Stress-Free Travel and Moving with Cats: Advice from Feline Behavior Specialist LeeAnna Buis

Ready to unlock the secrets to stress-free cat travel? In this episode, we dive into cat-friendly travel tips with Certified Feline Training and Behavior Specialist LeeAnna Buis, CFTBS, FFCP. If you’ve ever struggled with cat anxiety or wondered how to make car rides smoother, this is your ultimate guide!

LeeAnna shares expert advice to help you prepare for road trips and long-distance travel with your cats. From choosing the right cat carrier to setting up a cat-safe car environment, you’ll learn how to ease your cat’s stress and create a peaceful, cat-friendly travel experience.

Key Highlights:

• Reducing cat anxiety during travel – Practical steps for getting your cat comfortable with their carrier and car rides.
• Understanding feline instincts – Why cats may resist travel and how their behavior differs from dogs.
• Cat travel essentials – The importance of a cat travel kit, including treats, toys, and comfort items.
• Creating positive associations – LeeAnna’s expert strategies for using rewards and safe spaces to calm your cat.
• Long-distance cat travel tips – What to pack, how to plan for multiple cats, and ways to keep your cats secure during the drive.

Whether you're moving with cats cross-country or planning a vacation, this episode is packed with actionable advice on cat-friendly travel. We discuss preventing feline behavior problems during travel, acclimating your cat to car rides, and ensuring your accommodations are pet-friendly.

Don’t let cat travel stress hold you back! Tune in to learn how to turn your next adventure into a smooth, enjoyable journey for both you and your feline companions.

Plus, we’ve got resources and checklists from Preventive Vet to make sure you’re prepared for every part of the trip!

Listen now for the ultimate cat travel guide!

**Learn more about LeeAnna and Feline Behavior Solutions: Feline Behavior Solutions

Shoutouts

Quick Update: We’re taking a short break and will be back with a batch of fresh episodes starting August 10! 
In the meantime, binge your way through 100+ past episodes packed with pet-saving sanity—and maybe even solve that one issue that's driving you (and your pet) nuts. 
Catch up, take notes, and we’ll see you soon! 

Chapters

• 0:35 Traveling With Cats
• 5:24 Preparing and Traveling With Cats
• 11:57 Preparing for Safe Cat Travel
• 21:16 Traveling Safely With Cats
• 35:24 Tips for Stress-Free Cat Moving
• 49:30 Proactive Cat Care and Travel Planning

Transcript

Amy Castro: 0:36

After this summer's epic 1,672-mile rescue road trip taking Bonnie from Texas to her new home in New York, you'd think I'd be prepared for any pet travel challenge, but traveling cross-country with cats is a whole different adventure. In this episode, I'm joined by renowned cat behavior expert, leanna Bias, to unpack the unique challenges of traveling with cats and share essential tips for a calm, stress-free journey. From pre-trip planning to handling surprises on the road. Leanna's advice is a must for anyone planning to travel with cats, dogs or both, whether you're relocating or just road tripping. These insights will make pet travel smoother and easier for everyone involved. So stay tuned.

Amy Castro: 1:19

Welcome to Muddy Paws and Hairballs. I'm your host, amy Castro, and with me today is Leanna Bias, the Certified Feline Training and Behavior Specialist with Feline Behavior Solutions. She earned her certification through the Animal Behavior Institute and then she's also Fear Free certified. She works virtually with people all over the world who are having issues with their pets, including doing things like introducing pets to each other, soiling issues, fear issues and dealing with aggression, which are all things that are near and dear to my heart, because those are oftentimes the reasons that people give up their pets to rescues like ours. So, leanna, thank you so much for being here with us today. My pleasure. Thank you for having me Awesome.

Amy Castro: 2:00

So we're going to talk today about traveling with cats, and I really was interested in doing this segment because, first of all, I've never thought about actually taking trips with my cats, but I've seen a lot of videos of people that do travel, you know, and maybe live in a full-time RV with their cats, and I always wonder how that would work.

Amy Castro: 2:17

But I am planning a big trip with my four dogs and three cats and I'm already panicking about it. That's so many animals, I know. I know Now one of them. You know there is at least one amongst the seven that I can still hold out hope might be adopted before I actually have to leave, but that's still going to leave me with six of my own pets, so we want to make it as painless as possible. I think the dogs are going to be fine, but I really worry about how I'm going to manage that with cats. So that's why I wanted to talk to you today is how can I do this without driving my cats crazy? So, before we dive into the nitty gritty, how did you come to becoming a feline behavior expert?

LeeAnna Buis: 2:57

I was one of those people. I've had a cat in my life since literally the day I was born. I came home from the hospital. There was a cat there and I truly believed that I knew everything there was to know about cats. I you know, my friends called me the cat whisperer, and then I adopted a cat that I couldn't figure out. He had aggression issues, he was stressed. I couldn't introduce him to my other cats. Well, I just couldn't manage him. He was too much for me, and luckily, around that same time, I learned about the existence of feline training and behavior experts. Not a lot of people know that's a thing. You can get a trainer to help with your cat the same way you can with your dog, and so, luckily, I just happened to discover this as I was working with an amazing group called Preventive Vet, and so I hired a behavior consultant to work with me, and by the end of that call I realized that I knew nothing about cats.

LeeAnna Buis: 4:00

I realized that I knew nothing about cats. I honestly could see so many places where I had gone wrong. I hadn't treated my cats the way that I should have because I didn't know what I was doing, and after that call, I could see, okay, that was my fault, that was my fault, this I made worse, this I made worse. And so I felt a lot of heaviness and guilt about that and also I was just absolutely fascinated by all the things I learned. Cats are incredible and complex and interesting and I was not appreciating that about my cats. So I immediately looked into certification so that I could tell everybody all the things that I had learned and ended up actually working with the person that I did that consultation for. So it was Dr Marcy Kosky, who owns Feel and Behavior Solutions, is the one who did my consultation and then ended up hiring me. So now we work together.

Amy Castro: 4:51

Oh, great, great. It's interesting that we're having this conversation, especially today, because we just had two cats returned for behavior issues, for aggression towards the resident cats. Oh, it was interesting that these cats came from a multi-cat environment and yet were not adapting to a multi-cat environment.

