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Cats!!
These little creatures always seem to be a challenge when it comes to
transporting them from one place to another. If you have never
listened to the forlorn yodeling of a terrified cat on its way to the
veterinarian you have missed a true spectacle of nature.
Only one cat in a hundred will curl up contentedly on the car seat next to
you while on a trip. Accept the fact that traveling with a cat may require
a few preliminary preparations in order to make the experience at least
tolerable for you and your little feline friend.
First… invest in some sort of crate or fabric containment. If you
can get your cat into one of these portable products the cat will be much
more secure physically and psychologically. Cats go into a sort of
“I’m safe in here” mode when they find themselves enclosed within a
crate.
Once you have a travel crate, place it in the house with the door open,
put a little treat and a small litter box in it, and then ignore it.
Do not put the cat into it because the kitty will immediately understand
what you are up to and won’t go near it again.
NOTE: Many veterinarians
and pet owners believe strongly in buckling up pets in a car just as you
would a child. There are many types of restraining devices for dogs BUT
FEW FOR CATS. You might consider using a padded fabric type of crate
for your cat instead of the plastic or wire crates in order to keep your
cat in place during a trip and to ensure additional safety in case of an
accident. Collars, harnesses and leashes are a must for any traveling
cat. The bottom line? Be prepared.
On the other hand if you allow
the cat to discover this neat little den/crate right in its own house, you
may find the kitty hanging out in it. Then someday when you need to
capture the feline trickster to transport it to the veterinary hospital
all you’ll have to do is keep an eye out for when the kitty is inside
the crate and shut the door on your way by. Now a trip in the car
will be safe for you and the cat. Don’t worry about putting food
and water in the crate; healthy cats can go without food and water for
many hours.
Do some occasional trial runs prior to any long trip you need to take so
that you know what to expect when you have to be your cat’s driver on
longer trips. If your cat really seems uncomfortable and cries, and howls
for a long time longer than twenty minutes, you may need to contact your
veterinarian about using a tranquilizer prior to a long trip. It can
be difficult to discern whether your cat is displaying Hyperactivity or motion
sick. Describe what your cat is doing in the crate (quiet and drooling or
going bonkers and screaming) and your veterinarian will be able to
prescribe appropriate medication to allow the kitty to be comfortable.
Never open a crate with a cat inside unless you are prepared for the cat
to spring out of the crate and make a dash for freedom! One of the
most dangerous and embarrassing events you will encounter with your cat is
trying to retrieve it from the rafters of the building you are in.
And the odds are overwhelming stacked in favor of someone innocently
opening the front door of the animal hospital just at the moment your
kitty spies the tallest pine tree across the parking lot of the animal
hospital.
It can be dangerous, too, in the enclosed exam room when the veterinarian
opens the crate or travel container. Some cats are wound as tight as
a miser just waiting for their chance to escape. The natural
tendency is to climb to safety… and injury will result if the kitty uses
a person for a tree. You need to go slowly when removing the cat
from the container; let the cat orient a bit before trying to get your
hands on the kitty. It may be best to open the crate or container
and allow the cat to amble out on its own. Be careful.
A healthy cat may not move an
inch for six to eight hours at a time. Allow a little food and water
but don’t expect the cat to even glance at the feast you’ve provided.
At your motel sometime during the night, when everyone is sound asleep,
the kitty will use the litter box and have a private banquet on its own
terms. Your cat may use the litter box once, eat once
e and drink once every twenty-four hours when
on a long trip. The odds are you will be worrying more about these
behaviors than the cat.
Never, ever, let your cat loose
when on a trip. It makes no difference how “good” your cat is at
walking with you at home. On a trip you and your cat are in a
different world and if your cat, for any number of reasons, “takes
off” you may never see it again. Some sort of an ID tag is always
a good idea. If your cat simply will not wear a collar, here’s an
idea: Have a groomed or your veterinarian shave some fur from the
cat’s belly. Using a Magic Marker write your name and phone number
on the kitty. Eventually the fur will grow back and the
marking will fade but this little trick may just save your lost cat’s
life.
f you are like most cat owners, you will not look forward to traveling in
the car with your little pal. Nevertheless, if done often enough,
maybe you will be one of those lucky 1%.
ON
THE ROAD
The very first rule of
traveling with your cat is to have an ID tag or other means of
identification securely affixed to the kitty. Thousands of dogs and
cats end up in shelters simply because the owners never dreamed the pet
would get loose or become lost while on a trip. There are few
disasters in a person’s life that are worse than having to drive off
without a pet because all means of locating and recovery have failed.
This kind of tragedy will haunt you for the rest of your life; don’t let
it happen. Get an ID tag!
