How to Travel with Cats for Long Distances – 4 Essentials You Must Not Miss
Driving is an important part of almost any adult’s day. May it be commuting to work or just heading out for a long drive, driving is something most people cannot do without.
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A lot of our time is spent driving during a week. Leaving home for such prolonged periods of time is not always easy. What could be harder? I’ll tell you; leaving behind your pets. Don’t you just miss your cat, dog or whatever pet you have whenever you’re on the move?
Constantly worrying if they’re safe, fed and happy, tires one mentally. This might have you consider taking them along; but how to with cats in a car for long distance?
We’ve come up with a few tips and tricks on how to make your cats a part of your long drive experience. We know what you’re thinking:
The thing is, we’ve looked past all those concerns and fashioned this article into a completely reader-friendly how-to guide.
The days of keeping your little kitties at home are long gone and so are all your fears of leaving of them there while you’re out!
How to Travel with Cats for Long Distances
Warnings and Disclaimers!
Via: travelandLeisure.com
Travelling with your feline friends is always going to be different from travelling with your human counterparts. You have to take into account a lot of things and keep your eyes open at all times. It is extremely important to keep an eye out for any sort of unusual behavior.
The only reason for this is that they’re cats! They do not speak. No matter how accustomed we become to our pets, their behavior will tend to surprise us in new environments. The case with cats is the best example of this, especially because they are not good travelers. Cats do not like a change in their surroundings. They love sticking to routine and absolutely despise leaving the safety of their homes.
Animals can get car sick. Motion sickness is a phenomenon found in both humans and animals. They can also get restless. The key here is to prepare your kitties beforehand by taking them for a series of short drives prior to your journey. This will help get them acclimatized to the movement and sound of the vehicle. Also, make sure you reward them with treats from time to time so that they do not despise it.
Travelling with cats can be very stressful. However, you can take some measures to make it a little less difficult for both you and your cat, which is why you are reading this article. We guarantee yours and your beloved kitty’s health and by the time you’re done reading, you’ll know exactly how to go about things.
What to Do To Make the Trip Easy for Your Cat
There are a few essentials you need to pack before you take your pet cats on a long drive. Here are some of them.
1. Prescription Medicine
You’re going to need some medication if your cat is prone to motion sickness. In order to check this, look for signs of crying, drooling, pacing around, fear of movement, urination and/or defecation.
Anti-nausea medicine, the likes of chlorpromazine can be helpful. If that doesn’t work, try giving it ginger. You can find it in veterinary clinics. Also, make sure you carry an animal first aid kit.
2. Essence
Instead of using sedatives to help your kitty remain calm, give it a little flower essence. The thing is, sedatives tend to slow down your cat while white flower essence helps them remain quiet and composed while traveling.
3. Odor Repellent:
You will need a stain and odor repellent after travelling with your pets. Otherwise, even you wouldn’t want to get in your car ever again.
4. Travel Carrier
Get a travel carrier for your kitty. This will ensure the safety and comfort of your cat. Make sure you fasten the carrier in the seatbelt for maximum safety. Moreover, you must put a towel inside the carrier which your cat is familiar with. This will make it easier for it to remain inside the cage.
You can also consider covering it with a cloth in order to not show the cat where it is. Also, make sure you use a harness to keep your cat safe
5. Train Your Pet to Pee Only in Litter Box before the Trip:
Anxiety and restlessness arise in cats when they are in unfamiliar territory. This happens when you take your cat along with you on your travels. A very severe consequence of anxiety is spraying.
A similar case I can remember is the one of my good friend. She adopted a cute little kitten from the local animal shelter and has since faced this problem a lot, especially while traveling.
Has your cat been bothering you too by not urinating in its designated place? Are you sick and tired of washing your car because it smells like cat pee? It can get really embarrassing, too. Not to mention the money spent trying to clean your car every time you travel with your cat.
My friend had to travel quite a lot for work, and she seriously considered giving the cat away as it was getting really bad. However, this was before she discovered an amazing series of proven techniques to train cats to prevent them from peeing anywhere but their litter box.
Not only did it solve all her problems of taking her cat along while traveling, it also made life bearable at home.
Via: petmd.com
Here are some great benefits she discovered by following the steps to train her cat to pee in its litter box:
This proven system helps your cat in both situations; if it just started peeing outside its litter box, or if it has been doing it since a long time. It can make those car trips with your cat much easier and fun.
