The vast majority of pets, especially those that have free access to the outdoors, feel vulnerable if they enter another territory. As a rule, animals are tied to their own territorial boundaries, feeling protected. Traveling with cats is the dream of most people, but alas, these furry predators do not really like new places and do not get positive emotions when exploring new places.
If you want to go on a trip with your pet, the owner needs to prepare carefully. When planning a long trip with an animal outside the home, you need to purchase a special container for transportation, a bowl for food and a special container for water. It is also important to consult a veterinarian about your pet's health. For some cats, due to natural characteristics and diseases of internal organs, travel is not recommended, as is long-term stay in a closed space.
Advantages of transporting animals by plane
Air transportation of pets is fast and convenient. You don’t need to waste your personal time on the flight or pay for a ticket - just trust us with your pet. Transportation is carried out on direct passenger flights in specially equipped compartments in which optimal climatic conditions are created. It means that:
- there will be no delays in delivery;
- your pet will be comfortable, he will not feel discomfort and will be delivered without any difficulties or force majeure.
What to do if your cat can’t get used to the car
Some cats will never be able to calm down during car rides, despite your best efforts. These cats may benefit from calming supplements and/or medications. Talk to your veterinarian about the best options for your cat.
Nutritional supplements such as Solliquin can help your cat relax without the use of pharmaceutical drugs. Check this in advance before you go on a long trip.
If supplements are ineffective, then it may be time to try stronger medications. A sedative may be the best option for the most restless cats.
Requirements for transporting pets
To transport pets by air, a number of requirements must be met.
First, you will need a container cage. She must:
- match the size of the animal, be comfortable so that you can stand, lie, or sit in it;
- provide good ventilation;
- have a sippy cup.
If you are unsure whether you have the right cage, please contact us. We will help you find the optimal solution.
Secondly, you need to put a moisture-resistant diaper or napkin in the container cage so that your pet feels comfortable throughout the flight.
Thirdly, delivery of an animal by plane is allowed only if you have a permit - a veterinary certificate in Form No. 1. It is issued in state veterinary clinics after examination and is valid for 5 days - this must be taken into account when planning your departure date. This document must contain the following information:
- mode of transport – AVIA;
- route – departure city and arrival city;
- to whom the certificate was issued - the sender, the one who is indicated in the air waybill, and who presents his passport when placing the animal on board the aircraft;
- information about the latest rabies vaccination - it must be done no earlier than a year and no later than a month before departure.
To obtain a veterinary certificate in Form No. 1, you will need a veterinary passport with information on mandatory vaccinations.
How to organize your cat's journey in the car with greater comfort
Before the trip, it is important to prepare well, including mentally. You need to be prepared for the fact that the animal will not accept the journey with much enthusiasm. Especially if you plan to travel by air.
A special comfortable box should be selected taking into account the individual characteristics of the pet. It should be a fairly spacious carrier in which the animal will not only feel safe, but also be able to rest.
When planning long trips, you need to make sure that the carrier can accommodate a food bowl and a small cat litter box.
When transporting a cat in a carrier, experts do not recommend opening the box door, trying to improve the animal’s well-being. This is due to the high risk of various dangerous situations. While driving, a cat can jump out and interfere with the driver, which will lead to an accident, or it can jump out of the window, which can also end in disaster - the animal will either get scared and run away, or it can be hit by a car.
When planning a trip with a cat in a car, especially in the hot season, you need to make sure that the plastic box or other convenient carrier is well ventilated. Otherwise, the pet may simply suffocate. Carrying in a car while driving must be firmly secured with seat belts.
Overheating of a cat can also occur when the carrier is sent to the luggage compartment or placed under the rear window.
An important tip is to prepare your pet before the trip. It is best to start training gradually, a few weeks before departure. This is especially true for owners of cats who have never been in a car.
The first trips should be minimal in time - a maximum of half an hour. A prerequisite is to place the cat in a special box or carrier during this period. This will allow the cat to adapt faster and get used to smells and noise.
When the animal is in the car, it must be treated and talked to encouragingly. A bag or other convenient carrier for a cat should be fully prepared 1-2 days before the planned trip. Inside the carrier you can put a small blanket or towel on which the animal likes to sleep. You can place your pet’s favorite toy in the carrier itself so that he doesn’t get bored on the road.
