first and foremost, keep them caged. you do not want a kitten underfoot while driving. stop every 1-2 hours for fresh air.

honestly i would not get them fixed before driving so far, surgery takes a lot out of an animal and add to that the stress of 9-10 hours travel, i just wouldn't do it. it might make them puke, or have diarhea in the car, not pleasant.

Yeah that's exactly what I was worried about. I was only considering because here at home we have a great low cost spay/neuter clinic here and I've had experience with them before. It looks like I'll just have to see if I can find a similar program in Sarasota then.

Thanks for the advice <3

hum my aunt lives in paris and she has traveled back to portugal with her cat and they used to come by car.

you could let them be free and if you got space try to get a little pet cage like this one -http://user.img.todaoferta.uol.com.br/3/1/RJ/XGKMKK/1197395487998_bigPhoto_0.jpg

since they are kittens the cage can be a small one, inside the cage just place a little bowl of water and another with food and the floor of the cage with journal paper or something like that, my aunts would let the cat stay free and at night or whenever they needed to they would put her in the cage. a trip by car from paris to portugal is like 2 days and the cat was just fine so im guessing 9 hours wouldnt be hard on you kittens under these conditions

thats my advice ffffff

Wow 2 days? That's amazing 8(

Also that cage is wonderful, I would love to get something like that for them. The only downside to it is that I'd have to..keep it in the car all the time. That and it would be pretty hard trying to switch them out to different carriers without anyone taking notice jhgsd

That's why I'm looking more into the tote-bag looking carriers, they look just like regular luggage |D

and yeah i dont sugest getting them fixed either before a trip, they get weak and tired after sirgerys it would make the trip a hell for them

Whoa. Sarasota? :o

I live about 45 minutes south of Sarasota. And a large group of us are going to Livingston's this Saturday at 5pm. :3

As for the kittens, yeah. Don't neuter/spay them beforehand, the stress can actually make things worse.
Make sure that their cage is comfortable and that thy have things to play with, since they're kittens and all. And constantly keep your eye on them, also makes sure you give them plenty of water and breaks as well.

Kittens are cute~ What kind are they?

Yep! I go to college there. What's going on at Livingston's?

Ah, yeah I'm looking up cages right now. I'm trying to figure out would it be better to get them one huge cage to put the both of them in or two seprate cages. That and I'm looking at the more tote-bag looking cages because they can be easily mistaken for regular bags and luggage..which would be just perfect for my situation haha. I'm also looking to get harnesses and leashes for them as well so I can let them take a breather every now and then when I take a break myself.

Oh and they're ragdoll kittens c:

Cuuuuute.

There's a fur meet going on at Livingston's this weekend at 5pm. Saturday, that is. We might, if the under agers have to go, move to Witness Cafe .. but I don't know. Whatever happens, happens. :D

You wouldn't happen to be attending RCAD would you?

Yep, I sure am C:

Depends on the cats. I've had to move from NC to Orlando, FL and back and my cats were only a few months old when I first moved. They were pretty well behaved through. But they decided that they HAD to sleep on my lap xD; So it was kinda distracting if one fell off or something. Probably should just keep them caged for the trip if they are okay with cages. With the heat we've been getting, probably in an area they can get air from the AC. And whenever you stop just give them a little bit of water. Thats about it. If you have room for it, a litter box. Kittens go a lot and if they go in their cage.. Yeah its like a kindergarden's finger painting class

I was hoping that maybe if I take their food away around midnight and dont feed them until I get to Florida, that would sorta fix the bathroom problem... though however I am getting leashes and harnesses for them, so I'm hoping when I let them out for a breather they can go as they please. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to judge how this will go when I go pick them up this weekend..

Well, the last time I moved with my two cats the driving time took us 4-5 hours and both of the cats have gotten a quarter of a sedutive tablette from the vet. This way they were quite relaxed while we were driving. But my ex-bf and me only chose that way, because our cats were always not amused in their transport boxes. It depends on the cats personality.

Gah I cant really judge their personality as of yet, I wont find that out until I get them this weekend. I guess I'll just have to find out, that and see what they're like in the car on the way back from picking them up. Did you use a litter box in the car for your cats? 0:

nope, they were in their boxes all the time and too tired to even think about peeing xD

You live in florida! D< I am stalking you now!

Well no, I just go to college in Florida. I actually live in Alabama.. 8(

Hoe often do you come/stay in florida? :< I must stalk yew....

