I’m guessing you don’t intend to take your cat with you to a road trip or to a peaceful vacation away from home. But if you plan on moving to a new place that is far from your current home, you will need to make some preparations in order to make sure your cat will feel as comfortable as possible.
The most common ways to travel with cats is by car or airplane. Here are some tips on how to help your cat through the ride:
- In order to make sure your cat will be safe, always use a carrier. Of course, don’t forget to put some blankets or pillows, and even some of his toys to make him feel a little bit less terrified.
- Plan your time to make sure you won’t forget to make some stops along the way. Most cats can hold their need to relieve themselves up to 7 hours, of course, if you can, it is better not to make him wait that long.
- While doing a brake, let your cat walk around a little bit but don’t forget to close your car doors. You can put the litter box on the seat or on the floor and don’t worry if your cat won’t use it.
- It’s very important to put identification tags on your cat. If your cat has a microchip, better. It’s always good to be prepared, just in case…
- Cats, like human, can get car sick. The best thing to do is to take your cat to the vet for some medicine to prevent nausea. Don’t use any medications on your cat without the vet’s recommendation. You can also avoid from feeding your cat while driving.
- Pack a cat first-aid kit that includes antiseptic cream, bandages, gauze squares and if your cat has a special medicine he is taking. Of course, don’t forget your vet’s number and his emergency number as well.
Air traveling is a little bit more difficult, not only for you, but also for your cat. First, you should know that Federal regulations require that cats will be at least 8 weeks old and weaned at least 5 days before flying.
The certificates you will need to take with you are:
- Health certificate- make sure it is not more then 10 days old. Other wise your cat won’t be permitted to fly.
- You will also need to present a valid rabies vaccination certificate.
Here are some tips on how to help you and your cat through the flight:
- Make sure your cat’s carrier is big enough so that he will be able to stand, turn around and lie down in it.
- Label your cat’s carrier with your full name, phone number and destination contact information.
- Don’t forget to consult the vet for more important information.
GOOD LUCK
