We all love spending time with our cats and sometimes, you might even consider taking your cat out. It’s not at all surprising though that taking your cat out can almost be as difficult as taking children out. You need to be prepared and have everything that you or your cat may need.
In this post, we’ll cover some quick tips on what you should have when you want to take your cat along with you. You will also find these tips relevant if you’re actually letting your cat out for the first time ever!
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Identification
Putting any form of identification on your cat such as a collar or a microchip can save you from being haunted by what ifs. The reason for this is because a lot of pet owners have suffered the misfortune of their pets getting loose on a trip and being unable to locate them because their pets weren’t properly identifiable. So be proactive and look into this before taking your cat on a trip. Do you have a ragdoll mix?
Travel Crates
Travel crates are especially helpful in keeping both you and your cat safe on a trip. This is because you can rest secured that they’re comfortable and not wandering around in the car while you’re driving. Cats that are allowed to roam free inside the car can pose distractions to the driver, which can end badly. Your cat will also be safe in a travel crate when you have to leave it alone for some time. Just make sure that your cat is accustomed to it before taking it out in a long trip in a travel crate.
Motion Sickness vs. Hyperactivity
There are two main problems that you could face when you take your cat out on a trip with you. The first is motion sickness. Typically, cats can overcome motion sickness by process of desensitization. Start off with an unmoving car and gradually increase exposure to up to a cross-country trip. There are also medications available to help your cat with motion sickness. If all else fails, you can give these to your cat to save yourself from a drooling, nauseated cat.
The second problem is hyperactivity. This is typically characterized by salivating, panting, whining, jumping, swatting at invisible things and trying to cling to the roof of the car. In this case, you’re going to have to sedate them so that you’ll both have some peace of mind.
Sedation
If you’re considering sedating your hyperactive cat, ask your vet on what options you have. It’s also good to start testing these out on your cat, as there are some rare instances when the medication does not work as expected on some cats. This is not something you’d want to know last minute, so explore your options first.
Plan Ahead
Make sure that your trip is pet-friendly by booking reservations in a pet-friendly accommodation, and plan your trip around the fact that your cat is tagging along with you. Luckily, there are a lot of tourist attractions that accommodate pets. If those are rare in the place you plan to visit, you can take the road less taken and go around the paths less taken.
Heat Stroke
Cats left alone inside cars are prone to heat stroke, and is generally not advisable if you take your pet on a trip. At best, leave a window open for air to cool down the inside of the car, but only if there’s a breeze. If not applicable, then take your cat out with you in their travel carrier. Heat stroke can seriously make your cat unwell and all it takes is a few unsupervised minutes in a locked car.
To Conclude:
It’s inevitable to be a little worried if you’re taking your cat out (or letting it out) for the first time. However, if you keep these tips in mind and be prepared, you’ll find that it’s hardly as nerve wrecking as you had expected. You can’t always watch your cat with a pet camera. But you can take steps to still make sure it’s safe.
