Traveling With Cat- Tips For A Stress Free Trip

Some cats are natural travelers and will go on a journey quite happily, whereas others are not; it really depends on your cat’s personality. Traveling can either be relativity easy or very difficult when you have your cat in tow. There are different ways to travel and so there are also different things that you need to consider with each mode of transportation.

Traveling By Air
Traveling by plane can be quite tricky if your cat hates flying. You might have the option of having them on the plane with you or having to send them below into an air conditioned cargo area especially designed for pet travel. Some airlines allow you to take your cat along in a carrier that can fit below the seat in front of you. You need to specifically ask the airline if this is an option or not, plus you need to consider if your cat will fit into such a carrier comfortably- especially if the flight is quite long.

If this practice is not allowed you will have to put your cat in a carrier and check him into the cargo area. If you plan on traveling with your cat you need to make your reservation far in advance and inform the airline that you will be traveling with a cat. You also have to make sure that your carrier fits the criteria of the airline. You might even be able to have your cat sedated for duration of the flight by your veterinarian to make travel a little easier.

Traveling By Car
If you cat likes to go on car trips with you, then traveling a long distance by car is going to be relatively easy and stress free. If, on the other hand, he detests it, it might not be the most enjoyable trip. Either way, you need to make sure that your cat is ready to travel with you. First, you definitely need to put your cat in a cat carrier when you are driving to help keep him safe and to avoid him distracting you whilst you are driving.

You also need to make sure you cat has a collar on with an identification tag on it. If your cat doesn’t like the car, you might want to try getting him used to it in advance by taking him out for short trips around the block or down the street. Before you leave on your trip, you need to make sure to pack your cat’s bag as well as your own.

You need to make sure that you have his bowls, food, medication, litter box, litter, cat bed, cat toys, and some sort of scratching post so he doesn’t tear up the room of wherever you are going. If you cat absolutely freaks out when you put him in the car, you might need to come up with another plan for him while you are away.

If you have a cat who becomes distressed by the mere thoughts of traveling, you will probably have to come up with a different plan. You can choose to leave your cat with friends, at home, or in a cattery. Whatever you choose will probably depend largely on your cat and his temperament and ability to adapt. A cattery will allow you to leave your cat in a place where he will be taken care of- try to visit several before you make a choice or ask friends for recommendations.

Standards of catteries vary such a lot, so you will have to do plenty of careful research before just dropping off your cat. A friend of family member might take in your cat so they can take care of all his needs while you are gone. You can also choose to leave your cat at home if you will only be gone a short time, with a friend visiting twice daily, or have a cat sitter stay at your home with your cat.

Don’t ask just anyone- make sure you can trust them, and leave them with a list of instructions such as what food you feed your cat, when you feed him, when to clean the litter box, and any emergency numbers and vets details. If your cat is quite nervous by nature, keeping him in his own home may be the best option.