I think the first question we need to ask ourselves, is why we want to travel with a cat in the first place? There is no pleasure in it for either party, and if there is an alternative, such as a good cattery, a very obliging neighbour or a pet sitter then I think you should take it.

If car journeys are going to be a way of life for your cat, then it’s vital that you get them used to it as early on in their lives as possible, when they may be more receptive to new experiences and different environments.

While there might be the odd cat who curls up and falls asleep, on the whole, it will be a noisy affair with the cat letting you know just how stressed they are, and the worst case scenario, actually being sick with anxiety. What with the noise, the movement and the confusion surrounding the ride, it might just be too much for them and they will exhibit their own interpretation of road rage.

Unlike the vast majority of dogs, who associate a car journey with a pleasurable event such as a walk, there is no such association for a cat, other than a trip to a vet for injections and a thermometer up their bottom! However, there are several steps that can be taken to make the ride more bearable and minimise the horror for the cat and the other passengers.

The driver’s attention should be on the traffic, and not on the cat. With this in mind, it is essential to find a carrier which provides a safe, comfortable environment. It should be secured with a seat belt or an anchorage point (never put a carrier in the boot of a saloon car as your pet could suffocate) and can be wedged in the footwell or placed so that in the event of an accident it is not able to go flying forward. RoSPA, the Royal Society for the Prevetion of Accidents say that a 50lb unrestrained dog in a car which is being driven at 30 mph could be thrown forward with the force equivalent to nine 12 – stone men which would be enough to kill a driver or passenger. While cats are a great deal lighter, if there were two in an unrestrained carrier, they could still cause a huge amount of damage and injury.

Once you have a suitable carrier, it is important that they become familiar with it and do not view it with horror and fear:

  • Leave open with a comfy, familiar smelling blanket inside so that they can enter and leave it freely
  • Treats could be place inside to tempt them in, but they are best left to explore it themselves
  • Close the door and carry basket with car inside into the car, talking calmly to them without the engine running
  • Place them in the car, start the engine and continue to talk to them. Treats can be offered once the engine is turned off
  • The next outing can be a very short drive, with the distance being slowly extended

While this can be a lengthy process, it is hoped that by gradually introducing them to the motion and noise of the car, some of their anxiety will disappear. Don’t worry too much about providing food and water for the journey unless it is incredible long. Healthy cats can go without for many hours as well as not needing to go to the loo.

Car journeys for some cats can cause shaking, vomiting, hyperventilating, diarrhoea, miaowing, urination and general agitation. There are non-prescriptive products which mimic the cat’s own facial pheromones which helps to create a state of well-being and calm. In severe cases, the vet can prescibe  anti-anxiety medications that are stronger. However, none of these come cheap so it is worth seeing how you go for a short journey first.

If vomiting is a concern, take plenty of towels, clothes and rubbish bags and provide a light meal a few hours before the journey. Similarly with any medications to help the symptoms, these should be given a little time before the journey to give the medication time to work as advised by your vet.

In the vast majority of cases, your cat will not thank you for taking him on a car journey of any sort.

My first love, Polly, a very bad-tempered feline, used to travel with us all over the country and even endured a snowy trip to the Cotswolds where we were rescued by a tractor and she remained in my arms for the last leg of the journey. She would sit wrapped around my shoulders and never made a sound. We had may admiring glances, or so I though at the time, now I realise that they were looks of sheer horror. I look back now and feel quite ill at the accidents we might have had. Seventeen years later I do things very differently. My two feline boys travel together in a wicker cage wedged behind my seat. They are not allowed out until we arrive at our destination.

Cats do seem to sense that there is a journey looming and hide at the first sniff of trouble. To beat them at their own game, plan ahead. Hide packed bags, and try and keep as calm as possible. Make the basket as comfortable as possible with a blanket that smells of them. In the early days when they are very young, it’s a good idea to keep this basket around so that they can familiarise themselves with it  and not just associate it with the hell of travelling.

Be prepared for the cats to cry. Mine have been known to miaow the entire journey, sometimes in unison. I do worry that this causes them huge amount of stress, but find that as soon as we are at our destination, they immediately quieten, rush outside and appear five minutes later demanding food.

Noise in the car is a problem and I recommend keeping windows closed and internal noise to a minimum. However, this is not very practical when there are children in the car, or you want to keep your sanity by listening to the car radio. You could cover the basket up with a blanket, but I find that the cats seem to like to look out even if they can’t see anything. I do think its it a bit of trial and error, for your particular pet.

Once you have arrived at your destination, this is the time to let them out and not before! It is very hard to catch a cat even in the confines of a car and may add to their confusion and feeling of insecurity.

And finally, never leave your pet in the car for any prolonged period and not at all in warm weather, where it can become a death trap. If it is a quick trip to the loo, leave a window slightly open and park in the shade. This will not be sufficient precaution on a hot day, when they should never be left at all. Heat stroke is an emergency and many pets do not recover.

Happier travelling!