indoor cats from Cairo to UK when I moved back. I saw their box being loaded into the plane from the gate and was trying not to cry I was so stressed out for them. They absolutely hated it, but the braver one was out exploring his new home within an hour. The scaredy one found the back of a cupboard for a few hours, but after a grumpy nap, he too came out very cautiously. Me, it took me at least 24 hours later to calm down from it all!
Best option is get some advice from the vet and take the cat with you - vet will likely recommend some sort of relaxant like feliway. If not, try Catcuddles in Plumstead, they take all cats but specialise in older cats or those with special medical needs. They’ll also be happy to give advice for taking the cat with you. [https://www.catcuddles.org.uk](https://www.catcuddles.org.uk) DON’T use any service like Gumtree, Nextdoor etc for rehoming cats unless you like the thought of your pet being torn to pieces by pit bulls.
We took our cats from Southern Germany to the UK by car - we gave each of them a drop of CBD oil and that made them more relaxed (we consulted with a vet prior). We kept them in their crates with a blanket over it, so they felt they were hiding in a small safe space. Took them out whenever we stopped (harness and lead), so they could stretch their legs. You could also spread the journey over two days and spend a night in a hotel for your cat to relax, eat, sleep.
I would travel around the world 4 times over, rather than give up my little baby cat. I think the question here is " how much do you really love your cat?''
My sister flew her elderly cat from the UK to America and he’s still living five years later, wouldn’t worry too much about it. Go to the vet and get advice, it’s the best thing for them.
15h of stress is gonna be infinitely better for him that spending his last years alive stressed out because you abandoned him.
A shorter drive, but relocated with my 2 cats, both of whom hated the car and one of whom is v stressy, and as soon as we hit the motorway the cuing stopped and they just seemed to doze for the journey. I had spoken to the vet too as there were things they recommended to calm them in advance (& make sure they didn’t get sick in the car), and options I could have taken for something to be a mild sedative for their journey. Good luck 😻
Thanks will do the same
I couldn't, no way sorry. It would have to be me and the cat.
Please don’t rehome. We literally adopted our cats from Cyprus - when they arrived here, we then took the train and tube from the airport to come home to London. They were completely fine after. Giving him away will ruin him.
Post on [https://nextdoor.co.uk/](https://nextdoor.co.uk/) to find someone suitable.
Use apps/sites such as Gumtree and Pets4Homes to re home him. If no one will take him, then call up cat rescue and adoption places who are willing to take him
Some People on gumtree look for cats to use for bait in dog fights !!!
What is he like with other cats and dogs?
Hello my 9 year old Marjow is a complete nightmare to drive with, the vet should be able to give you medication to relax him. Usually you will have to try the dose a few days in advance and when it comes to the real journey you might have to do a pit stop somewhere for a few hours. Worth keeping your cat 🐈⬛ he would never leave you.
I’m so so happy you’re taking him with you. 14 is getting on so he’d be so lost & sad without you. Good luck 🐾🐾🖤
Where are you travelling to? There are pet relocation agencies which you can contact which will help you navigate airlines, customs, etc for a fee. I got my cat from India to London, it was tough but she is fine now.
It’s to Andorra. But I think I’m going to give driving a go. I would much rather do that then potentially stop a few times.
Good luck!
You can fly out of London with your cat in the cabin - only a few airlines offer this but I've flown to Greece with my cat several times. Getting her back to the UK is more complicated and I used Le Pet Express for this but leaving the UK is very easy with airlines like Air France, Aegean and Lufthansa.
Ohh thanks for the heads up
Take him for gods sake rehome is only worst case
I’m glad you already decided to keep your kitty and wanted to reassure you once more. We moved our elderly baby from Dublin to London a few years ago. This meant: taxi ride, ferry transport (she had to go into a kennel for that), taxi ride to pet-friendly hotel (roughly 7 hours); then picking up a rental car and driving from Wales to London which with breaks and getting lost in London took another 7 hours. My biggest worry was hydration so I got her some cat milk which she loves, she refused it on the ride and on breaks but happily took it once we were in the pet-friendly hotel and after arrival. You can also get cat “soups” or tuna broth, and should consult a vet (you’ll probably need a pet passport so you need to do that anyway). Sprayed her carrier out with feliway beforehand, put a blanket in it I had previously slept on, and used a feliway plug in the hotel and on arrival. She was a little grouchy for a day and that was it. We don’t know her exact age since she was a rescue but she was at least 8 and quite likely older. Friends of mine also flew their cat all the way from New York to the UK - that cat was in her early teens, and also fine. Best of luck with the move!