Moving 1000 miles in 28 days need suggestions

Totally ADD - I think the move will be the most difficult for the animals, in particular the kitties - they are very teritorial animals and their surroundings mean everything to them. I have always kept mine indoors for the first week or few days until they really have the scent of the place in their mind as home. Don't know if that is necessary or not. Never had one run away or get lost either. But one cat, Tom Tuna, cried mournfully all the entire trip - his crate was right next to the dog, Nikki - a Norwegian Elkhound. Nikki tried hard to comfort him and assure him that he had been through this process before and it would all work out but when we got moved into a brand new home Tom Tuna found our bedroom closet and my wool lined slippers and somehow stuffed himself into one - it was a tight fit to be sure - and he refused to come out for a week - even to use a litter box. Don't know how he managed that - he must have gone into hiberation state - we tried picking him up, petting him, taking him downstairs, etc. but it was always an immediate run back to the closet. Finally he got brave and took on the great wild wooly world outdoors and then all was fine but it was a long time of worry for us. So just warning you - stay calm and cool - they do adjust. (In that instance we had moved from the quiet rurals into the noisy, smelly traffic ridden city.)

Another cat I owned who was Siamese called Hilda was a born traveler from day one. I didn't obtain her til she was about a year old but the lady that gave her to us just tossed her into the back seat with our dog - I gulped in horror not being sure what Heidi would do - another Norwegian Elkhound - but it was no problem. She curled right up next to the dog like a long lost buddy, and Heidi took it all in stride. The cat had been raised with a dog. But we took both of them on many vacation and camping trips. I marvel about it now cause I would never try that again. She found her place up on the large platform back of the backseat (a 50"s Ford as I remember) and rode happily everywhere. We would stop every so many hours for them to have a poop call - always kept Heidi on lease but the cat was not leash trained so we took our chances there. She was smart and would stay right close - never going near the busy highway and using the water drainage ditches for her business. Never took her long to take care of her needs - in fact she was better than the dog in that regard - then open the car door and she made a beeline for her spot. Strange places didn't seem to worry her. When we went camping she would stay right at our tent - we could hike for hours and she would be content - having lined up a few rodents for our inspection but pleased as punch about her freedom and new hunting grounds and quite ready also to welcome us back. I wonder now at how blase we were in our younger years.

But my suggestions which you probably already realize are keep the traveling in short spurts so they have frequent opportunities to use a litter box, and drink water. Otherwise crated is the safest method unless they are used to car travel. It has always seemed best to keep them all together - they calm each other in my experience. Take food they are used to along - trips are never a good time to try some new diet item, and they need time outside of the crate every evening to walk around and limber up. To travel straight thru the whole 1,000 miles will be too much to ask of them in my humble opinion. You and I could do it and think of it as "let's get this over with" but even 500 miles a day is probably going to be a major strain on them. The more days on the road increases your cost I know with motels, and meals - prepare for it. And then they need to be able to hear your voices and sense your presence with them even when in their crates because you are the only thing familiar at a time like that. Who am I to be advising you - a lady that has kept three cats going to 15 and another to 22. Mine usually make it to about 15 and 16 but that is all. They have always been outdoor/indoor cats with freedom to go and come on their own desire. But it sounds to me like you know a lot more about taking care of your pets than me. And I could just hope all yours are like my old Hilda. Then the trip will be a breeze. I will be thinking about you.

Oh and a PS - take the time to LABEL every box - makes unpacking so much easier. And don't try to fill every box to the top and use all avilable space. Make a box a logical assortment of what went in one drawer, or one cupboard. That makes the unpacking ever so much easier too. Costs a bit more for boxes but it is worth it when you arrive because those first days are always such a nightmare. The more organized you are the sooner the new place will feel like home and the quicker life will become normal once again. And keep a sane schedule - don't push yourselves beyond your limits of endurance - go to bed at a normal time and give yourself adequate sleep, and eat on a sane schedule. Everybody's much happier that way. Can you tell I've made all the mistakes in the book? LOL. Maybe this is what comes with growing old. I've watched my kids move like they thought they were supermen - and with a big family of five children. Oh Lordy - HELP! It would have made a great comedy skit if someone had been filming it. All the best to you in your new endeavor's - sorry I live on the West Coast or I'd come a visitin. Salty