*how >_<

Well, I'm there for the whole time I'm in school :D Like..August through December, then January through May. |D Then I head home for the summer. Of course that may change this year..

>: Man... Then i gotta step on it...... (oh, and if i stalk you, I'm going to bring elmmobunny, because she's like a freakish mega fan of yours too X3 Every time you update DA she calls to tell me XD)

A small kennel or a pet carrier will do since they're small. Cats sometimes freak out in the car, so keeping them in a cage would be best. (im sure you've already gotten advice but im going to contribute anyway)

-also a resident of florida-

Lol yeah, none of my cats have ever freaked out though for some reason, besides my oldest cat who just..cries the whole time. I imagine if I keep both of them in the same carrier maybe they can calm each other down or something.

Yeah... Don't get them fixed before the drive, lol. That would just be way too much stress on everyone. I made 2 trips with Mimzy from Michigan to Florida, a 20-22 hour drive, and she was fine. Granted, she was a rat. = \ I would just make sure that they are comfortable, and if possible, put them together. This will help keep them calm and comfort each other. But in doing so, make sure the age is large enough. You might want to thinks about a small puppy cage. Aside from just making sure that they have their basic needs they should be alright. Oh, and if you need to find a good vet clinic if you'd still like to get them fixed, I recommend Gulf Gate Animal Clinic. They are very good. They even take exotics. I had a good experience with them when Mimzy was sick. Good luck on your trip! =3

Yeah, I was thinking about getting them a large cage they can travel in together. I've got my eye on this nice pull up carrier over at Petco, but I'm still kinda weary about spending $100 on one. I feel like settling for one of those nice long tote-bag looking carriers that could be easily mistaken for luggage..which would be wonderful. That and they're nice and comfortable on the inside, so I think that would be good too..I just need to see how big these kittens are gonna be. Thanks for recommending the clinic to me! I know I'm gonna need to locate one when I get back and such. You think I could bring these guys over to Arf every once in a while? (8 I know they'd love the chance to come out of the dorms every so often.

Yes, feel free to bring them any time. =3 As for the cage, I'd see if you can find a used one first. Might save a little money. =D

Oh that would be smart, I'll do that right away. Thanks! :D

Mostly what  glam_riot said. And I agree. Every couple of stops check to make sure they're okay, get fresh water, maybe put them on the harness and leash and let them move their legs a bit (where there are no dogs and cat allergens of course.)

agreed glam riot was right you may need to get a leash and collar for your cats.

Well, what i'm used to doing is not putting the cats in a carrier, but letting them roam the car while driving (they feel better, in my case). Just make sure all the windows are tightly closed, and you have a little bowl of kitty food sitting out and a small bowl of water. My cats enjoy sitting up front with me, moving around... it's best to drive with them out of the cage so if you have to do it in the future, they aren't scared. But always keep the cage/carrier open and sitting out so they can go in if they want to.

And it's probably better to get them fixed once you get home and they're used to the environment. Don't want to traumatize the new kittens!

Well I traveled across North America coast to coast with a cat and a dog in tow. ;)
I also traveled a lot with cats when I was involved with showing/breeding... Any breeder/handler knows Cats shows are RARELY local!

I agree about two crates (not cage) line with paper (not a bed!) being kittens you will have an accident. 10 hours isn't that bad for an animal but it is in the time frame they may or may not have an accident.

I would DEFINITELY plan rest stops to check on them, clean the crate if need be, so bring extra paper and that extra crate for swapping out a messy crate. I would home them together and bring a blanket to COVER the crate with.
Cats go to sleep when they have no visual stimulus to stress them out. If you go to cat shows and see them in the crates with the little curtains that's why it's so the cat can have 'alone time' you can do this traveling so they don't see the car, you or the stuff out the windows flying by.

Unfortunately Leash training which is something I have done for cats and have one current that is (she love car rides so I don't need to crate her just leash her and she sits in the back seat), you can't just throw a leash on a cat and say "WALK" like you can for a dog.
You may end up with a scared kitten acting like a flea jumping around scared at rest stop trucks/cars driving in and out. I would not recommend bringing the cat out of the car!
You only do that based on the cats personality and training/exposure. If they have never left the house they've been born in... That's going to be MORE traumatic than 10 hrs in a car...
My cat now has that laid back personality type so she can handle being walked in parks/car rides/rest stops... Not every cat can handle that.

Note me if you need more advice, I dislike talking about my career in animal care field around furries.

