motion sickness, administrative, tips and tricks! We explain to you how to travel with your cat with complete peace of mind
You have decided to travel with your cat rather than leaving it at home with a cat sitter. No worries, we’ll show you how.
Cats and travel: the preparations
Traveling with your cat is no ordinary adventure. This project therefore deserves substantial preparation. This ranges from documents to hold to some essential gadgets to acquire.
Administrative procedures before traveling with your cat
Travel with cats is allowed throughout the European Union (EU). All you have to do is complete certain administrative formalities such as vaccination and the use of one of the methods of identifying your cat.
Indeed, the movement of cats is for their vaccination against rabies by an approved veterinarian. Also, it is required to have a European passport established for your feline.
Finally, your cat’s trip is conditioned by a tattoo or the wearing of a microchip.
For plans to travel to non-EU countries, it is best to check with the embassies/consulates of those countries for arrangements. What is certain is that it is necessary to provide the international health certificate for cats. To these mandatory conditions, is added an optional preparation of your cat.
Pre-travel physical preparation for your cat
It’s not just men who get stressed out about travelling. Therefore, it is useful to prepare your cat physically and psychologically for the planned trip.
In some cases, you barely feel the stress; the cat that meows or cries from time to time. On the other hand, in other cases, the symptoms of motion sickness may manifest themselves. This is the case with vomiting, for example.
You may also have to deal with cats that hyper-saliminate and are sensitive to up and down movements or even cats that become downright sick when they smell gasoline.
Professionals advise testing cats in their carriers with periodic short-distance car rides. Hold! Don’t forget to trim your feline’s claws.
Other shopping to do before departure: accessories and medication
It is not enough to establish your cat’s European passport, to have it vaccinated and to have it tattooed or put an electronic chip on its neck. It also helps to be predictable by buying a few accessories that will come in handy on the ride.
Generally, veterinarians advise trying acupuncture or herbal medicine. But it is also convenient to provide tablets of Cerenia against vomiting or Zylkene , a small tranquilizer based on milk protein.
Some specialists recommend having your cat wear a harness/leash during outings if you are used to it. You can also put a collar on the feline to follow its movements or even an on-board camera to follow its movements live.
Other accessories deserve to be part of the project. These are generally the travel litter box, his favorite toys, his blanket, his brush and his shampoo, the kibble boxes and bowls, a first aid kit, a scratching post, a carrying bag, etc.
In short, it is appropriate to have with you everything that seems useful to you for the development of your feline during this stay.
Arrangements for your cat during the trip
Good preparation is necessary to travel peacefully with your cat, but it is also useful to be attentive during this trip.
Safety and tips for having control of your cat
It is recommended, when you travel by car with your cat, to put it in a transport box in the back and to attach it using a seat belt. This precaution has a double advantage:
Not only does the measure prevent the crate from going all over the place and distracting you, but it also prevents the feline from wandering around the car and ending up, for example, under your pedals.
You can use a large hamster water bottle to quench your travel companion’s thirst. Anti-stress, anti-vomiting tablets and those to soften cats find all their usefulness here.
Air travel can be even more unbearable for your cat because of the loud noises, unfamiliar smells and the uncomfortable situation that this environment could cause him. It is preferable under these conditions to negotiate with your company so that the cat stays with you during the trip.
In the event of a favorable opinion, take additional precautions such as providing towels, wipes or even plastic bags to pack any vomit or stool.
Arrival: arrangements to be made
Once at their destination, your cat may become shy or refuse to come out of their crate altogether. It is best to give it time to acclimatize.
Avoid the mistake of changing your eating habits. Give it time to get to know its new territory and you will see that your feline will regain its ease.
Slip him his favorite toys; serve him the food he loves and he’ll be jumping around and meowing endlessly. That’s when you realize you’ve succeeded.
Your cat doesn’t like to travel?
As you already know, cats are not animals that like to travel as much as dogs. It’s normal, they are territorial animals that rarely venture into areas they don’t know.
The best solution for a cat is still to leave it at home… where it feels most comfortable. This is the perfect time for you to check out the profiles of the best Pet-Sitters in your city. You will be able to read comments from other members and even ask the cat sitter questions during the booking process.