To alleviate the condition of the animal during the trip, the cat carrier, on the advice of veterinary specialists, can be treated inside with special sprays containing a certain dose of pheromones. Cat pheromones of synthetic origin will allow the animal to feel a state of comfort, calming the animal during the trip.
The transport box or box must be equipped with a small hook or carabiner. This device will allow you to secure the animal with a harness if necessary. Moreover, this will help the owner, if possible, let the cat out of the carrier for a short time if the trip is planned for a long time. It is extremely necessary for a cat to stretch its numb paws.
If there are several pets, each should have their own carrier. The fact is that any trip is stressful for animals and they can react differently. So, some fall into a stupor, while others, on the contrary, become overly aggressive.
A cat litter box is a must for long-term transport. It is also recommended to cover the floor of a plastic carrier or bag with a disposable moisture-absorbing diaper, which will prevent possible embarrassment.
Advantages of cooperation with our company
We have extensive experience delivering cats, dogs and other pets on direct passenger flights. Our company specialists:
- choose the flight that suits you;
- will solve all organizational issues;
- they will deliver the pet to the plane, put it on board, and make sure that everything is okay with it;
- at the destination airport they will make sure that the animal has been delivered and everything is fine with it, and will hand it over to the person meeting it or, by agreement with the client, will deliver it to the specified address.
Services for transporting your pets by air are provided at a high professional level. Ask our managers all questions about the organization of delivery, cost and possible timing - they will promptly provide the necessary advice.
Transport equipment and accessories
Note! It is not recommended to carry a cat in a car in your arms. This can be resorted to only if the animal is already familiar with the interior of the car, has become accustomed to it, and the trip promises to be short.
The carrying bag must meet the following requirements:
You should also get a small bed in advance. You should not place the cat directly at the bottom of the container.
A cat can be trained to travel without a carrier
Let's go on a trip
The list of necessary things will depend on the country of arrival, location (are there any pet stores with the necessary goods nearby) and the duration of the trip.
The most necessary things on the road will be:
- harness for walking;
- wet wipes;
- spare diapers;
- water;
- water bowl;
- food bowl;
- diaper cleaning bags;
- 1 package of filler;
- dry and wet food for 2 - 3 days of travel;
- favorite treats;
- favorite toy;
- if the cat is prone to damaging property, a scratching post is a must-have item. Or, as an alternative, protective caps for the animal’s claws.
Some travelers advise giving the animal a sleeping pill or sedative.
But it is undesirable to do this, since when the pressure changes, the body experiences a strong load. And drugs in this group are not safe in themselves. Calming sprays with pheromones and scented harnesses can help.
Before transporting a cat abroad , you should make sure that your place of residence allows pets . Usually, having a mustachioed companion is treated complacently. However, there are exceptions.
There are cases when they try to impose an additional payment on a traveler for a pet upon arrival. Screenshots of correspondence with the owner of the premises , where it is indicated that you will be with the animal, as well as a screenshot of the advertisement will help to disarm lovers of freebies . And there is no information about the need to pay extra for this.
Up
We will equip the place
Carrying
The most reliable and safe place for a cat during a trip is a carrier - a container with a grille for air access and a door with a secure lock.
When choosing a good carrier, you need to pay attention to:
Scientists have found that cats are often susceptible to claustrophobia. The carrier should allow the pet to follow what is happening and see its owner. Some carriers have built-in bowls or trays for food and water.
Let's make a purchase . When choosing a carrier you need:
The carrier is placed in the back seat and securely secured with seat belts so that the container cannot slide around the cabin.
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Bed
An animal that spends a long time in a carrier or inside a car needs bedding or a mattress:
- comfortable;
- soft;
- with replaceable cover.
Harness
How to choose a harness. The correct harness should:
Harness training. It is more difficult to train an adult cat to wear a harness. It is better to start doing test walks at home, so that the animal adapts to its usual conditions and calmly endures the restrictions of freedom.
What to take on the road?
If it’s your first time on a long trip, stock up on medications for motion sickness and vomiting, the signs of which are: drooling, vomiting, mouth breathing.
