The Crate

My business partner insisted on sending me a folding dog crate for the
move. It looked utterly enormous when I unfolded it, but I now realize
part of that problem is its height. I could stack several cats in it.

In trying to get them accustomed, however, I put a food dish in it, and
then, to some horror, watched Mr. Clark wander in and take up a large
part of the floor space. Later, I put a towel in it and sprinkled that
with catnip, and have been feeding treats in it. Both Rhonda and Mr.
Clark have been staying in it, although not together. Ding did go in to
eat.

It's going to be very, very interesting to see how much I can pack
around it. While I haven't measured it, I'd estimate it's about 40in/1M
long and 30in/70cm wide. A Jeep Cherokee doesn't have infinite space.
Further, both because I want the cats near me, and that I've been
having some problems with the cargo door hatch, I'll need to put them
in first, then unpack everything around them for the overnight.

I don't plan to take them out of the carrier for the overnight motel
room, and hope I don't get any grief about taking them into the room.

"Howard C. Berkowitz" wrote .
My business partner insisted on sending me a folding dog crate for the
move. It looked utterly enormous when I unfolded it, but I now realize
part of that problem is its height. I could stack several cats in it.
It's going to be very, very interesting to see how much I can pack
around it. While I haven't measured it, I'd estimate it's about 40in/1M
long and 30in/70cm wide. A Jeep Cherokee doesn't have infinite space.
Further, both because I want the cats near me, and that I've been
having some problems with the cargo door hatch, I'll need to put them
in first, then unpack everything around them for the overnight.
I don't plan to take them out of the carrier for the overnight motel
room, and hope I don't get any grief about taking them into the room.

If I were you - this being your Plan A - I'd park near one of the *non-
front* entrances (usually small @ side of motel in case of fire) entrances
and bring in the cat-loaded crate *after dark, at a busy time for motel
personnel to be @ front desk* also if you can, reload crate to vehicle
before dawn. If you do change your mind, your bathroom is good spot
to have them loose w/food/water/litterbox. I have experience in such
matters: worst case scenario: they catch you and wanna charge you
a "pet deposit" (it was $25 extra in TX) on your room bill.