Traveling with Cats

Right now I''m in FL visiting my daughter and her family.  For the most part it's good, but we do things differently and look at life differently.  Sometimes even our use of language is a bit different.  So we have some communication glitches.  This  time it will be only a short visit 3 weeks or a bit more if needed.  My grandchildren have finished the school year and are helping with some things around the house for their mom (as am I at times).   They are moving to another house and we're helping.It is an overwhelming task, but I'm pretty sure we'll get it done soon (before we head back to CT). My cats are home with paid attendants who stop in daily to feed  them and clean the litter boxes etc.  It isn't bad for a short stay, but expensive for a long visit (such as 3 weeks), but I love my kitties and bringing them with me would be rather stressful for them for such a short visit.  Most cats hate traveling in the car (although I have seen stories about cats who like it, even liking bus travel, but mine don't like any part of it and won't eat while traveling.  They seemed OK in the motel overnight though.,

The last time I visited my daughter was for 6 months so I brought the cats.  I flew them to FL, a
very expensive undertaking, but we took them in the car for the trip home.  We had 2 scares, both
were false alarms. I thought one was missing when we stopped at a roadside rest stop in GA. I was
terrified and despondent.  I couldn't leave without her. In addition it was a weekend so there would be no humane society workers available to try to trap her (using a "have-a-aheart' trap).  She is a timid little girl and would not have let anyone rescue her, but as it turned out she was in the cat carrier but with another cat and I couldn't see her behind him (both are white cats).  When I saw her finally I cried tears of joy. She was safe!!  The second scare was a cat hiding behind the dresser in the motel room.  We thought he had somehow escaped the room in the early morning.  We asked the housekeeping staff if they had seen a black cat and they came in the room and showed us one the
places where cats had been found, behind a heavy dresser, and there he was.  I think he might have
gotten stuck after he squeezed in was not able to get out.  That too brought tears to my eyes.  He seemed limp and drowsy as we tried to  gently pull him out which helped us not hurt him.  He
then purred loudly until we put him in the cat carrier.  The cats didn't eat or use the litter boxes
while in the car (we gave them the opportunity, but they declined - politely of course), but did
both in the hotels.  I was so happy and relieved when we got home with the cats - all 4 of them.
They remembered the house and location of the litter boxes and food dishes.  I thought that was good after a 6 months absence. But I don't want to travel with them any further than the vets office after
that trip.  Right now I do miss them very much and will be heading home soon.  Of course I will
miss my daughter, but  CT is my home.