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We Moved Across the Country with a Cat

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This post has been sponsored by U-Haul.

The decision:

Make someday today.”

I saw those three words across some pretty image on Pinterest, and they stuck in the forefront of my brain. 

Moving with pets and U-Haul U-Box Containers

It took me three and a half decades to find home. As a child, I felt what most kids probably feel growing up–home is where your family lives. 

Mountain views

Family will always be family, but finding your place on this planet is something different–a pull stronger than what we can reasonably process, and equally as hard to perfectly define.  

I’ve wanted to move since I can remember. As a child, the decision was out of my hands, and I was at the mercy of adult decision-makers in my life, for better and worse 

Tired of hearing me drag on about my dreams, a friend said, “You know, you can have what you want if you just make a decision.”

I let that sink in and realized that I am a full-grown adult and absolutely can MAKE. A. DECISION.

One way road trip sunrise

The Destination:

The stars aligned and pointed me directly to Bozeman, Montana. A bustling college town right outside of Yellowstone National Park, it’s the perfect place for my daughter and me to call home. Oh, and we can’t forget Stewie.

The Journey:

Moving an older rescue cat, with separation anxiety, across the country is not an easy task. We tried our best to get him used to car rides, but any ride lasting more than 15 minutes had him in a panting panic.

Our vet recommended we sedate him for the 21-hour drive, which would take us two days to complete. 

long road ahead

Packing

I’ve never really moved in my life. Translation: I have accumulated way too much stuff and never went through a proper purge.

The daunting task of packing a lifetime’s worth of things was eased by U-Haul and their vast array of products and services. 

U-Haul U-Box Containers

We opted to have two U-Box Containers delivered to our driveway–allowing us to pack on our terms over the course of two days. Going through all of our belongings became far more emotionally taxing than I ever imagined.

Having the time to wrap each delicate item in Foam Sheets carefully, shed tears for things that didn’t make the cut, and nestle everything into sturdy packing boxes before loading it all into the U-Box Containers made the process rather therapeutic. 

Moving road trip with cat

Using the U-Box Containers, as opposed to a truck or trailer, allowed us to focus our attentions on Stewie’s safety and well being. 

We made multiple stops to let him stretch his legs, while Ches and I shared laughs over his ridiculous antics in a diaper. 

We traveled along the long stretches of road, through plains, small towns, farmland, and mountains without worry, while our cargo and hearts remained light and free. 

U-Haul packing supplies return

U-Box Containers and Supplies

U-Box Containers are sturdy shipping containers that are dropped off at your preferred location and packed by you or professional Moving Help, arranged by U-Haul. We utilized this wonderful service in Bozeman.

U-Haul Packing Supplies Dish Saver Kit

U-Haul offers everything imaginable when it comes to Moving Supplies. Shopping online is easy and worry-free. If you overestimate what you need, they buy back all of your unused supplies. We used and highly recommend:

  • Dish Saver Kit & Glass Pack Kit – These make packing your kitchen a breeze. 
  • Grand Wardrobe Boxes – It’s an amazing portable cardboard closet.
  • Medium & Large Moving Boxes – I’d suggest getting a few Book Boxes as we made a few of our packed boxes a bit too heavy with books. 
  • Cushion Foam – Sheets and Pouches – These are excellent for wrapping glass and delicate trinkets.
  • Paper Tape – I will never live without this product again. It tears without need for scissors making the process of packing boxes go by so much faster. 
Tips for packing boxes

It’s also incredibly comforting to know that if you overestimate your supply needs, U-Haul will buy back all of your unused supplies. It’s better to have too much than not enough!

Browse all U-Haul Moving Supplies

The Lesson so far

What we believe to be valid reasons are often well-dressed excuses. 

view from Storm Castle Peak Montana - Make Someday Today

Make someday today.


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Comments

  1. Wow~you have such great confidence! And I love the cat in a diaper pic! I just drove my two rescues 23 hours, to visit my sister, so I can relate!

    • Thank you! It took a lot of courage but I had plenty of time to build it up!
      Driving with rescues is definitely an adventure! I’m glad your trip was safely completed–23 hours is a long time!

  2. Wow, this is relevant in two ways, first we are considering moving with our cat, it’s “only” a 14-15 drive, but still long enough. Secondly and wow to your photographs is Yellowstone. I’m going for the first time in just a couple of weeks. It looks amazing, I also appreciate learning about U Hauls moving containers. Thanks for writing this and sharing your incredible journey to moving to the Mountains.

    • Hi Nicole,
      Thank you for stopping by to read it! I hope you enjoy Yellowstone–it’s such a magical place!

  3. Ah! So happy the journey went well. The pic of your cat in a diaper is priceless! Great tips about using U-Haul too. I never knew they took unused boxes back!

    • Ladena,

      Yeah! Such a wonderful service. As for Stewie, I still don’t think he’s fully over the diaper incident. LOL

  4. Montana looks stunningly gorgeous! I think your cat looks so cute in that harness! So glad UHaul helped you to safely move your life cross country!

  5. I still cannot believe you did it! BUT OMG how exciting. I know what you mean about the home feeling, as a kid it was my town I grew up in, now that I’m almost 38, I don’t feel home anywhere, but we’re open to relocating so I hope I have this similar experience to find my “Home” but we won’t be moving with a cat 😉

  6. Moving can be so daunting. We moved 3 times with cats. Thankfully they didn’t get anxiety and we were able to have the litter box in the vehicle for them to use. I didn’t realize that U-Haul buys back unused supplies.

  8. I really like those boxes. I didn’t know they had those. That would really come in handy when moving. I’ve never really moved to far except once, but even that was only about for a little over a year.

  9. I am absolutely blown away with Uhaul boxes and a variety they’ve got! Moving with your little buddy furry baby is an adventure. But cats are an amazing animal who just know what they need to do under every circumstance.

    • Yeah, Stewie sure is a champion for handling it the way he did! He now loves his mountain views!

  10. I have never seen a cat diaper before. That would help me be nervous about my Rufus going in the car.

  11. It’s the journey and not the destination isn’t it? U-haul is a company that I find caring and passionate to what they are doing. Best of luck to you.

  12. Great tips and U-Haul provides amazing services. That picture of your cat was so adorable especially since he is in a diaper.

  13. I bet that was a little stressful. I have moved a handful of times, but never cross country and with a pet. The most I have moved is 2 hrs with a pet. Uhaul does make it easier.

  15. You are brave! I have lived in California my whole life. I couldn’t imagine moving but I love to travel.

  16. We have discussed using their services when we get ready to move. I love the ease of it all and the fact that you can return unused boxes.

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