menton1

Going to Fla for 5 weeks next February. Have 2 cats. Weighing the options between driving and flying. Money is not the issue, it's the cats' well being.

Long drive, 2 full days if pushing it, or perhaps even 2 1/2 days with 2 nights stayover on the road. LONG. About 1250 miles door to door.

Plane travel no bargain either, a full day with getting to the airport, going through security, the actual flight, and then getting to destination from the airport.

What to do? The pussycats themselves loathe car travel to the vet, they just don't like to be out of the house at all! Traveling by car in the winter has it's potential shortcomings, but airline travel is fraught with problems too.

Is a train an option? I hear that they are old and quite a slog.

What to do? Thanks.

CDTraveler

Definitely drive!

We took 2 cats to Florida a couple winters ago, and with careful planning, you and the cats can be comfortable at La Quintas in route. From Philly, we wanted a more relaxing trip, so we took 3 days to make the drive. Raleigh and Savannah were our stopping points.

If you read through this forum, you'll find a number of threads on how to make a safe road trip with your cats.

kipper

Definitely drive. Talk to your vet about taking the cats in the car if necessary, but I'd opt for driving. CDTraveler is an expert at taking cats on trips.

menton1

Hi-- but you haven't told me why driving is better. 2 stops is really a LONG drive!. I've also looked for LaQuinta along I-95, but they are not in NC by Fayetteville or south. Some other hotels say "dogs allowed". Do hotels prefer dogs over cats? (Cats don't bark!)

CDTraveler

Why is driving better for the cats?

• Less stressful overall. They might not like the car, but they'd like the airport, security and the plane even less.
• Let's not even talk about putting them in the cargo hold. The death rate there is too high.
• You can't sprinkle catnip in the airplane to make the setting nicer for the cat
• Cost: round trip 2 kitty air tickets likely would cost more than gas and motels, plus if you drive, no need to rent a car at your destination
• A properly managed car trip is far safer for the cats: no need to remove them from the carrier in open spaces and carry them through scanners (or risk them getting loose in the baggage system)
• Driving is less disruptive to their diet, and you can make sure they have water any time they need it. If cats are under any stress, it is crucial to make sure they do not become dehydrated.
• It actually can be fun to travel with your cats. :-)

You also asked about Amtrak: currently Amtrak does not allow pets on the trains.

Dogs vs. cats in hotels: other than at LQ properties, most dog friendly hotels do not allow cats. Odd, but true. Many dog friendly places also charge hefty pet fees (Marriott charges as much as $100 non-refundable pet "deposit" some places).

If you have 2 drivers you might make it in 2 days. We did it with only 1 driver, so we did take 3 days.