We’re going to be the first to confess that we don’t travel
with our cats.
As much as we love traveling with our dogs, we don’t
vacation with our cats. We’d love to
take them to the beach or even for day trips but we know that they would hate
it. They’re homebodies, and they like it that way. They have their catio so
they can safely enjoy a taste of the outdoors, a house full of toys and
perches, and, if we’re traveling overnight, an attentive cat sitter.
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| "Inca" one of Paris and John's cats |
But we also know some people do travel with their cats—and
that travel doesn’t only mean a dream vacation. Travel also includes trips to
the vet’s office, a move to a new home, and evacuation from storms and natural
disasters.
If you’re going to travel with you cats, whether that’s
around the block or across country, we’ve got a few tips to make your journey
not only safe but successful:
Acclimate your cats
to their carriers. Although we only take one cat at a time to the
veterinarian’s office, we have a cat carrier for each one of our cats in case
we should need to suddenly evacuate. We have the Kurgo Wander Pet Carrier which
we like because it’s soft inside, giving our cats something to grip to rather
than sliding around a hard plastic carrier; also, it folds up for storage if
needed. Two years ago when wildfire danger was especially high in our region,
we kept the carriers out 24/7 so they could be quickly accessed. It taught us
an important lesson, though: by keeping the carriers out, opened, and filled
with a soft blanket and special cat toy, it helped our cats lose their fear of
the carrier. It no longer represented a trip to the vet’s office but the
carrier became a home base for them. It’s now much faster for us to load each
cat into his carrier, making it less stressful for them and far safer in the
event of a sudden evacuation.
Research places to
stay. Don’t plan on overnighting with your cats? What if a natural disaster
means you need to evacuate? It’s a great idea to have a list of pet-friendly
hotels in driving distance in case you find yourself in a hotel. If you’re in a
hurricane area, maintain a list of cat-friendly hotels outside your evacuation
zone.
Prepare for Cleanup. Let's face it: messes happen. We're always
ready with our cleanup kit of paper towels and a cleaning product like Rug
Doctor Spot & Stain Remover. We're happy to say we've never lost a hotel
deposit. Although your cat's litter box use may be flawless at home, the scent
of previous four-legged guests and other factors may lead to a mess.
Look at pheromone
products. Cat pheromone products like Feliway produce an overall feeling of
comfort and safety mimicking the pheromones released by a nursing cat. Sprays
you can spritz on a cat carrier are easy to travel with; plug-in diffusers can
be a great option for a hotel room or a new home.
Check and doublecheck
before opening the carrier. When you arrive at a hotel room, do a sweep of
the room—twice—to look not only for anything you don’t want your cat to get
hold of but also for hiding places.
Travel with food and litter.
While it takes up some space, it’s much easier to travel with your cat’s
food and favorite brand of cat litter rather than shopping for it at your
destination (or, worse, finding yourself having to buy a different brand.)
Microchip your cat.
Even if your cat wears a breakaway collar with a tag, it pays to have your vet place
a permanent microchip in your cat in case she should be lost on a trip. It’s
also a good idea to create an ID tag with your cell phone number or the address
and phone number at your destination.
Carry the scent of home.
Your cat’s favorite blanket, added to the cat carrier, is a comforting scent of
home in a new place, whether that’s the carrier, hotel room, or a new home.
Prepare for the unplanned.
It only takes a few minutes to prepare a list of emergency veterinarians at
your destination and along your route. A compact cat first aid kit also helps
with minor issues along the way.
A little pre-trip preparation can make your next getaway
with your cat a successful—and most importantly—a safe one for both you and
your cat.
About the Authors: Paris Permenter and John Bigley are
professional travel writers and the authors of over 30 travel guidebooks. The
husband-wife team recently authored DogTipper's
Texas with Dogs, a full-color guidebook on the most dog-friendly
destinations in the Lone Star State. Paris and John publish CatTipper.com; Paris also hosts the weekly Dog Travel Experts radio show
on Radio Pet Lady Network.
