Are you a cat lover? Many Malaysians love cats and keep them as pet. Some even bring their cat on a road trip. However, do you know what you should pay attention to when travelling with your cat? Don’t worry if you don’t know how, here are some tips that you can learn to make sure it’s a safe trip for your cat when bringing it along.
1. Know Your Cat
Knowing your cat is very important for your cat’s safety. This can prevent your cat from falling sick. Ask yourself some questions like: Does your cat get scared easily?
Does your cat have motion sickness (sick of moving car)? Do you need to prepare any medications for your cat?
2. Meet Your Cat’s Veterinarian
Bring your cat to the veterinarian for mental and physical checkup before bringing it on a road trip. Seek advice from the vet on how to handle stress suffered by your cat, cope with motion sickness and other possible situations that your cat would experience whilst travelling.
3. Practice with it
Practice makes perfect! Let your cat familiarise with your car before you both start travelling. Start by short trips to the nearby park and slowly longer trips to a relative’s. By doing so, your cat will gradually get used to travel in a car. From this, you can also observe if your cat is ready to take a long trip with you.
4. Cat Identification Collar
Having an identification collar is crucial when your cat went missing, especially when it’s at a new place and doesn’t know the way back home. It helps everyone to find your cat. On this collar, clearly stating down your cat’s name. You could also have your name and phone number engraved on it. This makes it easier for the founder to contact you.
5. Travel in a Pet Carrier
A pet carrier is the safe thing to bring along while travel with your cats. Since maybe they’re first time travel with the car, so that make them a bit scared and carrier is the safe place to put them. In the carrier you can also put some cloth that usually use for your cat to help them calm while having anxiety for car ride.
6. Plan for Pit Stops
Most cats’ favourite place to poo or pee is on the ground. So, planning pit stops in between your journey is important for your cat. This does not only allow your cat to poo at a comfortable environment. Of course, make sure you clean after your cat’s poo by preparing poo bags. Having pit stops also offer your cat the chance to rest and play with some grass. Thus, helps in releasing tense that is built up during the ride.
7. Bring Extra Food Supplies
If your cat need any special food or medications, make sure you get them prepared in your bag. It’s wise to pack extra so you won’t have to worry or become panic when you’re running out of cat food or medicine and could not find any nearby.
8. Bring along some Cat Toys
Cat toys will help to reduce the stress of your cat. Bring along catnip. Catnip helps your cat to relax and ignore stressful events.
9. Never Leave your Cat Alone in the Car
When you’re having short breaks in between your journey, don’t ever leave your cat alone in the car. The heat inside the car will cause your cat to suffer from heatstroke and eventually die.
Here’s a video of an example of a car setting when bringing your cat on a car trip:
Another video of a cat enjoying its travel in the car:
And finally, a checklist for you to tick off when you plan to bring your car on a road trip! Have fun and enjoy!