Before you leave make sure you consider the option of leaving your cat in
a hometown boarding facility Many are just for cats and do not board
dogs. Others have the cats well away from any sight, sound or smell of a
canine. Visit the local boarding facility and see what goes on. Also there
may be a Pet Sitter in your area who would tend your pets in your own
home. Make sure you know how your cat reacts to trips by taking a number
of local short trips, then if you need to take an “all-dayer” you’ll
have a good idea of what to expect. Any “all-dayer” is just a bunch of
short trips anyway. So, before you set off on that cross country
trip be sure that you are confident that you can predict how your pet will
behave.
MOTION SICKNESS
Vomit happens. Sometimes even humans get carsick. Most cats
can overcome motion sickness through desensitizing them by repeat short,
uneventful trips. Gradually accustom the cat to spending time in the car
with the engine off, then with the engine on, then short trips, then the
cross-country adventure. Prior to a trip be sure the cat has had
food and water available, then remove food and water at least three hours
before you set off. You can also use anti-motion sickness
medications to help settle the stomach and prevent the sometimes prolific
drooling that occurs in a nauseous cat. Most medications used to prevent
motion sickness are very safe contact your vet to see what options are
available. Many cats eventually will travel without the aid of
medical assistance. Just in case, bring a roll of paper towels.
Note: Motion sickness or hyperactivity? Here’s the
difference… cats with motion sickness are generally quiet and even a
little depressed because they feel awful. They will drool all over the
place, maybe even pass stool, and eventually start vomiting. The forlorn
howling you might hear reminds one of a dark, creepy Halloween night! Even
with an empty stomach the vomiting reflex can be very strong. These cats
will greatly benefit from anti-motion sickness medication if it is given
long enough in advance of the trip to be working by the time you start the
journey.
The cat that goes bonkers when in a vehicle demonstrates hyperactivity.
These cats aren’t sick, Salivating, panting, whining, jumping from front
seat to back, swatting at non existent butterflies and trying to cling
upside down to the roof of the car are common characteristics of the
hyperactive feline traveler. If you must bring the hyperactive cat with
you, medication to sedate the kitty will surely make the trip safer,
easier and less stressful for both you and the cat.
THIS CAT’S HYPER!
The key to successful use of pre-trip medication is to
administer it well before the trip starts, put a little medication in a
treat, If you believe your cat may be a candidate for medication, be sure
to do a leisurely pre-trip trial well ahead of the time you really need
it. About one cat out of ten will not respond in the common way to a
particular medication or a particular dose.
TRAVEL
CRATES
These inventions are very handy. Your cat, if happy and comfortable in a
crate, will be safer and you will have the peace of mind knowing it is
secure when you must leave your friend alone for short periods. If
you do use a crate, be certain that the cat is totally accustomed to it
well prior to the trip.
Plan ahead
Well ahead. If you know you will be staying overnight somewhere, be sure
to have reservations at an establishment that welcomes pets. A handy list
of “Pet Friendly” motels/hotels can be found if you do a little
searching. Don’t even think about it if you hope to hide your cat
in your room or think you will launch a successful appeal to the motel
owner’s sense of sympathy if you show up with an 25 pound Maine Coon!
And don't forget to bring along some disposable "Scoop n Toss
Bags"; you must be socially conscious about where your kitty chooses
to relieve itself. Your portable litter box may not be the cat's first
choice. Be prepared!
FOOD AND WATER
It wouldn’t hurt to pamper your pal, bring along your cat’s own food
and drinking water from home and you will be better off. And a few
old towels or rags will make good cleanup devices. Emergency first aid
kits are very handy for you and the cat. Anti-itch medication, bandages,
and antibiotic ointments may save the day when you least expect something
will go wrong. It is a good idea to have your veterinarian give you a copy
of the cat’s medical history to take with you just in case a visit to a
veterinarian along the way becomes necessary.
LEASHES
Here’s a safety tip, bring two leashes. hat way you’ll have a
spare when you misplace one. Cats are notorious for doing Houdini-like
escapes from their collars. A harness is much more secure, especially the
ones that will adjust according to the amount of tension placed against
it. he harder a cat pulls the tighter and more secure the slip
harness becomes.
HEAT STROKE!
Leaving a pet alone in a car has a number of potential risks. Always be
conscious of the effects of heat buildup in a parked car. t only
takes a few minutes for the internal heat to build up forty degrees above
the outside air temperature especially if direct sunlight bakes the car.
Even the cat’s body heat (expired air in the cat’s breath is 102
degrees!) will act like a heater inside the car. Be very cautious about
leaving pets unattended in parked cars. Heat stroke is a dire emergency
and one from which many pets do not recover. And you'd be shocked to find
out just how fast it can happen.
Don’t forget to bring along some fun toys and tasty treats. just so the
kitty knows that this traveling stuff is really fun!
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Milo
Zoe