Embarking on a journey with your feline friend can be an escapade filled with challenges. Whether you are moving to another country, leaving for a holiday, or visiting the vet, you need to make sure that your kitty stays relaxed and at peace.
Considerate planning is required in order to guarantee both you and your cat enjoy the journey. This guide is jam-packed with multiple tips to simplify and enhance your travels, including how to handle a cat carrier to make car and plane trips easy.
What Are the Features of the Carrier for Travelling with Your Cat?
When you are roaming around with your cat, you must ensure their safety and comfort in the carrier. The following are some of the essential features of a perfect cat carrier:
- Crafted from sturdy materials that stand the test of time
- Perfectly sized for your feline friend
- Features convenient front and roof access
- Offers the flexibility to remove the top half of the carrier easily
- Designed with sides for your cat’s privacy and comfort
- Cosy space for a warm, soft fleece or blanket at the bottom
- Easy to clean for hassle-free maintenance
- Stable bottoms for your cat’s safety
What You Can Bring in Your Vehicle When Traveling with Your Cat?
When you are going on a short trip with your cat, like travelling to the pet store or vet, you can get their favourite toy or blanket. However, if you are embarking on a longer trip, you can take the following to ensure your cat has the necessary things for the journey:
- Cat Carrier and Soft Bedding
- Pet Bowls
- Puppy Pads (To Line the Carrier or Place Under a Blanket)
- Food and Bottled Water
- Cat Toys
- Pet-Safe Cleaning Wipes and Disinfectants
- Waste Bags
- Litter Box, Familiar Litter & Waste Bags
What Are the Things You Need to Know About Cat Travel?
When you are travelling with your cat abroad, make sure they are microchipped and vaccinated and have the appropriate documentation.
- Microchip: Your cat must be microchipped before or at the same time as its rabies vaccinated. A vet can help with this.
- Rabies Vaccination: You need to be up to date on your cat’s rabies vaccination. Wait for more than 30 days after the vaccination before taking your cat to the animal doctor for a blood test to check it worked. Before travelling, you need to wait for three months after the successful blood test.
- Animal Health Certificate (AHC): Get an AHC certificate within 10 days of your departure date that includes your cat’s microchip number.
- Vaccination Record: Your cat’s vaccination record must include:
- Their date of birth
- The microchip number, the date it was put in or read, and where it is on your cat’s body
- The vaccination date
- The vaccine manufacturer and product name
- The vaccine batch number
- The valid vaccination date
- The vet’s signature and contact details
Check your government guidelines for the country you are visiting to ensure your cat is eligible to travel.
Different Tips to Travel with Your Cat
There are different tips you can consider to travel conveniently with your cat and guarantee that the car journey is composed, serene, and tranquil for both you and them.
Safety First
Whatever the purpose of your ride, one thing is critical: you have to make sure your cat moves safely inside its carrier instead of wandering around freely inside the vehicle.
Keep Them Secure
Once you have made the cat to sit, it is ideal to wrap the seat belt around the carrier and string it through the handle so it remains undisturbed during the whole journey. This is undoubtedly the best way to keep your carrier safe during the trip and avoid any unforeseen situation.
Keep them Level
Since many cars are titled, the optimal way to ensure the carrier rests on a level surface is by placing a rolled towel beneath it on the seat.
Reduce Noise
Try not to play louder music in your vehicle. Classical music can howl down nasty noises that come from the outside, like traffic, etc.
Provide Privacy
To ensure more privacy and minimise disruption from the outside, you can put a sheet or blanket on the carrier. You can also have an occasional friendly chat with your feline friend all the time for reassuring.
Ventilation
Cats possess a keen sense of smell, making strong car air fresheners potentially unpleasant. Therefore, it is ideal to avoid using them and ensure the car is properly ventilated before travelling with your cat.
Travel at Quieter Times
Select a particular time to embark on a long journey with your cat and try to avoid peak traffic hours. To make your journey shorter, you need to prevent excessive stop-offs.
Choose a Suitable Carrier
Use a carrier to ensure the cat’s safety and avoid distractions during the ride. A well-ventilated carrier with mesh panelling or air holes is ideal. A convertible cat backpack for upright or horizontal use is also a considerable option.
Take Breaks
You should take frequent breaks so your cat can use the litter box, stretch and drink water.
Feed and Hydrate
To avoid motion sickness in your cat while in the car, feed it a light meal a few hours before the journey.
Use Calming Aids
To ensure your kitty is relaxed during the entire journey, use pheromone sprays or natural calming aids.
Visit the Vet
You should visit your vet for a check-up and discuss your travel plans. They can perform a thorough check-up to identify possible diseases that can be helpful to take care of during your trip.
Train Your Cat
Begin with short trips and use positive reinforcement to help your cat adjust to car travel.
Maintain Your Cat’s Routine
Try to maintain your cat’s routine while travelling, which includes beefing times, toilet breaks, and play.
Travelling with Your Cat by Taxi, Train or Bus
Sometimes, you might need to rush to the vet or take your cat somewhere urgently. If you do not have a car, do not worry—you can consider a taxi, train, or bus as an alternative.
Taxi Travel
Taxi travel with pets differs with every company and driver, with some additional costs. You need to check some pet-specific services in your area and confirm with the driver before booking. It is recommended that you keep your cat in a carrier during the trip.
Train or Bus Ride
Bus drivers can allow pets depending on bus occupancy and the presence of other animals. However, you must be careful of various smells and unfamiliar faces that can disturb your cats on trains or buses. Book your ticket in off-peak hours and get a quiet spot during your ride. Never leave your cat unattended; keep the carrier closed, and use a light blanket for comfort, guaranteeing the constant flow of air.
