How to Travel with Your Cat: Roadtrip Edition

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I am on of those people that leaves my cat at home when I have to leave overnight. I have someone feed her and check in on her, and then I’ll see her when I get home. It’s not that I don’t enjoy her company, but traveling with cats is hard, and Joon doesn’t care for the wonders of modern transportation. Well, in August I have to move to another state, nine hours away by car, and of course Joon is coming with me. I’ve moved with her before, but it was just a quick trip to get there. This will be a new experience for both of us. So I thought it was an excellent opportunity for us all to learn together how to travel with cats.

An Ounce of Preparation

The best way to travel is well-prepared, and the same goes for travel with your cats. There is a lot that you can and should do before you leave to make everything go smoothly. Before anything else, however, ask yourself if you really ought to take kitty with you. If you just going on a short vacation, many cats might prefer to stay home (1, 5, 9). Extended car rides are usually very stressful for cats. If you are going to be gone for months or longer, or you are permanently relocating, then it can be worth it so that your cat doesn’t endure the greater stress of not being able to join you. If you are fortunate enough to have one of the rare few cats that loves going for a drive, then your pet can be a much more frequent travel companion (5, 9).

Gather Your Supplies

What do you need to pack for your cat? To some extent, that depends upon where you are going and for how long, but for any road trip there are certain bases you need to cover:

• A carrier or crate for riding in the car
• A litterbox
• Food, water, and bowls to put them in
• Veterinary records, including up-to-date rabies tag
• Your cat’s medications, if applicable
• A pet first-aid kit

Even for short vacations, you’ll probably also want to bring their cat bed or other cozy thing they like to sleep on and a couple beloved toys. Cats need to scratch, so if you don’t have room to pack a scratching post, I’d recommend you find somewhere for a cardboard or sisal scratching board. Wherever you’re staying probably won’t appreciate your cat leaving their mark on the furniture.

The Cat Carrier

There are lots of options for cat carriers and crates out there. You need to choose one that is large enough for your cat. This means kitty needs to be able to stand, lie down, stretch, and turn around comfortably inside (1, 2, 4, 9). As for the other features of the carrier/crate, it’s up to you and what works best for your situation. There are cat carriers with soft or hard sides. Some are specifically rated for air travel, if that’s also in your plans, and some include a widget that snaps into the seat belt for ease of securing it. Some larger models even include built-in litterboxes. The Sleepypod brand does crash testing on their carriers to maximize their car safety (6). No one carrier or crate has everything. You can do a DIY crate, however, which allows for a lot of customization.

If your car will accommodate a large dog crate, you can jerry-rig a travel kitty condo (3, 6, 9). A dog crate can be used for one or more cats (9). It fits a travel litterbox inside, which simplifies things (3, 6). And you can incorporate hammocks or shelves to give your cats more space and comfort (6). Just make sure you test out any multilevel additions thoroughly both at home and on test drives before the big day so that you know they will hold up.

The Litterbox

If the drive is more than a couple hours, or you have a senior cat, you will need to give kitty bathroom breaks (9). Cats tend to drink less when they’re stressed, so they may not need it, but give them plenty of opportunity anyway. If your cat is used to eliminating outdoors, it might be best to take them outside on a leash to do their business instead of trying to get them used to a litter box for the first time during the trip (4, 6). If they aren’t leash trained, but you want to do this, start leash training well in advance of your travel date. Introducing too many new things at once is never a good idea.

If you can fit a litterbox inside your cat’s carrier/crate, that is the easiest thing (4, 5, 6, 9). A standard litterbox may be too large, but there are other options. You can buy a travel litterbox. These are typically collapsible and come in carrier-friendly sizes (6). A dish pan may also work (3), or a kitten-sized litterbox. You can also repurpose a cardboard box by cutting it to the right shape and size, lining it with plastic, i.e. a garbage bag, and there you go, a custom disposable litterbox (5)! You can purchase disposable litterboxes as well.

Maybe there is just no way you are going to get a litterbox into the carrier you have. Don’t fret. It’s a little more involved, but there’s a way to work with that. Put out a litterbox for your cat whenever you stop for their bathroom breaks (1, 7). Only do this with the car stopped and all the doors and windows closed! Let your cat out of their carrier (1, 7). When they’re done, either scoop into pet waste bags and throw those out or, if you’re using a disposable litter box, you can bag and throw the whole thing away (1, 7). I recommend you set the litterbox directly in front of the carrier before letting the cat out so they know what to do and don’t instead get sensory overload and hide in some impossible crevasse of your car.

Make Your First Trip Be to the Vet

There are several important reasons to visit the vet before traveling with your cats. One is to make sure that they are healthy enough to travel (7). You would probably know if they weren’t, but it is best to be absolutely certain. If your cat has a chronic illness, you want to make sure it is stable and well-controlled before heading out, too (6). Get any necessary vaccinations up-to-date. Ask for enough medication for the duration of your travel time plus at least several days (6). The same goes for any prescription diet your cat may be on (6). Ask for a print-out of your cat’s medical records (1, 6, 9). You may need these to prove your cat’s vaccination status or to show another vet if your cat needs medical attention.

If you will be crossing state line in the United States, you are required by law to carry a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, a.k.a. health certificate, for each of your cats (1, 2, 9). This also applies to dogs, if you have those too. You need to get the health certificate from your veterinarian within ten days of your travel date (2). The health certificate means your veterinarian is signing off that your pet doesn’t have any signs of infectious disease and is current on their vaccinations (2). An exam is required for your vet to issue the certificate (2).

