Moving a nervous cat to another house

I am forced to relocate my mature, very nervous cat to another furnished home we are occupying for about another year. We have been fortuneate to have had a family member care for him in his own house until now but that option is no longer available and I have to live away for work. I will bring his litter box, cat basket and cushion and his dish but the furniture and of course the house itself will all be very strange. The car ride to the other house (about 3 hours) will in itself be very difficult. Should I completely cover his carrier? Should I keep him to one room at first or let him have access to the whole house (its smaller than his former home)? The other big issue is there is another cat already living at the new location. Should I be thinking sedatives? My only other option is to send the cat to live with the person who was caring for him for the past while. It would still be a new location but a shorter drive and no new cat to get used to. I am very worried about all this.

He is your cat and therefore your responsibility to keep him. He will adjust with the person who made this committment.

Keep him confined in one room until he becomes accustomed to this surrounding. Reassure him whenever you are home. Spend time with him and bond.

Good luck

Is this just for a year or longer? If it's just for the year and the other person is closer than it may be a better option for you to move him in with that person. If it's for ever than please take him. As for covering the carrier or not for the ride it depends on the cat. If he is reassured by it being covered than by all means, cover it. If he is more reassured seeing you then don't.

Please keep your cat separated from the other cat for a while if you decide to take him. I will give you a link to read that gives you tons of ideas for introducing cats to each other. If this one is mature it may take a while.
http://www.squidoo.com/multi-cat-management

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.