Last Updated on July 11, 2014 by admin
Sometimes, you need to go away for a couple of days or longer and you just don’t feel comfortable with leaving your cat behind. While a day or two away may be solved with enough food left around the flat, leaving for a longer period of time would require organization and money if you are thinking about the cat pension. Therefore, it is best that you take your pet with you on your travels. Perhaps, you just don’t want to be separated from it for a long period of time. Now, when the decision that Mr. Whiskers is coming with you is made, here are the tips on how to make it the least stressful for you and for him.
The first and the most obvious thing is that you will not be able to leave your cat to walk freely, regardless of the type of transport you are going for. Airplanes would not allow it to walk just like that, and having it on the loose in a car can be very dangerous because it may interfere with the driver and jeopardize your safety. It is necessary to have a crate or a carrier for your pet. It needs to be big enough for your kitty to be able to stand up, turn around and lie down again. It needs space for food and water and, perhaps a toy.
Since the cats are very territorial, it is important that you make their crate or carrier feel like a piece of their own home. You will do that by placing their favorite blanket with them in the crate or some different piece of cloth or a toy. The important part is to have something inside that has the smell of home. Also, they will need some food and water. Make it their favorite treat because, sometimes, cats don’t want to eat when they are stressed and their favorite treat will be very helpful in that case.
The floor of the crate should be covered with paper or some absorbent cloth in case that your kitty has an accident. That will make it less uncomfortable for them to continue the journey before you are in any position to clean their space and replace the paper or the cloth for them.
There are travel medications for those cats that are really anxious and that don’t handle stress very well. However, it is best to avoid them because they are very strong. Use them if you are sure that your cat will not do well without them.
Also, in order to relieve stress, if possible, keep the carrier in your lap so that the cat can hear you or feel you. Cover it with cloth to distance the cat from all the stuff happening during transport, because the travel itself is enough stress and adding some new places, smells and people will only add to the whole thing.
Make sure that your can has enough air and that it is not too hot. Don’t ever leave it in the car, even for a little while. If you are traveling by car, make sure that you make frequent stops. In that way, your cat will have the chance to have some water and/or to use the sand box. This will make it a little bit more comfortable for the kitty to go through with the road.
These are all the basics about the cat travelling. However, you need to have one more thing on your mind if you are going abroad. Make sure you have all the documents needed for the country you are going to.