long journeys with cats and dogs.

No good vet will prescribe sedatives for a journey- just too dangerous.

We had no choice- when we moved from leics to Switzerland a few years back - with one overnight stop in Calais. Dog was on back seat and totally fine- we had done it several time with her. With Pudding (now 25, then 18) we had no choice- so we bought a large wire dog cage, as a cat carrier would have been far too small- that way she had her favourite blanket, her litter tray and dry food and water. She made a racket for the first 2 hours- then settled down and was fine.

But truly- may I ask why take the cat. In our case, there was no choice- but for a trip/holiday - much much better to let cat stay at home and get someone to look after him/her at home. We often lent our home to friends for a free holiday in exchange for cat sitting- and now my fab neighbour comes in twice a day- lots of cuddles as well as food.

Really, truly- just too much trouble for a trip. And please pay extra to travel on Tunnel and not ferry.

I don’t know if it would work with cats but out spaniel is anxious and vocal in the car.

We did some work with a behaviourist and This was what worked for us.

His cage is very slightly smaller than the one we keep in the house. When he goes in the car, the cage is totally covered so it’s dark. We have a special treat ( he loves his food) which he adores and he only gets it when he is in his cage.

We started out just putting him in the car, in the cage with his treat. Letting him eat it and getting him out again. We built this up to turning on the engine but going nowhere to a 5 min drive etc.

Now he can do a 2 hour trip with little vocalisation after all . I’m not sure how feasible it is with a cat but I can verify it’s worked for us :-)

I think fennel is moving to the UK?

We are experts in this exercise and have relocated numerous cats and dogs safely! I don't want to sound flippant, but the important thing is to remain calm yourself so the animals don't pick up on any anxieties.
You're right, the dogs get through the journey easily and usually lie down in the car and sleep. We chose not to visit them on the car deck during longer crossings because disturbing the dogs might upset them more. They were none the worse for wear after a 10 hour sailing, but we made sure we stopped straightaway after disembarkation to let them have have a wee. Of course we left a bowl of water with them during the voyage. I really don't think they have any conception of time.
Our cats have all taken trips overseas. If you can get an Air France flight the airline is brilliant because it allows the cat in the cabin with you in its basket. The only hassle is walking through the security blippers at the airport with the pet in your arms!
On the ferry our cats are kept in their baskets in the boot. One wailed solidly for hours but bounced straight out into mouse catching mode on arrival. The others make very little fuss. Once again, the only hassle is getting them out of their baskets at the ferry port to go through the checks. Speaking of which, make sure your vet can locate the chip before you travel and tell you where it it. One of ours couldn't be found at the last minute and the cat ended up having to stay back for an extra 6 months while we started the process all over again.
One of our cats was sedated because he was on 4 Air France flights in one day. The vet gave him a sedative pill to take and his eyes looked very weird, almost drunk-like. He was fine the following day.
Bon voyage!

Sorry Fennel- did not realise you are moving- so no choice, same as for us when we came here.

The large wire cage with plastic floor worked so well, and we did have a blanket on top to pacify our Pudding. Used to work with wildlife hospital in UK and we always calmed animals down with darkness. If only you lived nearer, I could lend you the big cage.

Going to Sout East- the ferries from Calais do not allow you to go to car decks during journey- so if there is a bad storm- animals will have to stay on own for 1.5 hrs- with the Tunnel- easy peasy, they stay with you in the car- a little more expensive but so so worth it.

If you need to break up journey, we always stay in a dog friendly hôtel in Calais, and we also took Pud's cage in with us- she was fine.

Plane companies do NOT allow any pets travelling with them to be sedated- as just too many died.

Our journey was t'other way round. 3.5 hrs to Tunnel, night in Calais then 8 hours on, with 3 coffee/snack stops. All our stuff went into removal's van, so our car was only for dog and cat and overnight bag.

I see now about sedatives - it was only for the cat really.
I wanted to ask the people who are buying our house if they would like to have the cat, but husband wouldn't hear of it.
We are going via the tunnel.
And I'm going to ask the vet to check our dog's chip well before. The cat's should be ok as we've only recently had it done.
Thanks for all the replies - it will be good when the journey's over.

