Anyone got any particular tips on Betta care from their own experience? I've been reading MASSES online about how to try to keep them from expiring (for I have something of a fishslaying reputation...) but would appreciate any first-hand tips!

Don't overfeed him. They can be picky eaters and it may take a couple of tries before you find the right brand of food. Keep his water clean and conditioned. They don't need an awful lot of room, but they're more active the more they can swim around. Ours is very reactive. He has a little dance he does when we go to the tank.

Barb, two suggestions: get a towel or something that completely covers the carrier and drape it over it so they can't see out and feel more protected. This helped a lot the last time I had to take the cats on a long drive.

Also, maybe try feliway (kitty pheromones) spray for the carrier to calm him down.

Perkins is made of wise. I hear great things about Feliway.

The biggest mistake I ever made with my cats of olde was to "let them see out" on our drive from SF to SD. Oh, the yowling, oh the beleaguered humanity.

Plus, Barb, you could try Rescue Remedy. It's a Bach Flower Remedy you can find in any healthfood store. A few drops rubbed into the underside of the ears, or in a water bowl (served BEFORE the trip) might help.

Our new vet rubbed some into the fur on Bartelby's face during our last visit. He actually fell asleep. In. the. vet's. office. I cannot overstate the awesome of this!

If you are going to let them out of the carrier a barrier between the front and back seat is a good idea on a long trip

I second the Rescue Remedy recommendation. It does seem to wear off in 2-3 hours, so you'll have to re-apply it. I also second the recommendation to keep the cat in the carrier.

Here is a paragraph out of my LJ entry on the cats, and the move:

As we were warned that Sammie was at special risk of running away in a panic, I made sure to get new harnesses and tags with updated contact information for them. We used retractable leashes to let them stretch their legs at rest areas. After a couple days on the road, things were going so well, that I thought I could handle taking both cats at the same time out for a little walk in the picnic area at a rest stop in Iowa. I carried them down to the furthest, loneliest ramada, and let them down to walk a bit. Suddenly a family with small children walked up to the ramada we were at. The children did what came naturally to them: They yelled, "Kitties!" and ran right at us. Before I had time to do more than lock down the leashes from extending all the way, Harvey's leash got caught in a bush, and he stopped running. Sammie took off, got to the end of her leash and began flipping out. She flipped and jumped and flopped against the leash so hard that her harness got loosened, and she got out of it, and started running. She was headed straight for the highway. I ran after her but there was no way I would be able to catch her without help. Thank Heavens for the observant people in the parking lot. A man who was just getting out of his car saw what was happening, opened his car door wide and stood in her way. In a split second she turned and was running up the hill the building with the bathrooms was on, and other people quickly formed a circle to stop her. She froze, and then I was able to get hold of her. Carrying her, I went back to get Harvey. Then I took them back to the van, thanking everyone we passed for their help.

Hey, guys - remember a few years back when I had the 'sode?

Well, late Friday night - I had another one. It was pretty freaky - but after a good night's rest I am feeling very well. I did call my doctor and am waiting to hear what he says.

sumi, my memory is bad -- what did the 'sode entail?

Well, it was like having bits of me "asleep" - but at the pins and needles stage. (My doctor sent me for a CT scan and they didn't find anything.)

I think that there might have been another component to it - but I can't remember anymore. (It was a while ago.)

I just saw a religious punk on the bus on the way to the settlement.

That made my day.

Glad you are feeling well today, sumi, and I hope they can figure out what's up with the 'sode.

When I drove across the country by myself with two cats, I kept them in the carrier the whole way (except when the snake escaped his enclosure and headed straight for the cat carrier but that is another story). When I drove across the country with my parents, two cats, and a dog, we opened the cat carrier doors while driving - one of the cats stayed in her carrier but was happier with the door open, the other came out and sprawled across the back seat. The non-drivers(including the dog, come to think of it though he didn't mean to, I'm sure) were active in making sure the cats didn't cross over to the front seats and got back into their carriers whenever we stopped.

Asking for some generalized jobma for DH. His job is Not Good. He needs out. And some Buffistas have been helping , but he needs extra strength to get through this