Tips for Car Travel with Cats

Traveling in a car with cats can be a stressful, anxious time for both you and your feline friends. Long road trips can be particularly harrowing. But there are some steps you can take to make the experience less daunting for both you and your cats. Here are some tips for car travel with cats.

Cats do not like things they are unfamiliar with. So before taking off on that long road trip, familiarize your cats with your vehicle. Take them on some local journeys, gradually increasing the amount of time they spend in the car. You may feel as if you are torturing them for no reason, but familiarizing your cats with car travel will make your long road trip far less frightening for both you and your cats.

Cats should not be permitted to roam freely around your car during travel. They will end up by the foot pedals and could cause a terrible accident. You will need to purchase a cat carrier for each cat you will travel with. Make sure the cat carrier is large enough so that your cat can sit and lie comfortably. Put some items in the cat carrier that your cat likes and is familiar with, such as a blanket and a toy.

Do not feed your cats after bedtime the night before your journey. If you are going on a long road trip, you can easily make bathroom stops, but your cats cannot. Feeding them will only make them more uncomfortable during the long ride. Give your cats water to keep them hydrated and they will be fine.

If you will be staying over at hotels during your journey, be sure they are pet-friendly. Many hotels accept small animals, but some do not. You do not want to be turned away, sent back out into the night without a place to sleep just because you didn't do your homework and the Ramada refuses to accept Fluffy and Buttercup.

If your cats are very skittish and nervous, you may want to visit your vet before embarking on your road trip. Your vet may prescribe a tranquilizer such as Diazepam to ease your cats' anxiety during car travel. Do your research and ask the vet plenty of questions prior to giving your cats any medication. Some do not react well to certain medications and an adverse reaction could be fatal.

Be sure to soothe your cats during car travel and make the experience as comfortable as possible. Following these simple tips can make car travel with cats less strenuous for all involved.