LeeAnna Buis: 5:25

Well, and just the super quick answer just because cats are good with cats in one situation does not mean they're going to be in any situation. Right? Cats are designed not to like stranger cats. It's how they stay alive in the wild is uh-oh, there's a stranger cat that could attack me, kill me, steal my resources, et cetera? Right? So they're not designed to be buddies.

LeeAnna Buis: 5:47

And this is one of those places where cats are very different than dogs, because dogs can learn other dogs can be friendly. Dogs can learn other dogs can be friendly. Cats don't have that same kind of building block internally. So each time there's a new cat, there needs to be a new careful introduction to show those cats that they're safe together. But also there are a million things that can influence how well cats get along the way the space is set up, the resources around the space, the feeding schedule, whether they're hungry between meals, the kind of play they get, right. All of those things can impact how well cats get along. So if you go from a situation where it's set up really well into a situation that's not well-designed for two cats, they may have a totally different reaction to each other.

LeeAnna Buis: 6:32

Even the same cats can have a different reaction in different environments, but the good news about that is that there's a million things that we can do to try to help cats get along. Most of my work is introductions that are not going well.

Amy Castro: 6:45

We may have to do a whole episode on that.

LeeAnna Buis: 6:47

It's one of my favorite things to talk about because it's the biggest struggle that people have and there's so many things you can do to make it better.

Amy Castro: 6:56

Yeah, we definitely need to schedule that, so we'll, we'll, we'll get on each other's calendars for another episode. Sounds good. Okay, so back to. So back to moving with cats, or traveling with cats. What would be one of the biggest starting mistakes that people make when it comes to putting the cat in the car and off we go. Yeah.

LeeAnna Buis: 7:13

Assuming that cats are like dogs putting the cat in the car and off we go. Yeah, assuming that cats are like dogs. You know, my biggest fear with people who travel with their pets is that they're not prepared for the worst case scenario, and this is one of those instances where I think my innate desire to overplan is helpful, because cats are very different than dogs. Right, the most important thing you can know about cats is that, even though we call them domesticated house cats, we did not domesticate cats. We just let them come inside, right, wild cats moved in and we let them, but we didn't do selective breeding like we did with dogs. So the cats in our houses are not that much different than their wild ancestors were, which means they have the same needs, they have the same instincts, they have the same reactions to things that a wild cat might, right.

LeeAnna Buis: 8:09

So a cat who is in a new situation or a potentially scary situation is going to react very differently than a dog would, and I should say I'm not a dog expert, I just have had them and love them. Yeah, but dogs are more inclined, when they're scared, to look to their people for guidance. Cats are fight or flight, right, they are going to get the heck out of there, and if there's something standing in their way, they're going to fight their way through that thing to get the heck out of there. So there can be really big reactions to the different elements of a road trip. That can be scary or intimidating for a cat, and so you want to be prepared for all of those so that you're not suddenly in a situation where your cat is gone on the side of the road in Kentucky. Yeah, so really just understanding cat nature is very different than dog nature and you have to plan very differently for those trips.

Amy Castro: 9:06

Yeah, I never even thought about that. I mean, and that's such a profound and very foundational point about cats, because you know, I remember when we moved just 20 minutes away from our previous house to this house and we moved our cats and I thought they're going to be fine because it's all our stuff that's being moved over here and granted the car ride. I know that the car ride nobody generally enjoys, but that when they got here they would be fine. And I remember our one cat Pinny Pinhead is his name because he's got it's not really his name, he's got another name but he gets called Pinny Pinhead because his head is kind of disproportionately small to his body, but he's just kind of a little funny looking but he's probably the most laid back, whereas my other cat, pickles, can look at the same ceiling fan she's been looking at for 15 years and be like, oh my gosh what is?

Amy Castro: 10:00

that I was like it's the same thing you've been looking at for 15 years. Anyway, I thought he would adjust just fine and he spent almost the whole first day stuffed down the back of the sofa cushions, like I couldn't believe he was so freaked out by being in the new house. Freaked out by being in the new house. But that makes sense. When you look at it from the standpoint of the whole domestication thing is that he reacted just like a wild cat, would you know? Or when we bring feral or not even feral but borderline feral cats, sometimes when they come into the rescue and you know, they just go ballistic when they are in their new environment, bouncing off the walls because they don't know what to do with themselves.

LeeAnna Buis: 10:34

Yeah, exactly, and that's one of the reasons that cats can go from house cats to strays and survive. It's because we didn't breed out all of the things that they need to survive. But then that causes problems because we have animals living in our homes who are still programmed to be worried about coyotes jumping out of the closet and eating them Right.

LeeAnna Buis: 10:54

So it's a very different world when you think about cats through that perspective, and that's honestly one of the single facts that had the biggest impact on me was learning that, and it's one of the first things I tell every client I work with, because I think it just brings everything into clearer focus with cats.

Amy Castro: 11:11

So let's focus, and I know we could talk about road tripping and things like that and maybe, if some of that comes up along the way, but I think probably a more likely scenario for more people would be moving with a cat, whether it's across town or across the country. So what would be some of the things we could do? Just as an example, one of the things that I'm planning on doing is getting an RV and acclimating the cats to the RV before we even start moving it. But what could be some things? If I know I'm going to be moving X amount of time, how far in advance should I start prepping for that and what kind of things should I be doing?

LeeAnna Buis: 11:49

I think starting early is the best thing you can do. And I say started as soon as you find out you're moving, because there's so many elements that can take some time. You know you want time to be able to positively and slowly get your cat comfortable with being in a carrier or a kennel or whatever they're going to be traveling in. You want them to be comfortable with the car in motion. You need to think about what kind of setup you're going to have in the car. You know, if it's a short trip, a small carrier might be fine, but if you're going to be in the car for three days, you might want a different setup. What you're set up in the hotel or whatever your overnight accommodations are going to be. Any medical needs you want to plan ahead for. If you want to try calming or anxiety medication, you want to plan ahead for. If you want to try calming or anxiety medication, you want to plan ahead for that. So the earlier that you start planning, the longer you have to go oh my gosh, I forgot about this. Or to find the perfect carrier that fits in the backseat of the car or whatever it is.

