Cats on a train

MsFifers

.. would make a good movie!

But - what I'm wondering is - has anyone sent their pet unaccompanied on the train? I need to get my cats to my parents place, because I'll be away for a week and they said they'll mind them for me. (The cats vist there all the time so will be happier there than in a cattery). I can't get through to the train station, so just wondering if anyone can quickly let me know what the procedure is?

Would they go in the mail-carriage? Do they mind animals on the train?

Thanks!

PinkTulips

i'm not sure about unaccompanied but i used to take my cat with me on the train on a regular basis in his carrier in the main carriage.... got me some daft looks

could you take the train up with him and back the same day? i've got to say i wouldn't trust iarnroid eireann workers with my cats safety... not to mention it'll be alot less scary for him if he's in the carriage with you and you can comfort him, rather than in a mail carriage all alone with strangers who may be cat lovers... or could be like the taxi driver i once had who threatened to stop at the liffey and throw my cat in and relished in telling me how he'd trained his dogs to kill all the neighbourhood cats and hid their bodies in his bin and pretended he knew nothing about it when the owners came asking about their cats :0

Maggie.23

It's difficult to get solid information from Iarnroid Eireann when it comes to pets on the train - I think there must be a certain amount of discretion involved. I brought rabbits on the train in the past to get to the vets and the response varied from "Would it like anything from the trolly" to "Make sure it doesn't get out and bite someone" to "No animals allowed". So I think you should be wary when making arrangements for the transport of your cat, just in case the information you get at the start is not followed through.

Irish-Lass

Not sure about cats but I have sent small dogs by Fast Trac down to Tralee quiet a few times. Ones the box is secure and there is no chance of the cats getting out I can't see there before a problem. The lads in the Fast Trac in Heuston Station are very nice.

MsFifers

Thanks - I finally managed to get through to the station and Fasttrack has been closed since March, so that isn't an option.

It looks like I'll have to drive them! Probably better anyway - I'd have only been worrying about them if I sent them off on their lonesomes!