Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cats

How to travel with a cat in a car

Will Blesch
By

Suppose for one second that you were a cat. You have a lovely home and a human to call your own. However, you’ve never been outside your domain. Oh, sure, you might have stepped outside once or twice, but you’ve never actually gone too far.

Now, suddenly, your human has grabbed you, stuffed you in a cage, and put you into this thing that moves in a weird way. It makes loud noises, and there’s lots of stopping and going. It’s enough to make any cat sick!

Related Videos

If you can picture that, you may understand why some cats dread car rides. You might also have a good idea as to why many people feel traveling with a cat in the car is a supremely unpleasant experience. As the cat’s owner, though, you can change that. In the article below, we’ll go over how to travel with a cat in the car. We’ll also look at how to help your cat look forward to heading out onto the highway.

Related
Photo By alenka2194/Shutterstock

Traveling with your cat by car

First thing’s first, you’re going to want to ensure that your cat is all groovy. By that, we mean safe and comfy. To accomplish that purpose, you should put your cat in a cat carrier that’s large enough that it can stand, turn around, and stretch. The carrier should also have padding on its interior so that your cat won’t get banged around if it should slip from its place.

Next, you’ll want to ensure safety by securing the cat carrier with a seatbelt. Remember, treat your cat with as much care as you would a baby.

Think about the time frame

How long can cats go without water? If your trip is six hours or less, you can feel okay leaving it inside the cat carrier for the whole time. However, suppose you’re going on a road trip to grandma’s house, and she lives a day’s drive away or farther. In that case, you’ll want to set periods when you allow your cat out to use the litter box and to drink some water.

Make sure you’re parked when kitty goes to the potty

Remember that a cat let loose in a moving car is a recipe for disaster. It might completely freak out (more than it may be already) and what with the yowling that’s sure to occur, and the distinct possibility that it could just decide to use your lap as its toilet, you could lose focus and get in a wreck. Then, your peeing cat goes flying right into the windshield. That’s undoubtedly something you don’t want happening.

To avoid unpleasant (even deadly) occurrences like those described above, always ensure that you’re parked and that both windows and doors are shut.

Make sure your cat is packing an ID

Whether you’re going on a short trip to the vet or a long drive elsewhere, you should always ensure that your cat is wearing an ID of one type or another. That ID should always include your name, address, and phone number. If you don’t like the thought of your home address being on the ID, substitute it with your email address.

Make sure there’s a way for someone to contact you if your cat gets lost and they find it.

Don’t feed your cat before driving

You should never feed your cat in the hours before driving somewhere. You don’t want a cat with motion sickness puking all over the inside of its carrier. The same goes for feeding the cat while driving. Wait to feed it until you’ve stopped for the evening.

Cat With Blue Eyes Sitting In Car
Photo By dimmitrius/Shutterstock

Your cat’s fur coat isn’t enough

If you’re traveling in winter, this tip goes to keeping your cat comfortable. It can often take a while for the car’s heater to adequately warm the interior of the car. If you’re cold and you’re wearing a coat, it’s a safe bet that your cat is cold too. Be kind and ensure you’ve got some blankets to pile around the cat carrier to insulate it a bit from the cold temperatures. You might also consider placing a little kid blanket on the bottom of the carrier for your cat to snuggle into.

Bring frozen bottles of water with you

Say you’re traveling in the middle of summer and your air conditioning goes out. In that case, you’ll want to help your cat stay cool because it can’t sweat in the same way you do. Inside its car carrier, your cat could quickly overheat. To prevent that from happening, take some frozen water bottles with you and keep them in a cooler. If you feel like it’s just way too hot for you, it’s definitely too hot for your feline companion.

Wrap a couple of the frozen bottles in cloth and then put one on each side of the carrier’s interior.

Enjoy your trip

There’s just one last thing to keep in mind. If you’re just going on a short vacation, it’s a much better idea to let a family member or friend take care of your pet until your return. However, If you don’t have any other options and your cat needs to travel with you, then keep everything above in mind. Traveling in your car with a cat can be an adventure, to say the least!