LeeAnna Buis: 12:51

You also need to think about supplies, right, there's a lot involved. You've got what they're going to need in the car all day while you're driving. What they're going to need overnight, what's going to fit in those spaces, what kind of supplies are you going to need if they have an accident in the hotel room or in the car? So all of those kinds of things you want to think about. Another really important thing that people don't always consider is getting the safe space set up in the new home quickly when you arrive. Oh yeah, having all the things that your cat needs to feel more safe and secure in boxes that you can get to first off the truck so that you can get that space set up before they are out of their carriers and then deal with everything else that's going on. You want to think about your route and look up any emergency vets that are along the way.

LeeAnna Buis: 13:42

Have phone numbers ready in case of any emergency, so that you can make sure that you can get those quickly. You want to make sure that your cat's microchipped and that the travel information is updated so that they can reach you when you're traveling, not calling the home. You just left Things like having information in the car in case there's an accident or you step away from the car and something happens, so that people can get a hold of you or get a hold of an emergency contact to take care for your pet. Right, there's so many things that you're not going to think about if you wait until the last minute to start planning, so the earlier the better, in my opinion.

Amy Castro: 14:20

No, that's such a good point. I want to drill down on a couple of those things, like the very first thing that you mentioned as far as the carrier goes. I mean, that's such an overlooked thing in making you know we do it, and it's interesting because I know we do it with dogs. You know it's if you, if you plan on creating your dog, for example, whether it's overnight or when you leave or when people are over or whatever time you're going to do that, Most people do a pretty good job of the process of acclimation to it. Right, Make it a good place, Make it a safe place, the place that they get fed, the place that they get treats.

Amy Castro: 14:56

But yet, with our cats, those carriers are packed up in the closet and when you pull that carrier out, your cat suddenly disappears. Well, because nothing positive is ever associated with that carrier and getting jammed into it, right. So you know even something as simple as leaving the carriers out and maybe putting some treats so that they walk in and out of it. You know, as opposed to the first time they get into, it is when you're stuffing it in as the movers are coming in the house. You know it's.

Amy Castro: 15:17

Just think about what kind of scenario that creates for your pets. You know that's so huge. And the other thing was that moving box thing. I think that's so huge. One of the things that I've been looking at from a moving perspective is to have a box, you know, a human box, of what would be the essentials, whether we take that with us in the car or whether it's, like you said, the last packed on the truck. So it's the first that comes out of the things that we would need to get started, like a roll of toilet paper, a roll of paper towel, that kind of thing.

Amy Castro: 15:45

And so you know, maybe what we need is a human box and then a pet box with those you know, a couple of disposable, even if it's just disposable litter boxes, because you're planning on buying new ones when you move to your new place.

Amy Castro: 15:56

But having those things easily accessible and the microchip, I mean that's just such a huge thing. And I would say and I don't know what your feeling is on cat collars I don't have collars on my cat really been thinking about was harnesses with tags and possibly even getting them used to in advance because I've got time having leashes on those harnesses, because I have this humongous fear about I open the door, you know, and maybe I just the better habit would be putting the cats back in their crates if we were going to have them out at night before we open the door. But let's just say, by accident the door gets open and the cat gets out and it's got, you know, yeah, it's got a microchip if anybody ever catches it. But you know if it's got a tag or if anybody scans it. But at least if it has a tag, maybe that would be more likely, you know, quicker to get back to me that kind of thing. I don't know what your thoughts are on that.

LeeAnna Buis: 16:49

Yeah, it's. You know, so many times with cats you're weighing the positive against the negative and you just kind of have to pick one. I think breakaway collars are great. So a breakaway collar just means that if it gets caught on something, it's going to open up and release. A collar that does not do that, or a harness, while that gives you more control and also is less likely as you fall off if your cat escapes, the danger is that those things can get caught up, Caught up on stuff. Yeah.

LeeAnna Buis: 17:17

Because, your cat is likely to go over fences, into trees, under shrubs, where things can get caught, so there can be danger associated with it too. So there's two sides of that coin and if there's a leash attached to it then there's even more chance that something, it can get caught on something. But I definitely think breakaway collars are great. Even you know attaching like a tracking device, an Apple AirPod or something like that to the collar.

Amy Castro: 17:45

Yeah, that's a great idea.

LeeAnna Buis: 17:46

So that if they do get out, you've got a way to track them.

LeeAnna Buis: 17:48

I think is a genius idea. One thing to mention about harnesses and we may talk more about this later, so let me know if we need to come back to it but a lot of people have the idea that they can pop their cat in a harness and then it's just like walking their dog, and I just want to state for the record that no matter what the harness says, your cat can get out of it. Cats liquefy and they just go floop and they can get right out of any harness, I don't care what it says on the packaging. So, and when a cat is scared, their impulse is going to be get out of anything that's restraining them and get the heck out of there. So I know we'll talk about it a little more, but just be, don't rely on the harness is the thing that's going to keep you in control of your cat. It's not that way with cats. I've had my cat roll out of his harness multiple times just in our yard when we were walking and something scared him.

Amy Castro: 18:44

Yeah, so as far as you were talking about calming and things like that, that was the other thing that I was thinking about. It's like what could I give my cats and should I give my cat something while we're traveling?

LeeAnna Buis: 18:54

I think calming medications, prescription medications, supplements all of those can be great, with the disclaimer that I have no medical training whatsoever that needs to be the decision maker, part of the decision making team there.

LeeAnna Buis: 19:08

Keep in mind with things like natural calming supplements, cats can have very different reactions to those. You know I work with a lot of clients who use different calming supplements. I've tried them with my cats. Some cats will have a great reaction. Some cats will have no reaction at all. Just because it says it's calming doesn't mean that it's going to be calming necessarily for your cat. So you want to test those things. Same thing if you get a prescription from your vet. You want to test that stuff beforehand because you want to be able to adjust the dosage up or down. But also you want to know what to expect because you don't want to be worried in the car right.

LeeAnna Buis: 19:44

When I moved to Seattle with my three cats, this was way before I got into this business, so I didn't do a lot right and learned a lot of lessons. But I did do a calming medication, prescription medication, and I did test it a couple of days before. So I kind of knew what to expect. But the first hour and a half the person that was with me I had them like checking every 15 minutes to make sure cats were still breathing because I was just nervous. So using it a few times beforehand, so you know how they're going to react, is going to make it easier on you in the car as well. Okay, yeah, I think those things are fantastic. I would honestly, you know, as much as I would like to say don't medicate your cat. I would rather see a cat that's medicated and relaxed than a cat who's really, really scared.