If you know that your cat gets motion sickness or is extremely anxious about car rides, you may want to use this opportunity to ask your veterinarian to prescribe medication for the road trip (1, 3, 6). This isn’t the best solution for all cats. Medication can have side effects, so if you can keep your cat calm without it, that’s preferable. There are calming treats and pheromone products that you can try on practice runs. For some cats, though, it’s just not enough. My parents’ cat, Rosenberg, gets so anxious about riding in the car that she starts vomiting and having diarrhea before the car gets to the end of the driveway. Sometimes medication is the only way. Make sure you have it on hand ahead of time and know the dosage, usage, and side effects to watch for.

Acclimate Your Cat

As you are coming up on your road trip, it is in everybody’s best interest to get your cat used to their travel carrier and the car. Start by setting out their carrier and encouraging them to interact with it through treats, toys, or catnip (4, 5). You can even try feeding them near and later inside the carrier (3, 4, 9).

Once your cat is comfortable going in and out of the carrier, practice closing the door with them inside for a short time, then opening it and giving them a treat (3). Do this until your cat no longer seems upset about the closed door. Progress to taking the cat to the car and back before giving them the treat (5, 8). Eventually you can turn the car on for a few minutes with kitty inside (3, 6). Don’t drive anywhere, just turn the car off and take them back inside. Remember not to do this in a closed garage! Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen faster than you might think, especially for a small animal.

Once your cat is okay with the sound of the engine, you can start taking short trips. Start very short, like going to the end of the driveway or parking lot and back (6, 8). Slowly make longer and longer trips up until its time for the big trip (6, 8). Your cat is still probably going to be stressed when the day comes because travel involves more than just the carrier and the car. If parts of the experience seem normal, though, it won’t be nearly as scary.

Head Out on the Highway

When the day of your vacation or move arrives, don’t feed your cat to avoid motion sickness and anxious vomiting (1, 3, 4). If you are leaving late in the day, you could feed breakfast but skip any other meals. Pack everything but the cat first. Make sure you leave room for the carrier. Put a soft lining in the bottom of the cat’s carrier like a pet bed or old towel (1). If you are putting a litterbox inside the carrier, put that in before the cat, too. Do not put a water bowl in the carrier–it will only spill (1). Instead plan to offer your cat water at every stop (1-4).

The very last thing you do should be to put your cat in their carrier and load them in the car (5). Strap the carrier in with the seatbelt (1, 4, 6). If you expect your cat to be anxious, you can cover the carrier with a dark, breathable cloth (4). Cats find this calming. Make sure the air conditioning streams aren’t directly blasting the cat (4). Finally, you’re ready to travel with your cat! Expect some crying at first. Speak to your cat soothingly (6). They should settle down after a while.

Under no circumstances should you let your cat roam the vehicle while it is in motion (1, 6, 8). It’s a matter of safety, for people and pets. Your cat could get under the driver’s feet or obscure their line of sight (1, 6, 8). Whether kitty is panicking or being an angel, they might be a distraction that could cause an accident (6, 8). And should there be an accident for any reason, an unsecured cat is in much more danger of injury or death (1, 6, 8).

If You Need to Leave the Car

I would hope this goes without saying, but pets die in hot cars every year, so I’m going to say it. Never leave your pet in the car unattended. Even if it doesn’t seem especially hot or cold outside, your cat can get dangerously hyperthermic or hypothermic very quickly. Parked cars are especially apt to get hot inside. If you are traveling alone, take your cat with you when you leave the car, leave the car running, or crack the windows and only leave for a few minutes (6). Ideally, travel with at least one other person so someone can stay with the cat with the air conditioning on at all times. The temperature inside your car can increase almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit in just ten minutes. Take this seriously.

Where to Stay

If you will be staying in a hotel or other commercial lodgings, call and make sure that cats are allowed, even if they claim to be pet-friendly. Sometimes, what they actually mean is “dog-friendly” (4). Or their policies may have changed but their website hasn’t. In addition, some places will only have certain rooms that are pet-friendly, so you will want to double-check that you have been placed in the right kind of room (6). GoPetFriendly.com has a search tool for locating pet-friendly lodging in the United States. Happy trails!

Works Cited

1. All Feline Hospital. (n.d.). Traveling with your cat. https://www.allfelinehospital.com/traveling-with-your-cat.pml
2. American Veterinary Medical Association. (n.d.). 11 things you can do to make travel safer for you and your pet. https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/11-things-you-can-do-make-travel-safer-you-and-your-pet
3. Hunter, T. and Downing, R. (n.d.). Road trips and car travel with your cat. VCA Hospitals. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/road-trips-and-car-travel-with-your-cat
4. Mahar, Autumn. (2019, January 7). Tips for moving a cat long distance. U-Pack. https://www.upack.com/articles/tips-for-moving-a-cat-long-distance
5. Moore, A. (2001). The kitten owner’s manual. Storey Publishing: North Adams, MA.
6. Nicholas, J. (2021, May 10). Car travel with cats: Road trips and moving. Preventive Vet. https://www.preventivevet.com/cats/how-to-travel-and-move-with-cats
7. Richard, M. (2020, May 26). We drove cross-country with our cat (and nobody died). Vagabondish. https://vagabondish.com/how-to-travel-with-cat-in-a-car-long-distance/
8. Shojai, A. (2019, August 8). 8 tips to help cats enjoy car travel. The Spruce Pets. https://www.thesprucepets.com/help-cats-enjoy-car-travel-553891
9. Tips on how to move or travel with your cat. (n.d.). PetHub. https://www.pethub.com/article/pet-care/tips-on-how-to-move-or-travel-with-your-cat

Published May 23th, 2021

Updated May 12th, 2023