How to Travel with Your Cat
Cats present some unique challenges when it comes to transporting them from one place to another.
Using a harness when you travel with your cat, along with pet I.D., can help you keep a safe hold on them.
Cats do not tend to be the greatest of travelers. They establish a strong bond with their own territory and feel vulnerable away from their home. However, by planning ahead and reading our tips on how to travel with your cat, you can take a few bumps out of the road.
Smart Travel Techniques
- Keep a harness with an ID tag when you travel with your cat. Going through security at the airport can be stressful because you must take your pet out of the carrier and walk him through the X-ray machine. The harness will help you safely hold him. And if he should get away from you, he will have pet identification.
- Inform your hotel that you will be traveling with your cat. Keep him in the bathroom or a cage when you are not there.
- Make arrangements with housekeeping to clean your room when you are present so there is no chance your cat will accidentally get out of their carrier.
- Bring enough water for the duration of your trip or use bottled water. This precaution is necessary, since your cat may react badly to strange water.
- Use flushable cat litter so you will not have disposal problems.
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Consider placing crumpled up paper towels in the carrier when you travel with your cat in case they have an accident.
Crumple up many paper towels and place them on the floor of your cat's carrier. If your pet has an accident, the wadded paper will keep him from having to come in direct contact with the waste.
- Always bring along wipes (baby or pet wipes) and plastic grocery bags for convenient disposal of your cat's bowel movements.
How to Travel with Your Cat by Plane
- If traveling by plane, be sure to make reservations for your cat at the same time you book your own. Airlines limit the number of pets that can be taken in each cabin. There is usually a charge for taking your pet in the cabin even if he is considered "luggage." You will need a health certificate for your cat and certification of rabies vaccination.