Amy Castro: 20:31

Yeah, what are your thoughts as far as letting the cats loose in the vehicle, whether it's I mean, certainly not when it's moving but what about if? Because I, you know, I think I see these RV travel videos where somebody's living in an RV with their cat and the cat's loose and they percent because you have traveled many times with your cat.

LeeAnna Buis: 21:00

I'm going to say don't let your cat out of the carrier or kennel unless you absolutely have to. You know, in an RV situation it's a bit different because you've got a home space and you've got plenty of opportunity to get your cat back in the kennel. But I will say investigate that RV like your life depends on it.

Amy Castro: 21:17

Ah, that just popped right into my head, like where could they disappear to Exactly?

LeeAnna Buis: 21:21

They could end up in. You know, I was driving down the street one day and I saw somebody take a kitten out of a backpack and throw it in the bushes. So I had to pull over and try to rescue a kitten with nothing to put a kitten in, and so I got it in the car and it ended up climbing up inside my dashboard where there are wires and hot things, and that could have been really dangerous. So letting your cat out in the car scary for that reason. Also, you know, if you happen to not realize the window is down, or if they stand on the controller and they lower the window, or the person who went to get food comes back and opens the door and you don't realize they're coming right Any of those scenarios can be really dangerous.

LeeAnna Buis: 22:06

Plus then you've got to get your cat back into a confined space that they may not want to go back into, so you're amping their stress up again by kind of starting over, whereas if you just leave them safely in the carrier or the kennel they've settled in, even if they don't love it. By that point in the trip they have hopefully settled in and it's going to be a lot safer. And if there's an accident while you're driving it's going to be safer for them to be in the kennel.

LeeAnna Buis: 22:33

It's also safer for you as a driver to not have a cat moving around while you're driving and you're worrying about where the cat is and what they're doing.

LeeAnna Buis: 22:41

even if it's a long trip, I say keep them in the carrier. You know you can open it to give love and give food and give water and those things. Right, I'm not saying ignore your cat for the drive, but keep them secure. You know your inclination may be. My cat needs to use a litter box, they need to eat, they need to stretch their legs. A nervous cat isn't going to do those things, naturally anyways.

Amy Castro: 23:05

I was going to ask about that, like how big of a thing do I need to have a litter box in there?

LeeAnna Buis: 23:09

I think it's you know, ideally, if you can go with the largest kind of kennel that will fit in your vehicle, because that's going to give you room to make it more comfortable for your cat. They can stand up, they can turn around, you can maybe add a little hiding spot if there's room. You can add a little litter box if there's room. It all depends on the cat, right? I'm talking in worst case scenarios because I don't want anybody to be caught off guard, right, but your cat may be fine in the kennel the whole time you're driving. I just want you to be prepared.

LeeAnna Buis: 23:43

If they're not, and a nervous cat is unlikely to use a litter box, right, it's not like we need to take a break and let the cat use the box now while the dog is outside taking a pee break. Cats are not going to eliminate on cue, but also, a nervous cat is just less likely to use a litter box. They may not eat well on the trip, they may not drink anything while you're driving. Sometimes I double check with your vet, but, like, a cat can go a good day or day and a half without eliminating, without peeing, and they can be okay as long as it's not from a blockage. So don't expect things to be normal, yeah, and don't panic when they're not.

Amy Castro: 24:22

Yeah, well, and even when you travel with dogs when we took that dog, you know it was 1672 miles. We drove with that dog and she didn't poop for almost 48 hours, despite the fact that she was eating what about if you have like, like, I'm going to be traveling with three cats and they, they don't always get along. So my inclination is going to be to try to figure out a way to have them each in their own space. But you know, if you're talking about space to move around, to have a litter box, to have a hidey hole, I'm not sure how doable that is. Is it a bad idea to put them in the same carrier?

LeeAnna Buis: 24:56

Yeah, that's another tricky one A lot of it, you know I'm going to tell people you know your cat better than anybody else does. Lean into your gut instinct on things like that. Just keep in mind that when cats are in a stressful situation, they can react differently to each other. So, just because they're bonded doesn't mean that they're going to feel better in the same space. They may get nervous and that can lead to some fighting.

Amy Castro: 25:24

Yeah, so you might want to bring a backup crate just in case.

LeeAnna Buis: 25:27

Yes, that's perfect. Yeah, something smaller that you can get one of them into if you need to. But if they do well together, then I think it's fine to try them together. People may be surprised even like my cats, were terrified of being in the car when I made my trip out here. But I only used the medication the first day. The second day they settled in and just slept the whole time. But if you were just going to the vet five minutes away, they would have screamed the entire time. Again, this was before I knew how to work on those things, so they may not be as stressed out as you think they're going to be once they get in and get settled.

Amy Castro: 26:07

Is it a good idea to take them on car rides before your big trip, or is that just increasing stress? If you do it, the right way.

LeeAnna Buis: 26:15

It's a great idea. So the idea when you're talking about getting a cat comfortable with anything that freaks them out carrier, car rides, nail trimming, anything like that is to start at a point where your cat is comfortable. Okay, so if they don't like being in their carrier, then maybe you start three feet away from their carrier. If they don't like driving in the car, then maybe you start sitting in the car with the car turned off. Right, you start someplace where they're comfortable and then you baby step up through the things that made them uncomfortable.

LeeAnna Buis: 26:53

You do it very slowly. You make it super positive. Right, treats, pets, verbal praise all the things they love are happening and the biggest advice I can give is avoid pushing past their comfort zone.

Amy Castro: 27:08

And how do you know when you've hit that?

LeeAnna Buis: 27:10

You're going to look at body language, you might notice little tiny things. You want to look for the smaller stuff when you can. So small things like fidgeting or that tail, kind of going from a leisurely swish to an agitated swish, the ears starting to turn, trying to look smaller, right, like they're getting nervous, they're getting compact. You know just general changes in their demeanor that show you they're a little less relaxed than they just were. Okay, that's your sign that that step is too much. You want to back up, because if you push past their comfort zone they put their guard up and they keep it up. Yeah, right.

