How to Help Your Cat with Travel Anxiety

Cats love their home, their routine, their territory, and typically aren't a fan of change. For these reasons, traveling can be a tough experience that causes a lot of anxiety for your cat. Below we've included some tips, and a product recommendation to help reduce travel anxiety for your cat!

1

Train Your Cat to Get Them Used to Their Cat Carrier

  • Make sure your cat carrier is big enough where your cat has room to move around - you don't want them to feel trapped
  • Your cat needs to not associate their carrier with a negative experience, so you need to get them used to it at home
  • Place the cat carrier somewhere near where your cat enjoys, and put some of their favorite belongings inside (bedding, a toy, etc) to motivate them to go inside, and have a positive experience
  • Reward them for spending time in the cat carrier with treats - that way they start to associate the cat carrier with positive experiences
2

Leave 6 Hours Between Their Last Meal and Car Time If It Is a Longer Trip

  • Cats can get car sick, so avoid feeding them right before you get in the car
  • If you are going on a long trip, like a road trip, make sure to keep your cat hydrated
  • Light can be a major stimulus for cats, so you can try draping a sheet over the cat carrier
3

Place Your Cat Carrier In the Area of the Car with the Least Vibrations

  • For most people, this is in the footwell behind the front seat
  • Make sure the carrier is secure, and won't be moving around while you are driving
  • Cats are sensitive, so avoid an area that gets a lot of sun, or will be too hot
4

Use ThunderEase® for Cats - Powered by Feliway - Cat Calming Spray

  • Spray ThunderEase® - Powered by Feliway Cat Calming Spray into the 4 corners and sides of your cat carrier 10 minutes before putting them inside
  • ThunderEase® for Cats may help reduce signs your cat may display when they are unhappy in the car, like meowing, drooling, and becoming agitated
  • ThunderEase® mimics a mother's natural nursing pheromone, which helps cats to feel safe and calm
ThunderEase for Cats - Calming Spray

Success Stories

"Our cat suffers great anxiety when traveling in a car. We take her to our cottage at least once a month and she would cry the whole time and inevitably lose her lunch on the way. We tried this product by spraying it on her Thunder Shirt and on a blanket. We had an uneventful trip to the cottage and are very pleased. She loves being there and now the journey is tolerable."

Syl
CAT OWNER

"Is a great product worked very well with our cat. Before we would drive about 400 miles each way seeing family and our cat would get car sick, throw up, and use bathroom on himself every single time. Every morning we put it on his mat in his cage and he never had a spell. We drove 2200 miles with him and the spray worked amazing. We even take him camping with us now, as long as we spray his mat he’s just fine doesn’t freak out. We will keep this on hand at all times now."

Dora
CAT OWNER

"I traveled with a 5 yr old Bengal/Siamese cross cat who is very cleaver. She has never been in a car much less in a carrier for 3000 miles. I bought a very plush soft sided carrier but was concerned that she would tear it up but I opted for comfort. When she became agitated I used the spray. I did it in sets of about 5-7 pumps. She would begin to calm down but would get agitated later so I repeated. It worked great for her. We arrived after 4 days and she is a very happy kitty. Highly recommend it."

Cathy
CAT OWNER

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