Bonjour from the SwampMax, now back from their travels to deepest SW France, 2 stays in the Hotel Ibis and 2 weeks trampolining on their mum at 4.30am for breakfast in a 30m2 studio appartement in France. For anyone who is considering travelling with their cat/s, France is easy. The roads are much emptier than here and places are very cat friendly, esp most chain hotels. We did 13 hours over 2 days to get back (it was quicker going; the worst traffic is from here to Folkestone and back, by far) and they went into their cage a lapins again quite easily (that's a big rabbit cage where I can fit a bed and a litter tray). We had 2 hourly stops to syringe water into them. Swampy is getting very good at making that difficult! Someone please invent a 5ml syringe with a long thin nozzle - in the end we opened his cage and let him clamber all over the car, then put him on a lap and cuddled him and then took him by surprise lol. OK for the first 2.5mls but after that got most of it on the seat
Evian of course; nothing but the best. At one autoroute stop the car was surrounded by hundreds of tiny little birds and le Swamp nearly had a cadenza. Max was a bit less sanguine and preferred to stay safe in his bed in the cage, but he's generally more nervous. Takes him a day or so to get back to normal, er 'normal' for Max, bless him
Travelling does show the difference in temperament. A minute after arriving at the flat, Swamp was out and trying to see if he could explore the corridor (non; banned!). Max was nervy for a few hours until hunger got the best of him and then he settled down just fine. He loves looking at cars. Strangely the bit that they least enjoy is the tunnel train as they are 'moving' but not in the car and can see the car behind
I wouldn't do the ferry though; stick to the tunnel.
The people at the French animal check at Eurotunnel are very friendly and will come to the car to avoid cats having to be taken out of their box and being distressed by the large English dogs that are most of the pets that travel. The microchip reading's done by the owner in case the animal bites he he he
They were Milbemax'd and Frontlined and their french passports filled in again, all of which cost 58€. The vet was so embarrassed that he only charged for one consultation for the 2 of them.
If they are well enough I would do it again with no worries. Their time in the little flat was fine - there was a west facing window so they plonked themselves on a chair there and watched the world go by. Eating wise they were easier than here and Swamp's cold was better as the floor was tiled and not carpeted.
Soooo all we now need is jobs down there and we can go back to the sunshine
Sadly OH's french is a bit of a disaster.
I think coming with us is much less stressful for them than staying behind with a stranger. However the Tunnel is not cheap and I'm still angry that the Eurostar doesn't allow pets as then we could go from here and get down there all in one day. Or to Paris for a weekend (no-one in their right mind would drive to Paris....).
The vet remembered les SwampMax and asked when they were coming back......help peeps, I'm having bad withdrawal symptoms.
I just hope the Swamp will sleep beyond 4.30am now he's back as that's a scary 3.30am here.
Soooo that's the update from the well travelled duo
