Wow! You're a brave, brave woman.

When I thought about moving back east, I was going to drive with my cats.

Here are some of the tips I found:

Make sure you update your cats shots and get a health certificate. In some states, you might have to prove that your cats have been vaccinated.

Practice driving the cats around in the car. The more they get used to something and get rewarded, the better they'll be for the long haul, hopefully.

Have collars and tags for each of them

I flew with my cat and had a sedative in my pocket ready to go. My vet at the time told me that sedating him should be the last resort since with cats you never know how they will react. Some get louder and more worked up. I think it's an individual thing. It seems like you know how your cats will react.

www.geocities.com/Heartland...0/cat_car.

Best of luck.

When I moved from the Midwest back to California last November I had both my cats in the cab of a budget rental truck with me, with my car in tow. I went by myself, and it wasn't too bad.

You just have to make concessions for the cats. Remember that the first few hours are the worst and the most stressfull for them. Stop often. I drove for about an hour and a half, stopped for a half an hour, and pet them, chatted with them, and let them know that I was there for them. Then I drove for another 2 hours and did the same thing. After the first stop they chilled out a lot. The youngest one freaked out the entire first day, so I made a little hiding place for him in the cab, behind the passenger seat. This seemed to help.

There is an all natural supplement that pet show owners use called Rescue Remedy. You can get it at your local whole foods store or any place that sells all natural supplements. It is a liquid and can be put in their water.

In the cab I had their litter box in the passenger foot area. Their carrier was strapped into the passenger seat with the door facing me so I could monitor them. After the first half of the day, I left the door off while I drove. My eldest sat in my lap for the next few days, and when I stopped I would put them back in the carrier. By the last day - the whole trip was four days - my youngest was sleeping on the dash board, the eldest in my lap, and they were using the litter box regularly, and eating regularly also.

Every night I stopped at a pet friendly motel, and set up the room before I brought them in. I showed them the litter box first, then the food. You can also buy a spray called Feliway that will comfort them in each new environment. It contains kitty pheremones, so they feel as if they have been there before.

You will have to sacrifice your needs for them throughout the journey, so prepare yourself for that. They will need all your attention and coddling.

If you have any other questions, feel free to send me a message personally. I just made the same journey you are about to make, so I can give you travel info too.

Elizabeth