How to travel with a cat: 5 rules

Vika Laki •Updated 24 Sep 2024

5 minutes to read

Traveling with a cat on a train
How to travel with a cat on an airplane
Traveling with a cat on a bus
How to travel with a cat in a car
How to travel with a cat: 5 rules for the owner

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Want to take your beloved cat on a trip? Tips on how to travel with a cat by any transport will help you be prepared and enjoy your trip together.

How to travel with a cat: 5 rules for the owner

There are a few rules that will help your pet feel comfortable.

1. Carrier. Buy a carrier spacious enough for your cat to stretch and easily turn around inside. Place a non-slip mat or pillow on the bottom of a carrier. How to travel with a cat in a carrier if the weather is cool? Bring a blanket and a few favorite toys from home to keep your kitten comfortable and safe.

2. Sedatives. This is a guarantee of your pet's well-being and calmness in a stressful situation. Use only certified products, and only after consulting a veterinarian. The right selected dose will not make the animal lethargic, but will help it calmly endure unusual noise, light, voices of unfamiliar people and other side-effects of a long journey. Sedatives can be in the form of drops (applied to a part of the body that is inaccessible for your cat to lick, tablets, sprays (sprayed on the carrier and objects in it, not on the cat), and even in the form of collars. They have a mild and quick effect. They do no harm, are not addictive and are easy to use.

3. Documents. Easy travel with a cat means you will need some documents. They must be brought in accordance with the legislation of the country you are going to. Be sure to find out the details of how to travel with a cat abroad. Make sure that the animal has a veterinary passport and all necessary vaccinations. The cat must be vaccinated against rabies. Remember: without a full set of documents, the animal may not be allowed to pass the border and you will have to cancel your trip.

4. Cat first aid kit. In addition to sedatives, you should have dressings and aseptic materials, an ointment for healing wounds or a medication in the form of a spray, antihistamines, a thermometer, eye drops, and an anti - bowel remedy. With a high probability, all these will not be needed, but we should remember that animals are like children, which means that the attitude towards them is the same.

5. Cat luggage. If you travel with a cat in addition to a carrier, you need a tray, bowls, drinking bowl, a supply of food and water. Veterinarians advise taking dry food your cat is used to. Water must be clean, non-carbonated. Grab a few waterproof diapers and double-sided tape, which is convenient to fix the bedding on the bottom of the carrier.

Pets require constant attention. So make sure you always stay in touch with your veterinarian or clinic. By installing the Yesim application, you will be able to use mobile Internet all around the world.

Next, we share information on how to travel with a cat by any means of transport so that the trip is as comfortable as possible for both your pet and you.

Traveling with a cat on a train

The train is considered the most comfortable means of transport for pets. There are several rules on how to travel with a cat on a train as comfortably as possible.

1. Check the rules on transporting animals in the railway company. You may need to purchase a special travel document.

2. If the cat is fraidy, try to travel in a compartment where it will be calm and comfortable and where it will be difficult for your cat to escape. In an open-berth carriage with constant movement, the cat can be nervous.

3. If it does not want to eat, do not insist, but always offer water.

4. Let your cat come out of the carrier, offer to walk. Use a harness. As a rule, cats on trains like to sleep not in carriers, but only next to their owners.

5. Place the carrier on a flat surface across the direction of travel movement to avoid falling.

How to travel with a cat on an airplane

If you are flying with your cat, we recommend:

1. Find out how to travel with a cat on an airplane in your chosen airline. Try to choose flights in such a way that the time spent for connections between flights is minimal. 2. The animal will have to spend the whole time of the flight in a carrier, so you will have to get used to it in advance. Get your cat accustomed to the carrier 5 days before the planned date. 3. Make sure your cat has enough food, water and medication. 4. Check and don't forget the documents. 5. Before the flight, we recommend that you place the carrier with the animal in a cool, dark and quiet place.

Traveling with a cat on a bus

If you travel with a cat, you have to know that a bus is one of the least comfortable ways. There is not enough space on the bus, you will have to hold the carrier in your hands or put it under the front seat.

1. If the animal gets car sick, do not feed it before the trip. 2. Bus transportation rules are not clearly regulated. Each company has its own rules at its sole discretion. Check them with your carrier. 3. As a rule, there are no requirements for carriers. You can use a soft carrying bag or a special backpack with a window. 4. Traveling in the cabin of the bus without a carrier, on a seat or in your hands, is not recommended. A frightened animal can behave inappropriately and injure itself and others.

If you need to quickly find out any information or clarify the rules for traveling with a pet from a local carrier when abroad, you will need a mobile Internet. Thanks to the mobile Internet from Yesim, you can be in touch and quickly clarify all the nuances.

How to travel with a cat in a car

Accustom the animal to the car gradually. First take your cat and sit in the car with the engine off, then drive around the area. At the end of the trip, you can give your pet a treat.

How to travel with a cat in a car without unnecessary problems?

1. Make stops so that the animal can walk and use the litter tray. Remember that the optimal time for a cat transported in a carrier is 6 hours. 2. Make sure the carrier you choose is well ventilated and big enough for your cat to sit, lie down and turn around, but compact enough to protect it. 3. Make sure the carrier is fastened with seat belts and it will not slip while driving or bounce in potholes. 4. Take your cat’s favorite toys with you. 5. Never leave it alone in a closed car!