LeeAnna Buis: 27:50

So if you baby step, super positive, avoid pushing too far. That's how you show a cat. They don't have to be afraid of that thing and actually it's a really good thing because they got good stuff the whole time it was happening. Yeah, now that can be hard in the car because you can only baby step that so much, right, right. So there may be a little pushing, but you want to try to limit it as much as you can and even if they don't love being in that space, if you can just take the fear out of it, it's going to be a lot easier on them.

Amy Castro: 28:21

Good point, because I'm envisioning a scenario. Let's say that I'm taking a. You know I'm moving across country, so it's going to be a multi-day trip. Is it better to push through as much as you can to make it? Oh, I went six hours. I want to now get them out of the crate or, like you said, maybe we're not going to be doing that, or moving that crate into a hotel room where now it's a whole nother. Strange sights and sounds.

LeeAnna Buis: 29:00

Yeah, I think you know again, there's no one size fits all answer. I'm probably especially if your cat isn't handling it well I would lean toward the power through. You know, taking breaks while you're driving I don't think is necessarily going to benefit your cat unless you know they're nice and relaxed. You know they just want to get out and move around in the car a little bit. They've done that before. You know it's's safe and you know they're going to be fine going back in their carrier. Then I say power through what you can. The overnight accommodations can be an opportunity for your cat to calm down a little bit, feel a little safer, maybe using the litter box right, because they're not in something that's moving and throwing them off balance and vibrating. But again, even in the hotel I'm not a fan of let your cat loose.

LeeAnna Buis: 29:49

in the hotel I like the idea of have a much larger pop-up kennel or enclosure that is big enough for a good size litter box and a nice hiding spot and food and water and they can move around a bit. But they're still secure Because the last thing you want is your cat getting into a vent system or something like that or, you know, climbing in that tiny hole under the sink. You know, you don't know what people have left. You don't know if you're going to be able to get your cat if they get under the bed. You don't know if they use, you know, rat bait and things like that. That could be dangerous. Good point, so safer, just to keep them in an enclosed, but larger ideally. And there's some great pop-up kennel like nylon pop-up kennels that can work really, really well. Give your cat lots of space. As long as they're not nervous and trying to get out, A pop-up nylon kennel is fine.

Amy Castro: 31:04

And that's something you could get in advance and put it in your living room and that way it's familiar. It smells like them because they've walked in it, sat in it, rubbed their faces on it. So, yeah, I would assume smells and smells that are familiar would be helpful.

LeeAnna Buis: 31:17

Yeah, absolutely huge. In fact, one of the really helpful things you can do in the car, in the kennel, in the safe room of your new home, in the rest of your new home, is take something that your cat has slept on or fabric that you've rubbed the cheeks and shoulders of your cat and rub it around the space, because you're actually taking their pheromones, their scent, and you're depositing it around and that is very self-soothing. For cats to be surrounded by their own scent is comforting.

Amy Castro: 31:50

One of the things that I always worry, and I don't. I won't have to worry about this for my trip because of the time of the year when it's going to be, but when people are traveling in the summer or they're moving in the summer, cause that's often when people move what do you have to worry about as far as cats getting overheated or dehydrated, or is that kind of dependent on the length of the trip?

LeeAnna Buis: 32:08

I think it's definitely something you have to be careful of. Ideally, you want to be traveling in something with temperature control, having windows as your temperature control isn't ideal, obviously for safety reasons if your cat gets out. But also it's much louder, right, when a semi drives by when the windows are down. It's a very different experience for your cat than when the windows are up. The wind blowing on them can be stressful, right. It just leads to a lot of stressors. So heat and air is ideal. Battery powered fan clipped onto the kennel can be helpful.

Amy Castro: 32:45

That's a good idea? Yeah, because sometimes people don't realize that it might be cool up where you're sitting in the driver and the passenger seat, but if you've got your cats at the very back of the van in a crate, it could be quite warm back there, and so you really need to check that temperature.

LeeAnna Buis: 33:05

And there are non-electric cooling mats and heating mats for pets that you can use as well.

LeeAnna Buis: 33:07

Those can be helpful. Yeah, so I think those are the big things to think about. When it comes to dehydration, you know that's it's a tricky thing because cats are prone to dehydration anyway. Anyway, yeah, exactly, they don't have a big thirst drive because they are descended from desert dwelling cats who didn't drink a lot of water. So cats are already prone to dehydration and when you're driving they're less likely to drink normally anyways. So you may talk to your vet about if there are any signs that you should look for. That could be an emergency feeding, wet food, adding water to the wet food, feeding liquid treats, bone broths, things like that that are made specifically for cats. Those can kind of help encourage hydration if they're not drinking well, but they will eat.

LeeAnna Buis: 33:59

But that is something to be aware of.

Amy Castro: 34:01

Yeah, Well, and that's a good point too, is that you know, especially if you're going to be on a relatively long trip, I think a cat might be more likely to eat some canned food with a little water on it than it would a bowl of dry food. So if you're trying to keep things moving, keep the cat hydrated and fed and nourished, then that canned food's probably not a bad idea anyway.

LeeAnna Buis: 34:22

Yeah, and you know, start those things before you leave.

Amy Castro: 34:25

Yeah, exactly.

LeeAnna Buis: 34:26

Because you don't want to upset stomach on your drive. That's not going to make it.

Amy Castro: 34:28

Yeah, that's such a good point. I think we've kind of hit on some of the things as far as along the route. Are there any other hints or tips that you have, since you've done this kind of thing? Like I know, for us, when we traveled with Bonnie, we tried to stick to stopping every four hours. You know whether, whether we felt like she really needed it or not, or she act like she needed it just to get her out of the car, just to encourage her to go to the bathroom, and, trying to keep on some type of a schedule, we'd stop about the same time at night, fed her this about the same time of day, or is that kind of all out the window with cats?

LeeAnna Buis: 35:02

Like, do they need a routine? The day, or is that?

LeeAnna Buis: 35:03

kind of all out the window with cats. Like, do they need a routine? Cats love routine. Routine feels safe. Unexpected means not safe, right. So routine is great, but you're not likely to be traveling long enough to really establish a routine for a cat. So I would be more concerned about keeping your routine consistent before you leave, especially during packing, right.

