Well, it's been almost two weeks now that we've been 'on the road' with our cats. We left Osaka on May 13 and stayed two days at the Narita Hilton before flying to Toronto where we stayed two more days before arriving in Nova Scotia. Since arriving in NS, we've been staying with family in a make-shift bedroom in the basement rec room. The hotel rooms were a bit more challenging with their carpet and smaller space, but in all three places the big concern has been to keep the litter from spreading and smelling--a bit of a challenge with a blind kitty whose idea of keeping his litter area discreet has been somewhat compromised over the years.
So, I just wanted to share two things that have really helped keep the litter/smell contained and one thing I forgot that would have made things a LOT easier.
1) I'm not sure if you can get the somewhat padded liners for doggy trays outside Japan, but these have been a big help. I put them under the litter box in one layer and around it in two layers and this is what blind kitty does #1 on. It's very easy to pick up the top liner and put it in the garbage, then take the old bottom line and put it on top of a new sheet. Sometimes our visually challenged kitty does #2 on these padded liners too which is very easy to pick up with toilet paper and flush.
2) The other item is a spray enzyme cleaner for litter boxes which I've used on hard surfaces (including the litter box) to make sure the kitties don't assume the places where mistakes have happened are appropriate places to do their 'business'. This cleaner is a blue liquid but it doesn't stain or leave a blue mark. It has somewhat of a strong smell at first (not unpleasant or chemically) and then the scent disappears. I think it neutralizes cat odours.
The thing I forgot? The small broom and dust pan! Snap! Brooms are great even if you have a vacuum (saves electricity and much easier to get out of the closet and use rather than setting up the vac). Brooms even work on carpets if they are stiff enough, so if you go this route, choose one that is fairly stiff. Without this small item, I had to sweep with paper towels and my hand...not much fun.
We really didn't know what to expect while staying at the hotels we had booked. I booked well in advance at both hotels. The Hilton's thing was called 'The Pet Plan'. We were told by the Hilton in Tokyo when we booked that we had to sign a waiver upon arrival and that one person had to be in the room with the cats at all times. When we arrived, they had big cages lined with the padded liners (with two dishes for food) that they expected our cats to stay in. After our kitties' first experience flying, however, they needed to be cuddled and reassured so isolating them in cages was not an option (our biggest cat with no visual disability continually jumped out of the cage anyway so the cage really wasn't going to work). I also had brought a spray that comforts cats and prevents them from scratching (brand name 'Feliway'). We sprayed the furniture and other areas cats like to scratch everyday so we didn't have to worry about being charged for any damage caused by their scratching.
Before we checked out, someone from the hotel front desk came up and checked out the room. (we put the cats in the cages every time hotel staff came into our room during which time I had to literally hold the jumping kitty down in his cage). I think that the Hilton in Tokyo was really well set up for someone who was travelling without the litter boxes and food dishes that we brought. As it was, we came well-prepared: we had a big suitcase for just the cats (we had four carrying cases: two soft and two hard sided, plus food, litter, litter boxes, blankets, paper towels, cleaners, 'Feliway' pheronome spray, toys, etc.).
The Pearson Sheraton in Toronto was way more relaxed, but they didn't provide anything in terms of feeding or kitty toilet items. We didn't have to sign a waiver and there was no talk of keeping our cats in a cage (nor were any provided). We were told that we were responsible for any damage by our cats and someone did come to inspect the room before we checked out, but I don't know if that was just for people with pets or everyone has that inspection done before check out. The Sheraton upgraded our room upon check-in (BIG thanks to Doreen at the front desk who took pity on us--probably our frazzled, rumpled, red-eyed appearance) and the cats had lots of room to explore. That we booked our flights from Toronto to Halifax with West Jet really was a stroke of good luck. Not that Air Canada was far or difficult to get from, but West Jet was in the same terminal so it was just down the elevator and across the hall.
I was really surprised how fast the cats have adjusted to life on the road. They are really attached to us and love being close by, so perhaps our being around them way more than usual (like while we were working and only saw them in the morning before work and then in the evening once we got home from work) has helped them. Our blind kitty is the explorer and, aside from the terrible in cargo experience flying from Osaka to Tokyo, really has taken to the new smells and sounds of every new adventure. The other kitty has been having a hard time with things he's never experienced before, especially big trucks and cars that whiz by close to the house we're staying in now. We've been taking them over to the house we're in the process of buying to introduce them slowly to their new home and I'm hoping that will ease the final transition somewhat.
I wonder if our kitties feeling the need for a permanent home? I know I certainly am! We've been living out of our suitcases since we sent our stuff by ship a month ago. Hangers and dressers seem like treasured luxuries now. Hopefully we'll be in our new place by June 4th and this past month and a half of gypsy life will soon be distant memory.
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