This post was sponsored by our friends at OdorKlenz.
Do You Loathe The Idea of Traveling With Your Cat?
Traveling is a difficult task no matter the situation – whether it’s loading up the whole family in the car or having to travel with your furry family members! Cats are known to dislike traveling and do not like being forced into the scary environment of the car with all of the unfamiliar noises, scents and surroundings. But don’t worry – you can help lessen the stress!
If your cat is anything like mine, the car ride can consist of loud and frightened meows and wimpers of fear. Nothing feels worse than knowing that your cat is extremely distressed and it’s due to the stressful situation you’ve (unintentionally) created. Unfortunately, traveling with your cat cannot be avoided. Whether you have to take them on a short trip to the vet or on a longer trip during a move, be sure you learn the Do’s and Don’ts of traveling with your cat. Doing so can help you have an easier car ride for yourself and more importantly it will help aid in the comfort of your cat in this unfamiliar and stressful environment.
Why Do Cats Hate Car Rides?
Cats are habitual creatures who are all about routines; and for most cats, car rides are a far deviation from their everyday routine. Just imagine what could be going through their little heads when they are placed in this environment with all of the unfamiliar noises and scents. Cats, just like us, get stressed in unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations, especially when you remove them from their home safe space.
Felines spend a good deal of their time trying to establish their territory and it’s really scary when they’re taken from their home territory. The change and stress can sometimes elicit a physical response from your cat such as vomiting or urinating due to motion sickness, discomfort or fear. Make sure you’re prepared to travel with your pet before you go. Check out the following Do’s and Don’ts lists to help you prepare for your travels with your furry companions so you can know what to do and what not to do in your traveling adventures.
What To-Do When Traveling with Your Cat
The best source of information is often learned from the mistakes that others have made on the same journey. Based on my fails and successes of traveling with my cats I can enlighten you on your best plan of attack when traveling with your cat. The things to do when traveling with your cat include:
- Make sure to purchase a comfortable carrier for your cat to help sequester them in a cozy yet confined space. Letting a cat roam freely in the car can be dangerous for you and them.
- If your cat is in the confinement of a cat carrier and has a bio-accident, the odor will likely permeate both the carrier and your car making the trip even more unpleasant for both you and your poor kitty. Bring along an effective and natural treatment for pet messes so that you can effectively treat the source of the odor at the onset of the incident. Doing so will lessen the stress for both of you.
- Let your cat explore the vehicle before your trip. Giving them the opportunity to investigate the environment ahead of time can help alleviate some of the initial fear. You might even want to try desensitizing your cat by taking them on very short trips in the car (5 minutes around the block) where they don’t end up at the vet.
- Bring along a favorite item such as a blanket, towel, or bed that has their scent on it. Cats are comforted by familiar scents – particularly their own.
- Reward your cat with treats to help distract them from being scared or nervous.
- Research emergency vet locations along your travel route to ensure that if your cat needs medical attention you can access a vet quickly.
- If possible, travel with someone your cat knows and likes so you can sit with your cat to ease their nerves by talking to them in a soothing voice and petting them. If you have to travel alone be sure not to increase your cat’s stress by playing loud music. While traveling, talk to you cat in a calm, loving tone to reassure her that she’s okay.
What Not To-Do When Traveling with Your Cat
The what-not-to-do list is just as important as the to-do list when traveling with your cat. You could experience major problems if you don’t avoid these mistakes when traveling with your cats.
- Don’t forget important medications for your cat at home. If your cat’s medication requires refrigeration, be sure you bring a medication cooler along.
Don’t forget to put a collar with tag on your cat or make sure they have identification and contact information should they get loose. It’s a good idea to get your cat used to a harness and leash before traveling and have them wear it in the car. Should something happen and your cat needs to be out of the carrier, it will be much easier and safer to control your cat with a harness and leash.
- Don’t let your cat have free roam of the car while in transit. Cats that are scared will look for tight places to squeeze into and may even seek shelter under your feet and get in the way of the pedals while you’re driving.
- Don’t leave behind your cat’s favorite toys, because these toys can provide them with a sense of comfort on the journey.
- Do not (and this is a BIG one) forget to bring food and water for your pet for the ride. This can be the biggest thing people forget to bring along for their cats. Also, make sure to bring disposable bowls for feeding your cat food and water.
- Don’t forget to stop so your cat can have bathroom breaks along the way. Bring your cat’s litter box and use the same litter that they use at home. Puppy pads can help contain accidents that occur in your car. And if your cat does have an accident, make sure to have a natural cat urine odor removal solution to remove the odor from your car. You’ll want to treat the accident site as soon as possible so that the strong urine scent can be effectively treated and removed.Traveling with your cat can be less stressful once you have learned what things to do to make your cat more comfortable and what to avoid doing when traveling. Not only will this make it easier on you the next time you travel with your cat but your furry companion will thank you too!
Related Reading – Checklist: Cat Disaster Preparedness Checklist
Editor’s Note/Product Review
This is a sponsored post and we were compensated for time spent reviewing OdorKlenz products. As always, we provide genuine commentary about products we try. Here are the products that were tested:
OdorKlenz Pet Urine Odor Eliminator worked very well at removing the smell of cat urine entirely. I tried it on a used pee-pad and the smell came out completely. Besides being effective, we were really excited to learn that OdorKlenz products are all-natural and will not harm you or your kitty (no harsh chemicals!) The only downside of this product is that you really need to be careful in wiping it up (read and follow directions). I admit, I used it wrong the first time because I didn’t read the directions carefully. The first time I tried it, I left the product on too long and had a somewhat difficult time getting it out of a rug sample. Be sure to follow their directions really closely if you purchase it. Urine Pet Odor Eliminator is only $19.99 for a very generous size bottle.
The other product I tried was the OdorKlenz Absorbent Granules. These granules are meant to be poured over liquid messes (think cat puke, urine, etc.). The granules quickly absorb the liquid and make it really easy to sweep up the mess. The other great feature is that this product absorbs smells too – so if you’re squeamish about cleaning up pet messes – this product might be just the thing you’ve been looking for! I tried the granules on both oil and vinegar on a carpet sample. The granules effectively absorbed all of the granules and got rid of 90+% of the scent immediately and a few days later, the scent of vinegar was gone completely. The Absorbent Granules are affordably priced at $9.99 for a can. Another bonus? OdorKlenz has a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee on these products.
The Catnip Times reviews cat products from time to time and reports on our genuine experiences with you, our readers. Many times, manufacturers will send us free products to test and try and other times we purchase our own products (because we shop around for cat stuff just like you!) In either case, we only post about products that we genuinely like and find to be of exceptional quality. If a product doesn’t meet our standards, we will not post about it nor promote it.
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