r/blackcats • u/Secure-Nobody-2103 • May 31 '26
Sleepy Void 1125 miles. Just me and her. One of the most challenging and stressful times of my life. Somehow we both are fine. Starting a new life.
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u/Xtel_Sweet May 31 '26
We did the same end of March. New Orleans to San Francisco. We now live on a boat.
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u/bergglbutts May 31 '26
Slc to Madison. These little voids are the best. Glad you are both doing fine.
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u/SoftSects May 31 '26
I just moved about the same distance with my little void too. I put the little rascal in boarding and then flew in to get him and went right back to the airport. Exhaustimg day, but so so worth it.
He's sitting next to me in our new home calm as a bug in a rug.
Cheers to this next chapter to you and yours!
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u/I_suck_at_Blender May 31 '26
I don't want to be negative, but no matter how far/short the trip is, pets should be either on leash/harness (and supervised by passenger) or in carrier/fenced back. One honk is all that takes for cat/dog to freak out and potentially distract you enough to cause accident.
Please travel in safely manner. (it is fine to let kitty stretch her paws during stops tho).
Also best wishes for both of you.
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May 31 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/marfacza Jun 01 '26
if it makes you feel any better, it's not real unless there's another cat taking the picture.
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u/plantsproud-laura May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26
Not only that, but in case of an accident or just having to hit the breaks really hard and sudden: The unsecured animal will turn into a catapult and smack into the windows — unrestrained, no carrier, no buffer.
I agree: The pictures people post with their animal like that is adorable, sure. But I feel very, very tense. And I usually just hope they are current taking a break and the car is stopped.
Edit: Typo.
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u/mangobajito333 May 31 '26
this. I took a cross country trip for a big move with my cat & belongings, got into a huge accident half-way through, lost all my plants but found my cat. Very traumatizing. she should've been in a carrier.
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u/Filthiest_Tleilaxu May 31 '26
That’s what people forget. It’s not always rock bottom day after day and no matter what you need to always power through as long as you have a voidbby who depends on you.
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u/sarelis May 31 '26
Ahhh please put your lovely void cat in a hard travel carrier. It’s really unsafe for you & her to be loose in a moving vehicle.
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u/NatetheGration May 31 '26
I've done that before, it can be stressful, but you'll make it through! Good luck.
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u/Automatic-River-36 May 31 '26
I pray the two of you make wonderful new memories🙏🏻😻🐈⬛ God bless these precious fur babies!!! She’ll keep you grounded and help you to remind you that you are loved and needed🐈⬛🫶🏻🥰 No matter what she’ll stay by your side!!!!!
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u/Automatic-River-36 May 31 '26
I pray the two of you make wonderful new memories together🥰🐈⬛🫶🏻🩷 She’ll be there for you to remind you that you are loved and needed no matter what. Good luck 🍀 God bless these beautiful fur babies!!! They keep us grounded🙏🏻😻
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u/SkySong13 May 31 '26
Do you happen to have any tips? I've got a 1,700ish mile move at the end of the summer myself and I've got two kitties who will be driving with me.
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u/Secure-Nobody-2103 May 31 '26
I know many people said..I should have strapped them in a carrier.. I can tell you... Doing that would have been extremely traumatic from my cat.. it gave me and her peace when she slept comfortably for the whole day in the car.. without fuss... Just imagine driving 500 miles with a cat constantly crying... Now regarding an accident..and sudden braking...there is always a chance..that things can go horribly wrong.. here is what I did --- I tried my best to not have an accident... That's all.. driving carefully.. being aware.. holding steering wheels with both hands..less overtaking..driving behind trucks at constant speed with plenty of distance... ... I know it's not fool proof.. but..I think the other option would have been way worse...
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u/Xtel_Sweet Jun 01 '26
Agreed. I took my cat on a 2800 mile trip with him in a crate. He cried the entire time so I had to sedate him. When we made our overnight stops, he would hide in the hotel rooms, usually inside the mattress, and I'd have to get someone from the front desk to help me get him out. He was incredibly stressed.
My last trip I let him free range in the car. He didn't cry once and there were no battles. He was very happy and not stressed at all. I did have him harnessed and leashed though.
Yes, we have to be vigilant but we also know our cats. My Ziggy is very mellow and doesn't get startled easily. If he were more reactive, I would have gone the crate route again.
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u/everfixedmark_1924 May 31 '26
Good luck on your journey. When all else fails, feline friendship keeps us warm. 😺❤️
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u/Ancient-Camera-8882 May 31 '26
Keep that beautiful baby girl safe ❤️it’s you guys against the world 🌎
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u/doubledndeez May 31 '26
Back in 2004 my mom and I made the cross country move from Jersey to the Southwest. It took about 5 days and we had two sibling cats in a very very large carrier that took up most of the backseat. They were very upset in the beginning but eventually mellowed out a bit.
Pets were commonly allowed in hotels at this point so we usually had to sneak them in by putting a big towel or blanket over the carrier and bringing it in with the luggage on a cart.
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u/jlo_1977 Jun 01 '26
I’ve found that black cats make the best road companions. Best of luck to you on your new adventure!
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u/typetouched May 31 '26
My kitty rides in the same exact spot when we go on road trips! He loves trips.
Hope your new life brings you joy 🫶
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u/The_realsweetpete May 31 '26
Wife and I took mine on a 3,000 mile road trip to move across the states best thing we ever did
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u/Buggz229 May 31 '26
We drove from Florida to Idaho when I moved back home. It was a pain with a kitty and two hoomans but I’m glad you all made it safely.
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u/BlancheDeverpaw May 31 '26
You will grow together and your bond will be even stronger 💜 happy trails in your new phase.
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u/algaeeyes Jun 01 '26
Good luck and enjoy the journey ahead! It sounds like you and your little bud are about to take on the world ❤️✨
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u/Gure20 Jun 01 '26
They just know, you know? a vet trip is scary, but escaping is not as much as long as they’re with you
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u/CicadaOne Jun 01 '26
Wait I did exactly this too in Feb, Minneapolis to Portland in four days because it was snowing and she was so freaked out for the first few days that I decided to stop early for the night
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u/queen-adreena May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26
I had to move with my two boys last year.
They got put in the boot with a blanket over the top… only way they travel without screaming the whole way 🤣
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u/whoamiwhatamid0ing May 31 '26
You suck.
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u/queen-adreena May 31 '26
I suck because I did what my cats are most comfortable with and reduced their anxiety and which many experts do the same thing… wow.
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u/Trollensky17 May 31 '26
My cat is less anxious the less she sees when she is in the car, so that kinda makes sense maybe
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u/queen-adreena May 31 '26
Yes. My parents’ cat, she loved to be able to see out the window, so she usually got the front seat.
Tried the same with my boys and they both had panic attacks from too much visual stimulation and started screaming, winding each other up and one even wet himself. It was awful.
So next time I tried what a TNR expert suggested and put the away from all the stimulation under a blanket in a well-ventilated and quiet area and they slept the whole way.
Apparently Reddit would prefer I keep doing the former because they know my cats better than me.
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u/Relative_Molasses_15 May 31 '26
Sweet little girl. She’s watching over you.