Traveling In Cars With Cats

There is a lot said about the differences between cats and dogs, and there are a lot of differences to talk about. Your cat and your dog may get along famously in spite of the old saying about how the two animals tend to fight, but there will be certain things on which they inevitably differ. Chances are, for example, that your dog will happily snuggle underneath a blanket, while a cat will absolutely loathe the mere attempt to cover it. Close confinement is not something that any cat enjoys, and even if you have a house cat – one who never ventures into the great outdoors – they are still likely to respond very badly to being asked to travel in a car. For many reasons, cats hate this kind of confinement. Sometimes however – whatever the reason – it is impossible to avoid.

Say, for example, that you are moving house. Clearly, your cat will not be too enamored with the idea of traveling in a car. But you are not going to leave them behind at the old place, are you? For most people the cat is as much a part of the family as any human. So it is necessary to persuade the cat to travel with you. One thing that is inescapably true is that you will need to further confine the cat – allowing it to roam free in the vehicle will not make it feel any more at ease, as the noise and motion of the car will upset it. It may well aim for the nearest source of familiar comfort – you. This is not good when you are trying to maintain control of a tonne or so of metal.

You must try to make this extended period of confinement something that the cat can bear. One way of ensuring this is preparation. Familiarise your cat with the carrier in which they will be traveling by placing him or her in it at the time of day when you will be traveling. Make it comfortable by placing a blanket in with them, and let the cat put his or her own scent on the carrier. This will at least give them something familiar to hold on to for the journey. When the carrier is in the car, ensure that it is laid on a flat surface, as the feeling of sliding or falling upsets a cat a great deal.

Try to make the journey as smooth and as peaceful as possible. This means avoiding roads that are bumpy and taking extra care when driving not to stop suddenly. Keep the car as quiet as possible, so that the cat can hear your voice – this way you can make reassuring noises, and say “It is OK” in a familiar voice. The tone of your voice will limit the upset caused to your cat.

Finally, depending on how long the journey is, you may need to make a stop for your cat to go to the bathroom. To ensure that he or she does not make a break for freedom, they will need to be held in a harness – so if possible, try to train them to be at ease with this.

By: Levi Quinn

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