YEAH A lot of people gave you pretty good advice! When I got Austin, we were staying in Oregon on vacation..the drive home is usually about 5-7 hours but generally we make a lot of stops because...4 siblings, they're always hungry or have to piss..SO IT TAKES A LONG TIME

BUT ANYWAYS!

We had this..little..mini litterbox in there for him...(I doubt he even used it, he didn't go potty much though because I guess when you first get a cat they don't? IT'S NORMAL? Maybe not but he didnt! We did have food/water in there though..and idk, he meowed a lot but we couldn't really take him out. It was pretty stressful because I know he was having a hard time, and I don't think my siblings made it any better.

Uhh but I guess it'll be better for you since you're driving alone. Just make sure to have the AC on all the time (kind of obvious, especially in the south where it's hot as hell), and when you leave the car..if they are in there for a minute..idk it's hard, but at the very least roll windows down. And just make sure to strap in their cages somehow so if you come to an abrupt stop they wont FLYYYYYYYYYYyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy and slam into the wall.

OMG! I wanna see your kittehs! D:

Don't have much feedback on cats...because I've never owned one.

Ill be visiting Ringling either this semester or next semester to visit some peeps! ^_^

I'd say defiantly keep them in a crate c: maybe you could invest in some light sedatives too keep them calm and there is medication you can get to prevent car sickness. Definantly stop every hour or two for fresh air and makeing sure everyone is ok x3. I hope this helps Vani I don't have cat's so I don't have any experience D:

I know you've probably gotten a lot of responses, but I thought I;d throw some advice in anyways, just b/c I work at a vet office, so I have a lot of experience with this.

first off, I;m sure it's been said, but a cat carrier is a MUST. I've heard of a few accidents, including my cousin, whom have had cats wandering around their car, got under the pedals and caused an accident. So for your safety, PLEASE put them in a carrier with a small litter pan and water.

I would give them a sedative, b/c cats tend to get pretty noisy or scared. You can ask your vet for one, but it'll probably be pricey. Gravol works well BUT you'd have to find an appropriate dose. definitely call your vet on that!

The kittens should be fixed before 6 months of age before they mature (cause then it costs more) but get it to as close to 6 months as possible, any younger can mess up their growth and development. (are you getting boys or girls?) Also, spaying/neutering is pretty pricey as well, you're probably looking at another $500 to get them both done depending on where you go, I'm just telling you that b/c I know a lot of people don't realize how expensive it can be. Then tack on their physical exams and vaccines plus supplies!!!

hope that's helpful and not redundant XD and please share photos when you get them!!! I love ragdolls!

Thanks for the advice! It's nice to hear it from someone who works at a vet.

The only reason why I was considering getting them fixed before I leave was because we have a low cost spay/neuter program here at home that's very reliable for us. I just recently got my youngest cat fixed and it only cost about $50, but that was only because we got a package deal that came with parasite treatment. )8 If we didnt get that, it would have only been about $38. So if I got those two guys fixed it would only be a little under $100. So that's why I was considering. I was also pondering that too..you know, with the whole younger animals under 6 months getting fixed and wondering if that would kinda mess them up as they mature?? I dunno, because our humane society here alters their puppies and kittens.

So I guess I'm just going to have to wait til I come home from break to get these guys fixed, at least they'll be 6 or 7 months old by then.

Thanks for sharing again! I know how vet costs go, though I'm not too worried because we never spend too much on our cats at all. We get them fixed, get them their food, let them go out every once in a while..and well, they're happy and healthy. We never have any troubles with them. So I'm hoping the same will go with my ragdolls. It's always pricey in the beginning.

ya their first year is always the most expensive! but HOLY CRAP, that is so cheap for spay/neuter!! I'm so jealous. but I think it's more expensive here in Canada AND at my particular vet, lol. but that's an excellent rate, but it probably doesn't include pain management. still!

spaying young shouldn't have too many negative effects. Ragdolls tend to be bigger cats, so if you do it young, chances are they'll be on the smaller side but as far as development, that's it, the risk is actually in the operation itself, the younger they are, the higher chance of a complication during anaesthesia, during surgery, and recovery, a lot can go wrong and at a young age b/c they don't have the internal stamina to prevent or fight back from any trauma, even something so small as a drop in temperature can be damaging. But honestly, if the vet is willing to do it, then it's fine! PLUS, if you get a male, omg, you do NOT want him to mature, the smell of his urine is unbearable! It makes my eyes water!! so yeah, you should do it once the vet give you the green light. As for stress, really the younger it's done, the less stressed they'll be providing it goes smoothly. they should only need a few days to adapt to everything.