LeeAnna Buis: 35:25

The packing process can be stressful for cats. So you know, just on that note, a couple of things to think about. Get a safe room set up for them before you start. Packing Smells like them, has their things in it, so if they get nervous they can be in that space. That can also be the space that they are secured away while you're loading everything up on moving day, and then that's the last space to get kind of packed up and moved out. But also when you're packing, when you get the boxes out, when you use that really loud packing tape, right Things that are likely to make a cat nervous, just make good things happen for them at the same time. It's literally as simple as I'm about to make a loud tape noise, I'm going to toss my cat a treat the first 10 times you use tape. If your cat gets a treat, they're going to feel a lot better about that sound and that's going to be less stressful throughout the packing process. Also, please be careful that you don't pack your cat.

Amy Castro: 36:17

Oh my God, yes, I hadn't even thought about that. But you hear and see stories about cats that seven days later they open the box when they get to California, or two weeks later and, surprisingly, many of them are still alive. But nobody needs that.

LeeAnna Buis: 36:33

No, that's not something you you don't want. To have to try to find your cat on moving day, that's not going to be good.

Amy Castro: 36:38

And it's amazing how many people's cats get out on moving day and it's like, why would you not have put them up? And I think it's because they put them in a room. But people are going in and out, especially if you've got movers or friends.

LeeAnna Buis: 36:48

Sign on that door, yeah, or lock the door if you can, yeah. Sign on it.

Amy Castro: 36:53

Yeah, do everything you need to do or put the cats in the crate, setting those crates up in advance in a place that's going to be somewhat out of the way and take a month or so for them to get used to them being there, and then just put them in there and close them in, and that way you don't have to worry about anybody getting in a box or getting out a door.

LeeAnna Buis: 37:10

Another thing that's really helpful to think about with that routine is play sessions. Play is one of the best things that you can do for a cat to reduce stress, to build confidence, and keeping those play routines intact even throughout the packing process is going to be a huge help in keeping your cat relaxed during that process.

Amy Castro: 37:34

Good point. Yeah, that's a. I think people think whether it's letting their dogs out in the backyard and they run around, that that's sufficient enrichment slash exercise. Or that your cat's got free run of the house and they run around, that that's sufficient enrichment slash exercise. Or that your cat's got free run of the house and they go up and down their cat tower. I just had the feather toy out yesterday morning and uh was, I've got a cat with no eyes, and then I've got a 12 year old cat and I've got an eight year old cat and all, all of them were playing with it. Um, you know, and it's just, I'm always surprised by the 12 year old cause she just seems kind of like, oh, I'm so above this. She's looking at everybody being stupid and young and like, oh, they're playing with that little ball, but boy, she loves that feather. On the stick, the bird, that's like their favorite one.

LeeAnna Buis: 38:17

Oh my God, that is my absolute. I recommend it to every person I meet who has a cat. The bird is the absolute best wand toy, yeah.

Amy Castro: 38:24

And there's a lot of feather toys, you know, on a stick. But the way that those feathers are put on that toy, that's why I like it for the blind cat especially Because I mean, yes, I can drag it across the floor and it will make noise, but that cat will follow a, fly through the house, smash it against a window and eat it, and so you know, that sound is what really gets her attention, and that little sound that it makes when it's new. Once somebody's gotten a hold of it, forget it, it's all destroyed. But in the beginning, when it's new and fresh, it makes a very distinctive noise and you can see her head follow, follow, follow it.

LeeAnna Buis: 39:13

So it's pretty entertaining to watch the three different ages and abilities and how they interact with that toy. But yeah, it keeps them from sm. Your cat is a predator. We didn't breed that out. So if you don't give them opportunities to hunt, they are going to find ways to meet that need themselves. They're going to be more stressed, they're going to be climbing the walls. They're going to be getting into things you don't want them getting into. So play that replicates hunting is one of the key factors in eliminating any unwanted behavior, reducing stress, even cat introductions. Play has such a big role in that. So it can definitely help make your move easier if you can keep that play going.

Amy Castro: 39:56

Okay, definitely, that's good advice. So you had mentioned, you know, the safe space on the front end and now we're talking about, okay, we've arrived at our new home. What would be your advice as far as what kinds of things to put in that safe room on the other end? I mean, obviously we want to make sure same rules from the front end that the cat's not going to be able to get out, you know, while the boxes are being moved in and things like that. But you know, beyond food and water in a litter box, is there other things that would help them acclimate to a new home better?

LeeAnna Buis: 40:27

Definitely yeah, and I suggest this for any cat in any new space. So you want a smaller room so it doesn't feel overwhelming. If possible, Basics food, water, litter box, toys, of course. But you also want to think about hiding spots, right? Even if it's just a box with a hole cut in it, or a chair with a towel draped over it, you want a hiding spot, at least one or two hiding spots.

Amy Castro: 40:55

That's such a good point, because you know, of course you're moving to a new place, right? So you're going to pick some completely empty guest room, preferably something without carpet, right and you're just going to throw the litter box and the cats and the stuff in there and they're going to be bouncing off the walls.

LeeAnna Buis: 41:08

Yeah, yeah, that's a good point.

LeeAnna Buis: 41:10

So things heavy with your scent comforters, a soft chair pillow, whatever you've got things heavy with their scent right.

LeeAnna Buis: 41:21

Their beds, their blankets, the cushion off the couch that they tend to sleep on, right this is all the stuff that you want in the cat box so that you've got it easily available when you get there. So the room smells like them, they have places to hide, they have everything they need close by so they don't have to venture out to get to things they need. Set all that up while they're still in their kennel or their carrier and then, when you open that carrier, open it close to one of the hiding spots and then and this is going to be the hardest thing for people leave them alone. Right, yes, your cat finds comfort in you, but in this situation you can be there and you can be giving verbal praise and things like that, but you bringing the cat out, trying to snuggle with them and trying to force play, anything like that probably is going to make them more anxious, not less anxious. That's good to know they need to feel safe.

LeeAnna Buis: 42:18

when they poke their head out of that carrier the first time, they may go straight to a hiding spot they may want to explore. They may hide for a week. They may want to see the whole house in an hour. You've just got to let them set the pace and just know that while you can be there and be a comfort, you cannot change their need to go at their own pace. So let them come out when they're ready, let them play when they're ready.

