One of the most important aspects when traveling with your cat is preparation. The earlier you start preparing your cat, researching, scheduling veterinary visits, and gathering paperwork, the easier it will be. Another key is knowing how to travel with a cat. Some cats are mellow travelers, whereas others are stressed by going in their carriers, never mind being in a noisy car or plane. Lastly, you also have to think about the best method of travel for your situation and any guidelines or restrictions.

Preparing for the Trip

Depending on the length and method of travel, here are some supplies you may need to make the trip easier and more comfortable.

• Cat carrier
• Harness
• Identification tags and break-away collar
• Feline pheromone spray
• Calming collar
• Identification tag (having your cat microchipped is recommended)
• Food, water, and containers for each
• Medications your cat is currently taking or may need and copies of prescriptions, with updated dosing plans
• Litter box and litter
• A way to dispose of scooped litter waste (plastic bags)
• Pee pads to line the bottom of the carrier (and extras in your bag)
• Hypoallergenic pet wipes in case of accidents
• A larger, collapsible pet kennel or playpen with room for a bed, small litter box, food, and water
• Always have vaccine records with a synopsis of medical conditions, and a health certificate may be needed
• An emergency contact, who is not traveling with you, should you become separated from your cat and are unreachable.

Here are some steps you may need during the planning process:

• Talk to your veterinarian well in advance to make sure they can provide health certificates. This also gives them time to research your destination. Your cat may need vaccines or bloodwork well before travel.
• Check the USDA APHIS Pet Travel website for regulations on travel within and outside the United States.
• If traveling internationally, check with the country’s consulate for additional requirements because every country has restrictions and required documentation.
• If traveling on a plane or train, check their pet guidelines, including what type of pets they accept, weight limits, whether your pet can travel in the cabin, carrier size requirements, temperature requirements (heat and cold) etc.

• Schedule a veterinary visit if any of the following are needed:

  • Identification microchip
  • Vaccines (recommended 3-4 weeks prior to travel)
  • Health certificate
  • Nausea or vomiting medication
  • Anxiety medication
  • Blood tests
  • Refills on any medications that your cat may need during the trip

• If staying in a hotel or other paid accommodations, plan your route and check their pet guidelines, including what type of pets they allow, size restrictions, and applicable pet fees. Look into a way to keep your cat confined when they may be unattended, in order to minimize the risk of them escaping if hotel staff needs to access your room.
• Look up emergency veterinary clinics along your route.
• Make sure your pet is microchipped, your registry is active, and you contact information is accurate, including a way you can be reached while traveling and an alternate contact if you can’t be reached.

Making Your Cat Comfortable During the Trip

For your cat to be comfortable during the trip, you need to start preparing well before your trip. Things like acclimating your cat to their carrier and harness can be done ahead of time. If your vet prescribes any travel anxiety medication, you’ll want to try dosing your cat beforehand to assess effectiveness and become aware of any possible side effects, like drowsiness.

Select a safe, comfortable carrier

It should be large enough for your cat to sit, lay down, stand, and turn comfortably. The Center for Pet Safety does crash testing on pet carriers and crates. Only a few pass their stringent standards, using a seat belt or latch system to help protect the cat in the event of a crash.

Make being in the carrier a good thing

Spend time getting your cat used to being in the carrier in a positive way. Teaching your cat how to get into their carrier with positive reinforcement, will ease their anxiety.

Get your cat comfortable with the car

If you’re traveling by car, use the same desensitization process to help them feel more relaxed. Start with the car turned off and slowly progress to driving short distances. Take note of your cat’s behavior to gauge their stress levels, so that you can better explain these behaviors to your vet so they can help reduce your cat’s anxiety.

Get your cat comfortable in the kennel

If you’re staying in paid accommodations like a hotel, or you’re concerned for your cat’s safety if left to roam where you’re staying, you’ll want to spend some time helping them feel comfortable in a larger kennel or playpen. It’s the same slow desensitization process used for carrier training.

Use a pheromone spray

Spray the carrier blanket/pad with feline pheromone spray 30 minutes-1 hour before putting your cat in the carrier, and repeat every 5-6 hours. If you’re doing a multi-day trip, spray it on the blanket/pad each morning.

Traveling by Car With Your Cat

How your cat will be most comfortable in the car depends on the size of your car, length of the trip, and what kind of carrier you’re transporting your cat in.

