How to Travel Long Distance With a Cat
Keep health records on hand., Have proper identification for your cat., Calm your cat with supplements or pheromones., Practice giving your cat sedatives., Leave the crate out.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Keep health records on hand.
You should always travel with your cat's health records whenever crossing a border, whether it's a state or national border.
Your veterinarian may be able to tell you what documents to travel with.
For instance, you may need a health certificate and current, proper vaccination documentation.
Give yourself as much time as you can, preferably several months, to prepare.
This way you can find out airline regulations, get your cat vaccinated, and make any other important arrangements.When crossing state lines, you might only need a current Rabies vaccination with a tag and certificate.
When crossing into other countries, the requirements vary depending on the country and region. -
Step 2: Have proper identification for your cat.
Regardless of how you're traveling, get a flat, customized collar that has your contact information sewn into the collar material.
This way, you can avoid attaching dangling tags to your cat's collar which might get stuck in crate doors or crevices during travel.
Or, you could ask your veterinarian to implant a microchip under your cat's skin.
The microchip will contain all of your contact information in case your cat escapes and loses her collar.You can order a customized collar at your local pet store or on the internet. , If you know your cat dislikes travel and becomes stressed or anxious, ask your vet to recommend calming products for travel.
Your cat may respond well to simple herbal supplements or calming pheromones.
These pheromones are artificial versions of the pheromones your cat naturally releases when she feels safe and secure in an environment.When your cat is in a stressful situation, she may rapidly lose vitamins and nutrients.
Herbal supplements can help replenish these, calming your cat. , If your cat doesn't respond to more natural calming methods, ask your veterinarian to prescribe a sedative.
This will let your cat sleep during travel.
No matter which sedative your vet recommends, you should do a few trial runs with your cat before your big trip.Trial runs will let you know how your cat responds to the sedative and whether you need to adjust the timing or dosage, before the trip. , Since you'll most likely be transporting your cat in a crate, leave it out and open in your house.
Do this for as long as possible before your trip.
This way your cat can explore the crate itself and become accustomed to seeing it or being in it without any fear.The more comfortable your cat is with its crate, the more comfortable they will feel in it while they are traveling. -
Step 3: Calm your cat with supplements or pheromones.
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Step 4: Practice giving your cat sedatives.
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Step 5: Leave the crate out.
Detailed Guide
You should always travel with your cat's health records whenever crossing a border, whether it's a state or national border.
Your veterinarian may be able to tell you what documents to travel with.
For instance, you may need a health certificate and current, proper vaccination documentation.
Give yourself as much time as you can, preferably several months, to prepare.
This way you can find out airline regulations, get your cat vaccinated, and make any other important arrangements.When crossing state lines, you might only need a current Rabies vaccination with a tag and certificate.
When crossing into other countries, the requirements vary depending on the country and region.
Regardless of how you're traveling, get a flat, customized collar that has your contact information sewn into the collar material.
This way, you can avoid attaching dangling tags to your cat's collar which might get stuck in crate doors or crevices during travel.
Or, you could ask your veterinarian to implant a microchip under your cat's skin.
The microchip will contain all of your contact information in case your cat escapes and loses her collar.You can order a customized collar at your local pet store or on the internet. , If you know your cat dislikes travel and becomes stressed or anxious, ask your vet to recommend calming products for travel.
Your cat may respond well to simple herbal supplements or calming pheromones.
These pheromones are artificial versions of the pheromones your cat naturally releases when she feels safe and secure in an environment.When your cat is in a stressful situation, she may rapidly lose vitamins and nutrients.
Herbal supplements can help replenish these, calming your cat. , If your cat doesn't respond to more natural calming methods, ask your veterinarian to prescribe a sedative.
This will let your cat sleep during travel.
No matter which sedative your vet recommends, you should do a few trial runs with your cat before your big trip.Trial runs will let you know how your cat responds to the sedative and whether you need to adjust the timing or dosage, before the trip. , Since you'll most likely be transporting your cat in a crate, leave it out and open in your house.
Do this for as long as possible before your trip.
This way your cat can explore the crate itself and become accustomed to seeing it or being in it without any fear.The more comfortable your cat is with its crate, the more comfortable they will feel in it while they are traveling.
About the Author
Jerry Walker
Committed to making pet care accessible and understandable for everyone.
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