Traveling with Your Cat: Tips for a Stress‑Free Journey

How to Travel with a Cat? Most cats like to be at home, so traveling with them somewhere else can be nervous. Some travel is unavoidable, so when traveling with cats, it’s important to know how to make your cat feel comfortable.

Most cats love to be at home, so traveling can be stressful for them. When traveling with cats, it is important to know how to make the cat feel comfortable. Here are some tips to make traveling with cats smooth.

Cat trip by car

It is best to start with the knowledge of traveling with a cat car. If you are confident, maintain self-control, and know how to calm your cat, the trip won’t cause much stress for both you and your cat.

Before the trip by car

The most important part of your luggage – without a cat, of course – is the transport box. Never carry a loose cat in a car – a cat can distract the driver, making it safer for everyone if the cat is closed, and a loose cat can easily escape as soon as the car door or window is opened.

Since the cat must remain in the transport box throughout the trip, make sure the box is sturdy, safe, easy to clean (in the event of an accident), and large enough for your cat. It could be a plastic box, a wire cage, or a wicker bag, but don’t be tempted to use a cardboard box, as it will swell and shatter when the cat gets wet.
While it may seem like you are doing your pet a favor by choosing the largest transport box, some cats like to settle in more comfortably, and too much space makes them feel insecure. Of course, you don’t want your precious “cargo” to be cramped, so choose carefully.

If you put a cat in a new transport box at the last minute, it can cause them a lot of anxiety and stress; every cat is different, but many of them don’t like to be forced to slip into a box when they least want it! To help your cat get used to the transport box, familiarize her with the box well in advance. The more time they have to get used to it, the easier it will be for them to travel through it.

A good way to get your cat used to the transport box is to leave it open on the floor a few days or even weeks before the trip. The soft rug, the delicious catnip delicacies and the familiar scents are attractive and enticing and they encourage the cat to settle comfortably in the box and keep it in a safe place. Plastic transport boxes for flights can be dismantled, so curious cats like to jump in and explore them.
By resolving the issue of the shipping box, you will have taken the first step toward a safe journey with a cat.

How to Get a Cat Used to Traveling by Car

Purchase pheromones for cats at a veterinary clinic or pet store and spray them inside the transport box before transferring the cat to it – this will help them calm down. Make the transport box as sweet as possible for the cat – put a rug or a favorite toy that is familiar to her.

When traveling by car, get your cat used to it slowly, perhaps bypassing the block first. You can then gradually extend the duration of the trip, not forgetting the attention and delicacies of the cat after the trip. Ideally, this kind of exercise should start with kittens so that pets get used to traveling from an early age. At first, the cat may be vocal, but usually calms down when the car moves.

If you know your cat is a particularly nervous traveler, but you still need to take her somewhere by car, talk to a veterinarian before traveling. Perhaps the vet will prescribe special medication to help the cat relax.

Tips to make traveling by car more comfortable

• Do not give your cat anything to eat for an hour or two before the trip. A full stomach can make them feel bad, making them even more reluctant to travel in the future.
• If you are transporting a cat by car, place the transport box in such a way that the cat does not distract the driver and that the box does not move freely in the event of a sudden stop. It is advisable to place a waterproof mat under the box or bag in the event of an accident.
• Be prepared for that too – keep paper towels, plastic garbage bags and non-pet safe disinfectants – stockpile is no shame!
• If you use a wire cage where the cat can be seen from all sides, it is advisable to cover the cage with a blanket or cloth to make it feel like a comfortable bed.
• Make sure your cat is not too hot or too cold. After making sure the cat is safely landing in the box, you can use the car window a little to get the cat fresh air. Never leave a cat in the car on a hot day, even for a few minutes. Cars heat up faster than you think, even on relatively hot days, so it’s not really worth risking your cat’s life.
• If you are planning a long trip by car (two or more hours), it is worth buying a transport box along with a cat toilet and taking a bowl or bottle of water. If for any reason during the trip you need to open the cat box, make sure you close all the windows and doors of the car – you don’t want your cat to run away, especially in an unfamiliar area.

Cat travel by plane

Traveling by plane with a cat is likely to be rare. However, such a flight with a cat – whether you are flying on holiday or moving – must be carefully planned.

Before the flight with the cat

• Visit the veterinary clinic much earlier (at least 7-8 months before the trip) as your pet may need special vaccinations or certificates according to the requirements of the country you are going to. Some countries require a health certificate issued by a veterinarian 24 to 48 hours in advance before the trip.
• For a flight with a cat, talk to an airline employee to find out what their pet flight policy is. Specifically, ask where your cat will be during the flight (most likely in the cargo compartment), what requirements the cat bag must meet, how often it will be fed, and whether there are rules regarding the cat’s age and health. It is not recommended (and indeed not even allowed) to travel with a kitten under 3 months of age, an older cat, a pregnant cat, or a cat in poor health.
• If you are going to travel abroad with more than one cat, it is advisable to transport them in separate transport boxes. Even best friends can get drunk on a long flight!

Flight reservation

• Make sure the airline knows you are going to travel with a cat and ask them for advice.
• Try to arrange as direct a flight with the cat as possible so that it is transferred from one plane to another as infrequently as possible, and choose your flight time carefully so that you do not arrive at a time of day when it is very hot or very cold.
• Some planes cannot carry animals, so make sure you fly the same plane as your pet.

Preparing for the flight

While you’re very busy packing your belongings at the last minute, don’t forget a few practical things on how to prepare for a flight with a cat:

• If you need to get a medical certificate or are worried about how your cat will handle the trip, visit a veterinarian a few days before the flight. If your veterinarian advises sedation, you may need to check for side effects before the trip (sedation can affect how your cat copes with temperature changes, so it can actually make your cat even more restless and do more harm than good).
• Check that the information on your cat’s flight ticket matches the information on your flight ticket. If they do not match, contact the airline immediately.
• Prepare a cat transport box and clearly display information about the cat and your flight details on it. Attach 24 hours feeding schedule if for any reason you and the cat arrive at the place at different times.
• Purchase a temporary cat collar identification badge that includes the address and contact phone numbers of the place you are going to. The cat should wear this collar while traveling and while you are abroad.

Finally, make sure the trip is as comfortable as possible for your cat:

• Get your cat used to the transport box by leaving it in a cat’s favorite place at home, spread a mat that the cat likes inside and put in treats.
• If you are flying with a cat, arrive at the airport early enough to rest. It would be great for the cat to have eaten much earlier (it is recommended not to feed the cat 2-4 hours before the trip so that the cat does not feel sick), using a litter box and calmly preparing for the trip.