Where to place the carrier in the car

If certified by the Center for Pet Safety, follow the instructions to attach the carrier to the seat. If you have another type of carrier, the safest place is in the footwell of the backseat. This will prevent the carrier from moving around. Some carriers without crash-centric design have been crushed by a seatbelt in accidents. So, it’s important to make sure that your carrier is crash tested and secured with a safety belt system in order to prevent injury, loss, or escape in case of an accident.

Resources your cat will need

If you’ll be in the car for extended periods, your cat will need access to food and water and may need access to a litter box. If they’re taking any medication, you’ll need to plan your stops accordingly to administer their prescription.

How to let your cat out of the carrier

It’s best not to remove your cat from their carrier during travel – the carrier is safer than being out in the car. You also want to be careful opening the carrier while driving or stopped. If your cat is afraid, they may hide in the car, get under the driver’s feet, or escape out of the car. If you need to let them out, have them in a secure harness with a leash or a contained portable crate for added safety.

Remember, a cat can sneak through a window that is only rolled down a couple of inches. If leaving the car for a short period of time during travel, it is recommended to take turns with a passenger (if possible) so your cat is not left alone. If you’re driving alone, then ensure the doors are locked, the windows are secure, and that the temperature is comfortable to avoid heat or cold injury.

Traveling by Plane With Your Cat

Like traveling in the car, how your cat will be most comfortable on a plane depends on a few things. Whether your cat will be placed on the floor, the length of your trip, and the size of the carrier.

Schedule non-stop flights whenever possible

While non-stop flights might seem counterintuitive for traveling with a cat, they get you to your destination faster. Long layovers with an overnight hotel will give your cat enough time to decompress and use a litter box.

Make sure your cat is healthy enough to fly

As with people, cats can have medical conditions that make flying unsafe. Ask your veterinarian whether it’s safe for your cat to fly.

Carry-on your cat

Some airlines allow cats as carry-on items. There might be extra fees associated with either method. Check your airline to see where your cat would have to be.

Check documentation and quarantine guidelines

Traveling to certain destinations may require special documentation and lab testing ahead of time to prevent a quarantine, even when traveling within the United States. Other destinations may require a quarantine for all animals. See the USDA APHIS Pet Travel website for more details.

International Travel With Your Cat

Traveling internationally requires a high level of advanced planning and organization. The USDA APHIS Pet Travel website and the country’s consulate can provide information on what documentation, vaccinations, vaccination certificates, microchipping, import certificates, and/or quarantines may be needed. Your cat may also need documentation for the return trip, so be prepared to get a veterinary examination and documentation at the destination.

Access to a Litter Box While Traveling

Healthy cats can often hold urine and feces for 12 hours. Cats who urinate or poop more frequently, such as cats with diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, feline lower urinary tract disease, or diarrhea, will not be able to wait that long for a litter box.

If traveling by car, bring a small litter box that your cat can use during rest and overnight stops. If your cat is extremely nervous, they’re unlikely to use the box. If they don’t urinate within 18 hours or poop within 36 hours, call your veterinarian for advice.

If traveling by plane, try layering potty pads or other absorbent bedding in their carrier Many cats aren’t going to feel comfortable enough in a strange, loud location to use a box on the spot like this, so having pee pads in their carrier is a good option.

Dealing with Motion Sickness in Cats

Some cats can have motion sickness, so your veterinarian can prescribe medication to help with this. Signs include:

• Drooling
• Licking
• Pacing
• Yowling
• Vomiting
• Defecation (pooping)

Dealing With Your Cat’s Anxiety While Traveling

While some cats can travel pretty well, most will have anxiety or considerable fear around being in the carrier for prolonged periods, going to strange places, all the loud sounds and smells, etc. Unfortunately, you can only desensitize your cat slowly and positively to some elements of travel, like being in the carrier and the car. There’s no way, for example, to do short plane flights or visits to the airport in a controlled way. That means you can help with some of their anxiety through desensitization training but not all of it.

However, you can try to ease their stress in the moment using things they enjoy, like treats and petting, and helping them feel safe. You can also incorporate supplements and prescription medications to help.

Here are some simple ways to help ease stress:

• Cover three sides of your cat’s carrier or give them a hiding spot so they feel more secure.
• Give your cat treats, petting, and verbal praise throughout the trip when you can do so safely.
• Try to limit the noise around your cat.
• Avoid a lot of movement and bouncing of the carrier as much as possible.
• As much as strangers may want to see and talk to your cat, ask them to please keep their distance.

It’s always best to try a new medication at home before you depart. If the desired effect is too much or too little, you can contact your vet. Such adjustments may be difficult or impossible once you are on the road or in the air.