All of us want a happy kitty that is active and energetic. Cat spraying is a consequence of anxiety, and that can be eradicated by using this tailor-made system. By following these steps, you will only have happy kitties and no smell in the house or your car.
This series from professionals decreases your stress as you won’t have to clean your car seats every time you travel with your cat. All those days of washing and replacing seat covers and furniture in your house are gone. The struggle of looking for the source of a repulsive smell will not be needed anymore.
Just imagine the amount of money you can save by training your cat to pee only in its litter box before you take it along on your road trip. When your cat is trained and happy, you would no longer have to spend money on medicines or cleaning out the car after an incident. By following this system, you can save a lot of money.
By training your cat beforehand, by these proven techniques, to pee only in its litter box you won’t have to worry about a dirty and stinking car or house. You will be ensured that your kitty will not pee or spray anywhere else, even when you have to stay at a hotel on your way.
If, like my friend, you are fed up of your cat spraying while you are traveling, you can benefit from the same system she used. It’s called Cats Spraying No More and this series of books can do wonders for your pet. All your worries and stress will disappear along with the wish to kill yourself every single time your cat gets the call of nature while you are on road.
This means happiness for you, and happiness for your cat! It helped my friend to a great extent and it will surely help you too.
6. Sustenance! Food and Water
If there is space inside the carrier, try keeping some food and water inside. However, this isn’t completely necessary, as you can take your cat out for some time and take of these needs then. Make sure you pack cat food high in protein. This will keep you kitties energized throughout the journey.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Enjoying Long Drives with Your Cats
1. Preparing for the trip
You and your kitties both need to be up to the mark when preparing to travel. Make sure all of you feel good and well. This will help you make the most of the trip without facing many inconveniences. As stressed on before, it is essential to take your feline buddies out for a series of short drives before the day you are to travel with them. This will help them get accustomed to the sounds and sights. It’ll also help them anticipate the car’s movement, which can be very helpful. Also, reward your beloved kitties with treats. This will help them associate pleasure with car rides.
2. Food Supplies
You need to make sure you pack a little more than enough food and water for your kitties. It is always going to be better if the food is high in protein.
Cat food can either be provided inside the travel carrier but only if there is ample space. If the food bowl takes up a lot of space in the carrier then your kitty could be uncomfortable. That would lead to another set of issues.
To be on the safe side, it is better to feed them outside the carrier every few hours. This way, the surroundings will also remain clean.
3. Medication
Keeping an animal-friendly first aid kit in your car is extremely necessary. You must also make sure that it has all the essential drugs and tools that can be used in cases of emergency
You must keep anti-nausea medicine as well. Make sure the kit is stored somewhere it can be accessed with ease. Every second counts in a state of emergency. You should also check inside the travel carrier from to time and look out for any unusual signs.
If the issue is a big one, make sure you quickly pay a visit to the nearest vet clinic. They should be instantly reachable from your GPS.
4. Legal Paperwork
Remember to keep your cats’ legal paperwork with you. It can prove to be necessary during long journeys.
If your journey involves crossing borders, there is a chance you will be needed to present paperwork. Make sure you keep your cats’ passport, vaccination papers, and other necessary documents with you.
If you cannot do that, then at least carry a soft copy with you. You can store it in your smartphone. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
To summarize, just make sure your vehicle is equipped with ample amounts of supplies. You’ll have to keep extra food and water with you.
Do not forget to not keep your kitty encaged for more than six hours. Take them out from time to time for a sip of water and toilet. Keep sufficient medication and first aid kits that are animal friendly. Try storing them in a place where it is easy for you to access them as quick as possible.
Also remember to keep stain removers and scents. If your cats get bored on the road, make sure to store a toy such as a ball of yarn with them. This will keep them entertained and active.
Pro-tips and Important Tweaks!
Conclusion!
Try practicing all of these techniques to make sure you and your cats have an enjoyable drive.
It can take quite a while to get used to your cats’ behaviors in certain situations. Once you have learnt well, do not be afraid to hit the road with them. Prepare well and you’re already halfway there! Make sure you enjoy life’s greatest pleasures with your beloved pets. Travelling with your cats will not be easy, but it will surely be worth it.
Make sure to add some of your own suggestions so we can learn further, too!
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