Pooping in the Car

shlanon · Mar 22, 2004

Well, I thought that Justin pooping while in his carrier during a car trip was a fluke one time thing when it happened several weeks ago. But I guess not.
He pooped on the way home and on the way back. When going back, I know he had pooped in his box only a few hours before we left. I think riding in the car is becoming more stressful for him. It's weird because it seems like it only bothers him when I am actually putting him into the carrier, when we go out to the car and for the first 15 minutes or so in the car. After that he seems to settle down and he seems to enjoy his time at my parent's house. It also seems odd that this wasn't happening in the first few trips I made with him, but now it is.
But anyway, the pooping is a problem, since we have to stop and clean out the carrier each time. So I guess from now on I am going to hire a pet sitter when I am gone for the weekend. Now I just have to find someone.
It's kind of a shame, because Stormy is so good with car trips, but I guess Justin gets stressed by them.

It looks like their next car trip (if I can help it) will be in June when they go to stay with my parents while I'm off getting married and honeymoonying.

Wayne · Mar 22, 2004

Shlanon, congratulations on your up coming wedding.

Do you provide a litter pan for Justin? I have seen some cats actually hold their poop until they can find a more suitable place. I am thinking that Justin has had to poop in the past, but is just now becoming familiar with traveling in your car so that he will poop in his carrier. Traveling is usually a stressful experience for most cats. Generally, I have found that they will hide somewhere in the car or carrier so they won't have to see all the scenery go by.

As for pooping in his carrier, if it is large enough, place a litter pan in there for him. I'm sure he will use it. Or perhaps you could consider getting a larger carrier for Justin, one that will accommodate a litter pan. Pet sitters are OK, provided you can find one who will do more than what is minimally required of them-at least, this has been my (negative) experience with them.

shlanon · Mar 23, 2004

His carrier isn't big enough for a litter box. I'd like to get a bigger one, but with the size of my car, it just won't work since I have to have Stormy in there also. Maybe someday I will have an SUV or something bigger where I could get a large crate to keep both the cats in.

Even if I could get him a litter box, he tends to fling litter everywhere and we'd have to stop once he pooped. The smell is just too rank to stand for more than a couple minutes!
I wish I could find some way to make him go before we leave! These past two times he pooped within the first 10 minutes of the 5 hour trip.

ospunkyo · Mar 23, 2004

I had a cat who developed this behavior also. Same thing - within the first ten minutes of the journey, except after pooping, he'd also throw-up, and then INSIST on being let out of his carrier. Which, of course, we let him.

I think it was the stress of being in the car - so overwhelming for the senses. We tried avoiding the carrier, using instead a leash and having him sit on my lap, but that only ended up with me covered in the stuff.

Even at the end, when he couldn't poop anymore (sad) and we were bringing him to the vet to try and help him, he tried to poop and vomited, and then sat purring on my lap for the rest of the ride.

You could try taking away his food the evening before you go anywhere- like they say to do before surgery - so his tummy is empty.

We ended up working it - we anticipated the mess, and brought along several extra towels to swap out the padding in the carrier and some plastic bags to hold the soiled ones. That, and opening the vents to let in fresh air, was my solution.

Pooping in the Car

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