For those who are particularly nervous and violent, anesthesia or sleeping pills are acceptable. But they are harmful! Therefore - only according to the testimony of a veterinarian!
2). Accompanying documents:
For all questions regarding the transportation of animals abroad, you should contact the consulate of the destination country in advance (!).
3). Accessories for cat care.
Prepare a first aid kit with the necessary medications to provide assistance.
Put bandages, antiseptic cream and special medications in your first aid kit. Don't forget to write down your veterinarian's phone number, and also find the phone number of a 24-hour veterinary clinic near your location and a hotline number to call if something happens.
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If you are concerned that your cat will not cope well with the road and will behave restlessly in the car, then talk to your veterinarian in advance. It may be necessary to give your pet some anti-anxiety tablets before the trip to prevent this reaction.
To take or not to take—that is the question!..
If road trips are a common thing for your mug, then you can and should! Why leave the baby in the wrong hands for a long time? After all, she will miss you, and you will miss her. It's better - together!
And when exactly you can’t take it with you? For example, if:
- the pet will have nowhere to live (what if someone in the family where you will be staying is allergic to wool?);
- in the country where you are planning a vacation or business, there is a very long quarantine (sometimes up to six months!);
- your pet is such an avid homebody that she is seriously and even pathologically afraid to leave her home; and if you still can’t get her accustomed to being in a carrier, then to a car (exception: moving to another house).
And in other cases - why not? And stop pushing the sofa!
So, it’s decided - let’s go! Where to start preparing a cat?
In the luggage compartment
This method is used by those owners who are forced to transport very large animals or several cats at the same time. According to the rules of most air carriers, it is allowed to take into the cabin a carrier bag with one cat, which will always be in the owner’s line of sight, that is, in his arms. It is unacceptable to place a bag under a seat or next to an emergency exit, as it is contrary to safety rules.
Therefore, if there are several animals, then there is only one way out - to use the luggage box. On modern aircraft, this compartment is heated, boxes with pets are placed in a row and fixed.
Note! Separate ones do not transport cats in the cabin at all, so pets inevitably go to the luggage box
How to prepare your cat for a trip
Prepare for any trip in advance. This also applies to animals. Since they themselves are not aware of what awaits them, it is the owner’s job to mentally and physically prepare the pet to remain in conditions of discomfort. After all, any vehicle, and especially a car, is always vibration, new smells and sounds. And most animals react negatively to such changes. The pulse and breathing quicken, the animal may become aggressive, begin to “complain” loudly and try to escape. If he gets hot, he can go to the toilet under himself. These problems must be avoided.
You can start preparing by taking sedatives. It's a good idea to consult your veterinarian before doing this. But if you don’t want to visit an animal clinic, you can use homeopathic sedatives yourself. They are sold in pharmacies and pet stores. The essence of the method is to calm and dampen the cat’s reactions to stimuli in advance.
Shortly before the trip, the cat can be introduced to the car. The animal must be given the opportunity to smell, walk around, and feel the atmosphere of the car. This will make it possible to slightly reduce fear. After all, when she finds herself in the car as a passenger, the place will not seem unfamiliar to her, and it will be a little easier to get used to the vibration.
Drugs with chemical composition
These products can only be used after consultation with a veterinarian and after prescribing the required dosage for each specific cat. They have quite a few contraindications and are used exclusively in emergency situations:
- Buspirone (tablets). An effective remedy for combating stress in cats. However, the effect of the medicine does not begin immediately, but after several weeks of use (about a month). It has the effect of accumulating in the animal’s body. Prescribed for phobias in animals.
- Diazepam is a strong tranquilizer. It quickly calms and relieves aggression in cats, but has a number of contraindications.
- "Vetranquil" (liquid for injections). Very quickly calms down, eliminates excitability and nervousness of the animal. Begins to act in a few minutes.
- "Amitriptyline" (liquid for injections). Used for injection into the muscles and veins of the animal. Has a strong sedative effect. Relieves aggression and severe stress in cats. It works quickly. It has a number of contraindications.
- "Xylazine" (liquid for injections). Has a strong sedative effect. It starts working in a few minutes. It will help relieve the animal’s strong excitability, aggression, and tension. It has a fairly large list of contraindications.