We moved back from Crete with six dogs and five cats some went with a specialist company and the cats were in their cages for four days with no problems once in UK. One cat meowed all the way and a parrot which was also being transported was meowing too when he was handed over to his owners! Animals are very resilient, it is the owners who panic.

We moved here to Italy 9 years ago and brought our young German shepherd dog with us . She was as good as gold all the way from Manchester. We traveled via the tunnel and spent the 1st night in the car and the 2nd in an hotel in Switzerland. She whined for about 10 minutes at the start of the journey then settled down and slept most of the way!

I moved from UK to west Ireland on my own a few years ago with 2 older cats.
After the first 30 mins, I felt sorry for the cats stuck in their carriers (especially as one was constantly crying) and so let them out with access to a small litter tray and water bowl in the passenger foot well. My car was full of stuff as we were relocating and the back seat was full of boxes with a blanket draped across the top of it. The cats readily snuggled down on top of the blanket where they could see out of the window (black tinted glass) and spent the rest of the journey there, with no more crying. I stopped to feed them a few times and stopped off overnight at a B&B after the ferry journey as it was late and they stayed in the car. Each time I got out of the car, they didn’t seem bothered about escaping so I assume they were reasonably ok with the ordeal. It was early May so not hot in the car.

That sounds a good idea Craicon. As long as she doesn't try to escape. Perhaps we could do a dummy run.

Normal cat crates are too small-which is why we purchased a large wire cage that could accommodate her litter tray, food water and her bedding.

Letting them loose is just so dangerous- and here and in France would be illegal - not sure about UK.

A young friend from Brum who lives near me moved the week before Christmas - and she brought me her young daughter and cat to look after for a few days. She had an accident on the way here- and the passenger door flew open- both cats and daughter were fine- but imagine what could happen if. It just does not bear thinking about- so sorry Craicon- but that is terrible advice.

These are available from good pet shops, and Amazon too:

goo.gl/images/w99yh9

Checked for UK - illegal, can invalidate insurance and up to £5000 fine.

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/driving-pet-car-fines-restrained-court-nspca-insurance-policies-a8039566.html

Fennel when hubby went to far east to work, we had our pets (parrots) transferred by a specialist company, who collected them from our home and delivered them to the door there, they were fine. I urge you to try to find a company like that, it seems an awfully long journey, especially for a cat.

Over 40 years ago, when we moved from Lancashire to Lincolnshire, we travelled back every other weekend until our house was sold. We took the cat with us. At first we had one of those cardboard pet carriers, she burst out of it before we even got to the car! So we let her sit on the ledge in the rear window and she was quite happy for the 3 hour trip. We did have a toilet stop once after midnight at a Travel Lodge/Little Chef on the A1, we were parked next to a police car, they were a bit surprised to see Patch marching up and down the rear window ledge!

Jura2 - the guys at passport control didn’t have a problem with it as dogs can travel in cars without being restrained.
I’ve heard of other friends travelling with cats who let them lie in a comfy pet bed rather than in a cage without any problems so it probably depends on the animal.
Obviously in an accident, they’re probably safer in a cage but mine were definitely less stressed by the long journey.

40 years ago,people had kids on their lap and smoking fags in cars.

The Law has changed -did you read the link:

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/driving-pet-car-fines-restrained-court-nspca-insurance-policies-a8039566.html

as said, in case of an accident, it just does not bear thinking about- and if the pet is seen as the cause - insurance will be invalid and you could be sued for millions ... just not worth the risk, sorry.

Try the advice of covering the cat's travelling basket with a dark cloth, some cats do prefer it. Others become frightened if they cannot see the rest of their family. One of my earlier cats was all right as long as she could see me, but kicked up a dreadful fuss if she couldn't.

Our current two insist on being in the same basket, although there is barely room for them both.

One of my late cats was happiest sitting on my lap in a harness and lead, so she could not roam around the car and cause an accident. I don't think you are required by law in France to cage animals during transport in your own car, but check with the Embassy. On trains I assume that as long as they both are on leads and not lying on seats passengers will be sitting on later, they don't need to be caged either.

They don’t have to be restrained by a cage though. Just put a guard up behind the front seats, jobs done.

Sorry, just seen that it is illegal not to cage animals during transport in France.