Having your little pal with you while traveling or moving is oftentimes a necessity, sometimes a pure source of stress, and in some cases a beautiful, joyful experience. Which option would you go for? Naturally, every cat owner worships his cat or cats and wants to spoil them. Nonetheless, to be able to take care of their cats, it includes finding numerous ways to get them used to their owners’ lifestyle, habits and new environments. With a few simple tips and tricks, you can achieve being able to travel and have fun at the same time, without having to worry about your furry friend’s safety, mood or well being. Visit here to learn step by step how to safely fly with your cat. Reducing the amount of your worries when traveling or moving by taking your pet with you and reducing your cat’s discomfort by familiarizing it with the basic elements of leaving their home, is what may seem like a complex process but the reward you get surpasses every preparation step towards getting your goal! It’s the chance to travel, cuddle and spend time with your animal best friends.
What should you pay attention to when you start planning your trip?
1. CONSULT THE PROFESSIONAL
Asking questions when in doubt about something is always the right thing to do, especially here. Ask your veterinarian for advice and practical instructions on how to prepare for a new adventure like this. Not only that, bring your cat with you for an extra check, even if you already had your regular check once or twice a year. Checking their health, making sure that the paperwork is prepared and done, is just as important as consulting with their vet about the possible scenarios in which you must know how to react or what medications to use for taking care of your cat’s both physical and psychological condition. Whether it is just making them relax and preventing stressful episodes or it’s a regular medical treatment, you’ll be in control of the situation if you go through everything beforehand. One of the worst things you can do is to get your cat scared, so work together with the vet on creating a plan for preventing that. Sometimes it even means using mild sedatives to help acclimate your furry friend to the new environment.
2. PROVIDE A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT
Don’t be afraid to do your research on the best car crates or playpens for cats. It’s sometimes hard to understand the logic behind placing them in cages but it’s been proven that there are several benefits in specific situations where they need to get acclimatized, moved from one place to another, trained or separated from your other pets in order to recover from an injury or a disease. Giving them a safe place to rest, play, sleep, enjoy, and slowly get used to everything that surrounds them is the best approach you should have, if you’re traveling by car, plane or you simply moved into your new home and want to familiarize your cat with the new space and new rules. When choosing the right cage, you should pay attention to the size of the space inside, making sure it’s spacious enough for your cats to feel free and playful. Ideally, you should go with the wire cages since they allow your pet to see everything around them like they’re not tamed but rather sheltered. If you want to provide your cat with the best cage possible, learn more about the special features such as shelves, toys, ladders and platforms inside that make them perfect places for entertainment and learning time.
3. PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR NEEDS
Whether you’re traveling during summer or winter make sure to constantly think about the temperature in the vehicle and keeping it normal. If it’s too hot, do everything you can to cool your cat, lowering the AC temperature or using ice packs to keep it pleasant and cozy for them. Cats’ body temperature regulation is different from ours so be aware that it needs extra attention and effort to be sure that your cat is doing fine. It’s easy for them to overheat but also to be cold, so you might as well want to bring some blankets and other sources of heating for your little friends, if you’re traveling during the winter. Not only that, don’t forget to bring treats, food and water containers with you, along with a good stack of dehydrated food and of course – water. If you’re just about to get going, don’t give your cat any food prior to travel, to avoid making her sick. Get your cat accustomed to the leash so that you can use it if needed. Also, know where your pet’s limits are when it comes to the movement, time and space, meaning that you should incorporate taking breaks and organize pit stops while traveling and having extra patience when taking care of them. Bring items that smell familiar and cool new toys, to make them more comfortable and in general, try to focus on making it the least traumatic experience possible.
4. LOOK FOR PET FRIENDLY PLACES TO STAY
You may think having a cat with you when traveling is something completely normal, while in reality, there are a lot of hotels that don’t allow pets inside, so it’s of great importance to check the conditions before you arrive at your destination. Don’t be lazy and call several hotels or places to stay, to get the information on the possibility of your cat staying with you. Call even if it says that they are okay with cats or dogs, just to confirm that it is the case. Hotels are afraid to be pet friendly for the obvious reasons such as guest complaints, possible allergies that some of their guests have, inventory damage and noise. On the contrary, there are numerous hotels with excellent pet policies that are more than welcome when it comes to having both you and your cats. Making a good plan beforehand is what saves you from headaches and helps to feel safe and relaxed.
If you think your cat’s a part of your family then you should care about their needs just as much you would care about any other family member. Understanding what they want and how they function is the most important part of taking good care of them. The second one is undoubtedly — unconditional love. With these two ingredients, no matter where you go, you will have a great time and a handful of beautiful memories!