Does your cat experience travel anxiety? Make car trips an easier experience with our vet-approved guide to minimising your cat’s car stress.
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Cats and car travel don’t always mix well. While some cats seem to find travelling stress-free, the majority of cats experience some degree of anxiety and fear. Whether you’re heading on holiday or taking a trip to the vet, it’s worth checking out our simple, vet-approved guide to help your cat cope with car travel.
Travel anxiety can develop quickly in cats as car travel can be an overwhelming experience for them. New noises, smells, and particularly a lack of control can aggravate a cat’s stress levels. Cats naturally want to be able to flee their environments - and in a car they can easily feel trapped.
Motion sickness is a big contributing factor to car anxiety in cats. Some symptoms include licking lips, drooling and yawning. You can speak to your doctor about medications for a cat who is particularly affected by motion sickness.
Look out for signs of anxiety in your cat. Some tend to hunker down and ‘freeze’ when they feel stressed. Other cats will seek affection and reassurance, or vocalise their distress. If you have any doubt, it’s likely your cat is affected by travel anxiety.
Floppy, fabric carriers and ‘cat backpacks’ are increasingly popular, but unfortunately can fuel cats’ fear. These types of carriers are typically very unstable and often leave cats visually exposed to the outside world. For a cat that wants to run and hide somewhere safe this can be incredibly stressful.
Instead, you should look for these things when choosing a suitable cat carrier:
To minimise the stress of cat car travel, it’s essential for your cat to feel safe in their carrier. This process can take weeks to months, and is based on a combination of desensitisation and counter-conditioning to help your cat form positive associations with their carrier.
If your cat has already formed strong negative associations with their carrier - due to vet visits, for example - a new carrier may make this process easier.
To help your cat form positive associations with their carrier, try the following:
This process can require patience and persistence but can make a significant difference to your cat’s stress levels in the long run.
Your cat should eventually view their carrier as a safe space, helping them to feel more secure when out of the house.
Planning to travel frequently with your cat? If your cat will be in the car a lot, it may be worth training them to feel safe in the car through a similar process of desensitisation and counter-conditioning. The key is to step up their exposure slowly, making sure no stage is stressful - an early step might be to let them explore your stationary car with plenty of treats on hand.
For longer journeys or for cats that are particularly stressed by car travel, it may be worth considering calming supplements. There are many options available, including herbal, pheromone or milk-protein based supplements. These typically come in the form of sprays or oral tablets and can help soothe a cat’s stress, especially if they are used for a few days before the trip.
It may take some trial and error to find out which products work best for your cat. If you have any concerns about giving your cat supplements or aren’t sure if they’d be helpful, it’s worth speaking to your vet for tailored advice.
It’s always best to feed your cat two to three hours before setting off. This will minimise the risk of nausea and help to settle your cat’s stomach for the journey.
You can give them small treats throughout the journey if it helps them to relax, but only if they are showing no signs of motion sickness.
Before you set off, avoid any rushing around, hectic packing and raised voices, especially when getting your cat ready. Noises, sudden movements and unusual behaviour can increase your cat’s stress levels before they get in the car.
Cats are highly sensitive to stress, and they don’t calm down quickly. Each stressful thing piles on top of their pre-existing stress, resulting in them rapidly becoming extremely anxious and struggling to cope.
It’s therefore essential to prevent as much stress as possible before a car trip. Even small changes, like packing things in the car the night before a trip, can make a difference.
Once in the car, loud music is a no-go, but some quiet classical music can help by covering up unfamiliar noises.
This may go without saying, but being very careful in how you handle your cat prior to car travel can reduce their stress levels.
Try the following:
Carriers often come with handles held from the top, but this swinging motion can easily cause nausea and stress for your cat inside. Instead, carry it from the bottom with two hands.
Don’t place the carrier on the ground where cats feel vulnerable to potential threats. Only bring your cat out in their carrier when you’re ready to place them in the car, ideally on a seat with a seatbelt securing their carrier. Driving as smoothly as you can will help to minimise anxiety too.
If you intend to travel long distances with your cat in the car, bring a litter box as well as any water and supplies you might need for clean ups. Litter boxes keep the mess contained, and stop any nasty surprises on the back seat.
You should only remove your cat from the carrier to use their litter box if the car is secure and stationary, or they may panic. On short journeys, it is best not to remove them at all.
In advance of travel, especially long journeys, you might want to speak to your vet about medications that can help to manage your cat’s stress.
If your cat is showing symptoms of motion sickness, you can also ask your vet about anti-sickness medication.
However, while medications can help to reduce stress, they’re not an easy fix. It’s essential to combine them with other stress-minimising techniques and desensitisation to help your cat cope with car travel as well as possible.
Ensure your car is a comfortable temperature and not too hot. In the summer, ventilate your car before placing your cat inside, and in the winter, heat up the car beforehand.
Cats are also very sensitive to smells - so remember to take out your air fresheners.
These changes may sound basic, but they all help to minimise stress when travelling with cats. With enough time and patience, cat car travel can be a calm experience for both you and your cat. Take your time with carrier training and your cat will thank you in the long-run - but if you continue to struggle, speak to your vet for advice.
Note: it’s always worth making sure your pet has had a recent health check prior to any long journey, as stress can worsen underlying health issues. If you have any concerns about travelling with your pet, we recommend seeking guidance from your vet.