Editors' Recommendations

Are urinary tract infections in cats possible? What cat parents should know about this condition
What to know about prevention and treatment of UTIs in cats
Gray cat in a cat bed

UTIs are a common and pesky condition in humans. It’s short for urinary tract infection. A UTI is an infection of a part of the urinary system, like the bladder, kidneys, or urethra, as the name implies. UTIs can involve painful burning sensations when peeing. They affect about 10 out of 25 women and 3 out of 25 men at least once, according to the Urology Care Foundation.

Cat parents may wonder: What is the rate of urinary tract infections in cats? Unfortunately, it’s not zero. Cats can get UTIs. The good news is that cat health experts don’t commonly see the issue when treating felines. However, it’s still good to think about the urinary tract when approaching your cat’s health.

Read more
Bengal cats: What to know about these quirky descendants of Asian leopards
Bengal cat breed facts that may surprise you
A Bengal cat lies on a white floor and bathes their forelimb

With their striking rosette coats and low-maintenance grooming needs, Bengal cats are already one of the most desired breeds in the world. Once known as Safari cats, the breed went through a name change in the 1970s to reflect its fascinating heritage. But what is living like a Bengal cat actually like? Are they as feisty as their Asian leopard ancestors?
We'll explore the Bengal cat's personality in depth, covering everything from a brief look into their history, the most common Bengal personality traits, and any breed-specific requirements that may hinder your quest to adopt one of these lovely cats.

Bengal cat history
While some cat breeds, such as the Egyptian Mau, can trace their lineage as far back as 10,000 B.C.E., the Bengal cat is a relative newcomer on the scene. The Bengal cat was first bred deliberately in California in the 1980s, after cat breeder Jean Mill crossed a domestic shorthair (a black tomcat) with an Asian leopard cat. Asian leopard cats, a breed of dainty wildcats hailing from Southeast Asia, are also known as Felis bengalensis -- hence the aforementioned name change from Safari cat to "Bengal cat," -- a nod to this hybrid breed's wild ancestor.
However, there may be another reason for the switch that led to the newly dubbed Bengal cat. When the breed's name was changed in 1974, the man responsible was named William "Bill" Engler -- B. Engler. Some believe he drew inspiration from his own name.

Read more
Can cats suffer from mental health conditions the way dogs can?
What you need to know about your cat's mental health
A blue-eyed white cat sprawls out on top of a rug with a forlorn expression

As it turns out, man's best friend has quite a lot in common with humans. Just like us, dogs can suffer from mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year." With such staggering numbers, it's easy to understand why the self-help industry is booming. But what about cats? Are our feline family members similarly affected by mental health issues?
While dogs are typically more expressive regarding their moods, cats can be more difficult to read. A dog suffering from depression may refuse to play with his favorite toy, but what behaviors can you expect from your feline friend? Do cats suffer from depression and anxiety the way some dogs do? We'll take a deep dive into the world of cat mental health, so we can answer the question once and for all.

Can cats have mental illnesses?
In her 2014 book "Animal Madness," Dr. Laurel Braitman writes, "There is not a branch of veterinary science, ethology (the science of animal behavior), neuroscience, or wildlife ecology dedicated to investigating whether animals can be mentally ill." While we can't read our cat's mind, we can use their typical behavior to gauge sudden personality changes that might ring a few alarm bells.
Two commonly diagnosed mental issues in cats are obsessive-compulsive disorder -- often abbreviated as OCD -- and cat anxiety. In cases of OCD, you may notice your cat excessively grooming the same location on her body, which can lead to redness, swelling, skin irritation, and even hair loss. However, excessive grooming is also a symptom of anxiety, though anxiety is often accompanied by additional concerning behaviors, such as decreased appetite, incessant yowling, and even drooling.
Details are scant regarding exactly how many cats suffer from mental health issues, but the fact remains that your frisky feline can be affected by OCD, anxiety, or depression. In fact, it may surprise you to learn that cats can even have autism.

Read more