LeeAnna Buis: 42:45

They still may not want to eat or drink or use the litter box right away. So I would just say it's a good time to get in touch with your vet and say, hey, it's been this long. At what point do we need to be concerned? So you know, but really give them the time and the space to come out on their own. Tons of reinforcement and encouragement when they do right. Throw a little party the first time they come out of their hiding spot. You can leave treats around the room to encourage them. All of those things are going to make them feel more comfortable. But they also have to go through their pre-flight checklist of being animals who can be eaten by other animals who are in a new space.

Amy Castro: 43:26

Good point and what kind of like one of my biggest fears in moving because I am not taking the vast majority of the stuff. This has been a great time for me to pare down on stuff. I say to myself do I want to pay to move that? Do I like that enough that I'm going to pay to move that? And so I'm really getting rid of a lot of stuff, which means I'm going to be bringing in strange stuff and, as we have lived here in this house, when strange stuff comes in it, inevitably somebody pees on it.

Amy Castro: 43:56

I mean, it's just, and sometimes it's hard because we're we are running a rescue and so life is a bit chaotic for my animals anyway. I realize that, but I certainly don't want to get there, set up my safe room and then I buy new furniture and then, because I already know who's going to pee on it, it's the one with no eyes, she's the peer and that makes perfect sense because that's her way to identify her spaces If they don't smell like her and she can't see them it makes them extra scary.

Amy Castro: 44:26

Yes, I also have people say, oh well, my cat's never done this before, you know. Or when people will say they're having issues with soiling or aggression or something like that, it's like when did it started? What's going on in the house? It's like, oh yeah, we just moved into a brand new house. Well, that sort of explains why they peed on the counter, possibly, anyway, but what can I expect on the other end and what should I watch out for and how can I prevent it? I guess is even better question, thinking about ways that you can keep stress low.

LeeAnna Buis: 44:54

Routine play sessions, a little extra attention, making sure that if you've got more than one cat they're not fighting with each other, right? Those are things that are going to help keep stress low. Letting them slowly acclimate, right. So wait until they feel nice and relaxed and comfortable moving around their safe room, eating and drinking and using the litter box normally. Then crack the door and give them the option, when they're ready, to come out and explore other areas. Tons of positive reinforcement when they do so, they immediately know that good things happen. When they step out of that safe space, you can take again something they slept on right, something that smells like them. Rub that on new furniture, anything new. You can rub it at cat nose height along the walls. That's going to help them feel like they're in less foreign space. You know also if there were previous pets in the home you're moving into that can be a trigger.

LeeAnna Buis: 45:57

Yes, right, so spreading your cat scent around can really be helpful there, just trying to avoid forcing anything or pushing anything.

Amy Castro: 46:08

Yeah, Because I think sometimes people don't realize that for some cats I can see that process taking a while before your cat feels comfortable coming, especially if you move to a bigger place. That takes them longer to explore. So don't be surprised that they're not just their jolly old selves.

LeeAnna Buis: 46:24

Yeah, don't be surprised. Either way, they could settle in faster than you expect them to too. But yeah, you know there are a lot of things that you can do to help encourage right Rewarding, brave behavior, rewarding them coming out and exploring, rewarding them going from more nervous to more comfortable. This is also the kind of thing that a feline behavior expert can help with, because there may be a trigger that you're not even aware of. You know, maybe the safe room that they're in is the place where the previous owner's cat used to pee, and so it smells like another cat and that's scary. Maybe there's a stray cat outside the windows, that's a big one comes out to the window right.

LeeAnna Buis: 47:08

Maybe there's a dog barking next door, maybe they're in a room with the furnace and it's too loud. There's all kinds of potential triggers that an expert can help you find and address if you're not making progress. Also, keep in mind if you're moving into a really big space, sometimes it can be helpful when it's time to let them come out and explore outside their safe space, to kind of partition areas off so that it's not so overwhelming.

Amy Castro: 47:35

Like shut those extra bedroom doors, kind of thing.

LeeAnna Buis: 47:38

Shut doors, yeah. Or if you know, you open the door that they're in and it's a big, giant loft and that's intimidating. Take some of those boxes that you have and just make a little fake wall eight feet from their door. It's not meant to keep them in, it may just be, you know, a few feet of wall and then an opening, but it's less overwhelming because they're not seeing a giant space. They're seeing the eight feet in front of them and then, when they're ready, they can poke their head around those boxes and see a larger space. Right, so there are ways that you can break it into bite-sized adjustments if they're not doing well with the full adjustment, good advice.

Amy Castro: 48:13

So you mentioned obviously working with a behavior expert. At what point does somebody say this isn't working, or my cat's not adjusting, or you know this behavior has become intolerable. You know, obviously if it becomes intolerable then obviously you should seek some help. But like let's just say, for example, my cat with no eyes. So she comes out and she gets up on the kitchen counter and pees on something on the kitchen counter. It's like do I say, oh my gosh, here we go again and immediately jump on it. Or is there like a period of time where it's like, okay, maybe certain behavior is expected?

LeeAnna Buis: 48:50

I would say it's never too early because if your cat is having a reaction, there's something that can be done to help ease that reaction right. Everything a cat does they're doing for a reason. So if they're doing something that you don't want them doing or that you know you can tell is is from stress, there's always more that we can do to help rein that in and calm them down and address whatever is stressing them out. So if you feel like you've exhausted your capabilities, it's never too soon to reach out for support. What I would encourage on the other side of that is don't wait until you can't take it anymore. So many of the people that I work with. They are literally at the breaking point. Like this is the last straw and for their mental health it's not good, right, because it really damages the relationship between them and their cats.

LeeAnna Buis: 49:45

And this was the life that I led before I got into this business. I had damaged relationships with these things that I loved so much, because they were peeing on my stuff and they were fighting with each other and I thought it was them, but it was me. So if you wait until the last minute, it's harder on everybody. The more stressed out you are, the more stressed out the cats are, which is going to further whatever the problem is. But also, just from a selfish perspective, it's a lot of pressure on the expert that you're working with when they hear things like if you can't help me fix this. I'm getting rid of this cat.

LeeAnna Buis: 50:18

Yeah Right, you know I hear that a lot. If we can't, you're the last straw. If we can't fix this with you, we're getting rid of this cat. That's a really scary thing to put on the person you're working with, so don't let it get that far. If you know help is available, go get it. Make your life easier.

