PAWS ON THE ROAd
A Behavior Consultant’s Guide to Traveling
Spring is here and wanderlust often sets in for us. Sometimes for our cats too. So, I decided to devote this column to travelling with your cat, whether it’s for vacation or a vet visit. Our two cats, Cricket and our blind-from-birth girl Jenny, both have very different approaches to travel. Cricket will sneak into the suitcase and expect us to take her along. Jenny however, without even waiting for the carrier to come out of the closet, will just sense a change to our routine and knows we’re all leaving and quietly disappears under the bed.
If your cat is like Jenny, I suggest you read my blog post on how to train your cat not only to go in the carrier, but to like going in it! I have a client who when she shakes the treat bag her cat Felix now runs into the carrier (and often then takes a nap!). If you want a cat who acts like Felix, read my blog post I’m Feline Fine! Conquering Carrier Aversion When Traveling with Your Cat at catbehaviorhelp.com/carrier-aversion.
TRAINS, PLANES & AUTOMOBILES
If you’re travelling by car, whether it’s a short distance or a longer one, it’s good to have disposable gloves, unscented baby wipes, paper towels and bags to dispose of vomit or stool if there is an accident. The inside of the carrier should have a towel that smells like your kitty, and for some cats it will be helpful to line the kennel with a wee-wee pad. You may also want to drape a towel which has your cat’s scent on it over the carrier. The towel and the inside of the carrier should be sprayed with Feliway, a calming social pheromone. Make sure to give the Feliway time to dry before travelling. For longer trips, an expandable carrier like one by Petcute can accommodate a small litter box. Some cats may benefit from either calming medications or anti-nausea meds – but please discuss this with your vet. Never let your cat loose in the car. If you’re going to give your cat breaks outside the car, they should be fully trained with a well-fitting harness. But understand that even with a harness there are risks in unfamiliar places with cats. If you need to stay overnight in a hotel, there are several chains that allow cats like Motel 6, Best Western, La Quinta and Red Roof Inn as examples. Research it and call first to learn each hotel’s policies, and costs. Always have a leash, collar, and ID on your cat.
For trains, Amtrak now allows pets, but there are rules/restrictions and paperwork. Check their website or call for details and get to the station early to file your forms. It’s a bargain at $26 per pet (5 pets per train allowed).
For domestic air travel in the cabin (I don’t recommend putting your cat in the hold) make sure your carrier is airline approved, and it must fit under the seat. You will need to call the airline to get a reservation which you pay for at the airport, so your online ticket will not say anything about the cat. Because of this, I urge you after making the reservation, to call the airline back and have them verify that your cat is on the reservation. The first time I flew with our cats I didn’t do this, and the agent failed to push the right button, thus there was no reservation when I got to the airport. Fortunately, we got lucky, and we were able to board with them. Remember, you will have to take them out of the carrier at security and walk them through the metal detector. Make sure you don’t beep! And just in case, put your cell number on the outside of the carrier.
Are you bringing your cat on vacation? If you’re going to take them outside make sure you use a harness and leash with ID, or if you know the environment very well, use a good pet tracker but understand there are risks. We take both our cats to an island in Maine, and we supervise them outside – the tracker is a backup. Happy and safe travels!