Amy Castro: 50:36

Sure, is there an element also of allowing something to become a habit? A hundred percent.

LeeAnna Buis: 50:42

Yeah, yeah, absolutely, and it's hard to break habits. Also, cats are incredibly good at forming associations, good and bad. So this is another one of those things that can really help you understand cats just generally cats, and especially introductions and scary things, because cats cats are instinct-based, right, fight or flight, they learn very quickly. This could be dangerous Mental note avoid that at all costs. It only takes once for a cat to learn that lesson and then, once they've learned it, you have to help them unlearn it. So, like a habit, it can take time to teach a cat. No, you don't have to worry about that tiger eating you when you step into the jungle. That tiger's not there anymore. Right, that's not an easy lesson to learn, yeah, so the longer those things go on, definitely the harder they can be to resolve. Doesn't mean it can't be done, though. Yeah.

LeeAnna Buis: 51:38

It just takes a lot more time and patience on your part.

Amy Castro: 51:41

My cat spent a lot of time in my master bedroom and my master bathroom and the one without the eyes. Much of her kittenhood was living in my master bathroom and then extending to my bedroom because I was concerned about her ability to navigate the house and concerned about the dogs and whatever. So it's interesting that she has never done any kind of inappropriate urination. And I have the nose. I have the nose. Like you would not believe, I can smell cat pee and it may take me a while to find where somebody did it, but I will find it because it's like I can smell it as soon as I get, you know, in a in a house, but she's never peed in my room.

LeeAnna Buis: 52:20

It smells like her. She feels safe there. Yeah, there are very specific reasons that cats will pee on things. It's either a medical issue, an emotional issue or a litter box setup issue. So if none of those things are present in that space, because she feels nice and secure there, she has her needs met. While there she doesn't have any need to.

Amy Castro: 52:41

Yeah, exactly.

LeeAnna Buis: 52:43

I think the biggest things to keep in mind are just don't assume you know how your cat's going to react good or bad, right Prepare for worst case scenario just in case.

Amy Castro: 52:52

Yeah, it's always better to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed.

LeeAnna Buis: 52:56

Especially with something like this where you could lose your cat right, you want it to be as safe as possible. Yeah, be as patient and understanding as you can in a time when you are already stressed out to the max. Just try to understand from your cat's perspective. This is a really big deal too. So you know they may talk the whole trip and you may want to pull your hair out, but do your best to try to stay calm and patient and understanding. Lots of safety precautions, plan ahead, start early and I think it's helpful to mention, just because we've kind of talked, you know, sort of all over the place here.

LeeAnna Buis: 53:34

I think, amy, the way you actually found me was the article on preventive vet, which is why I wanted to mention them. I do actually found me was the article on preventive vet, which is why I wanted to mention them. I do some writing for an amazing group called preventive vet, preventive vetcom. They provide tons of completely free training, behavior, incredible health and medical articles, all written and reviewed by veterinarians and behavior experts. So they're a really fantastic resource for any dog or cat parent. But there's an article there that goes kind of step by step from beginning to end of things to keep in mind when you're moving. So for people who need a little bit more of a kind of a checklist, a checklist yeah exactly, yeah, that can be a good place to look.

LeeAnna Buis: 54:19

Perfect yeah, that can be a place to look. Perfect yeah, there's also articles there about carrier training, getting comfortable in the car, all of those kinds of things, so that can really really help if you're trying to plan ahead for your trip.

Amy Castro: 54:29

Yeah, if you've got that luxury, to plan for it for sure and don't wait till the last minute, that's. You know, that's one of the things with moving in general. I think the more that you plan for things in advance and don't make assumptions that you can do stuff at the last minute, it's probably better, because nobody needs that. Even if you could do that at the last minute, nobody needs the stress, right?

Amy Castro: 54:49

So if you can start, a process, now go ahead and start it, and when you're talking about an animal who already has issues with acclimating to change, then the more lead time you give them, the better off things are going to be for everybody involved.

LeeAnna Buis: 55:03

Definitely. You know one thing. We didn't mention that we probably should. If you're staying in overnight accommodations, just because they say they are pet friendly does not mean they are cat friendly. A lot of places will say they accept pets, but what they mean is they accept dogs. So you want to call ahead and have reservations. Don't plan on finding a place on the road, because that could really leave you stressed out or trying to sneak your cat in which you don't want to have to do.

Amy Castro: 55:31

Yeah, well, and obviously it's hard to plan for everything, but, yeah, it's better to, especially when you've never done it.

Amy Castro: 55:37

Yeah, but that's why we've got the benefit of number one listening to this podcast, using some of the resources that we'll link. I mean, there's so much information out there that you just you have to look for it. But I think, thinking through the process from the time that you decide you're going to move or take the big trip or whatever it might be, to the time that you arrive and your pets are fully acclimated if you just kind of ask yourself and then what's going to happen, and then what's the next step? And what's the next step If you kind of walk yourself through that process, like putting them out in the car, how am I going to get them in the car? Am I going to step on before you actually step on them? But definitely definitely want to do some homework and do as much pre-planning as you possibly can. Well, leanna, thank you so much for being here and sharing all of this great advice. I feel slightly better about the whole process.

LeeAnna Buis: 56:34

I have a unique gift of making people feel both better and more paranoid at the same time.

Amy Castro: 56:40

Well, you know you want to have a balanced expectation, Like you said. You know we said be prepared for the worst, and then you can be pleasantly surprised, appreciate all the advice and information and, for everybody that's listening out there, you know, make sure you take advantage of the resources that are in our show notes. If you're like I said, you're traveling, you're going to start traveling with your cats or you're making a move, taking at least some of these steps are going to make it a lot less stressful experience for you and your cat. So check out those resources and thank you again for listening to another episode of Muddy Paws and Hairballs. We will see you next week.

Amy Castro: 57:14

Thanks for listening to Muddy Paws and Hairballs. Be sure to visit our website at muddypawsandhairballscom for more resources and be sure to follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app so you'll never miss a show. And hey, if you like this show, text someone right now and say I've got a podcast recommendation. You need to check the show out and tell them to listen and let you know what they think. Don't forget to tune in next week and every week for a brand new episode and if you don't do anything else this week, give your pets a big hug from us.