Traveling with a cat

In case of pedigree cats the problem often arises in summer, what to do with the cat. For outdoor cat owners this problem is less problematic. If they are in a good relationship with their neighbours, they only have to ask them to give food and water to the cat. But what about indoor cats? Is traveling with a cat possibel, or does the cat have to stay at home? Let’s see some possible solutions.

What to do with your cat during vacation?

Many cat owners ask the question above for themselves in the summer. What should you do with your four-legged treasure during the holidays? The lucky ones can bring their cat with them. There are already cat-friendly accommodations and even museums.

The less fortunate owners have to leave their cats at home. It’s the best solution to entrust your four-legged family member to a reliable family member or friend. Write them a check-list about what to do and show them what is where in the house. Emphasize what and how much your cat can eat, and to give to the cat fresh water daily. Cat litter boxes should also be cleaned every day.

For those, who don’t dare or can’t entrust their cat to anyone during their summer vacation, it is a good solution to hire a cat sitter. So the cat doesn’t have to leave his/her territory, so your absence is less stressful for your cat.

In the extreme, you can choose a cat boarding, i.e. a cat pension. The choice of this (such as the choice of a cat sitter) requires a careful consideration. It is very important to keep in mind that choosing an inappropriate place can even infect your mini indoor tiger with life-threatening diseases.

Traveling with a cat

If you’d like to go for a holiday with your Maine Coon you have to find cat-friendly accommodation first. It is important to obtain the necessary documents for the cat’s entry and for travelling back home (you should ask your vet about this).

You also have to buy an appropriate, durable and stable cat carrier. It is usually signed on carriers, for which vehicle they are suitable for. In the case of Maine Coon kittens it is worth choosing a large cat carrier suitable for the gentle giant’s adult size (it is worth it in every case, because you have to take your cat to the vet). Next to your pet, put his/her favourite toy and one of his blankets so that he/she is familiar with things in the cat carrier.

For transport on an airplane, you will need a cat carrier that cannot be opened at the top. Meanwhile, a carrier that can be opened both at the front and at the top is suitable for buses, trains and cars.

It is important to take the cat’s well-known feeding and drinking bowls, favourite toys as well as a portable bed or blanket or pillow, so that your cat is surrounded by familiar smells. You will also need cat litter.

If you plan to take your cat with you to various hiking spots during your vacation it is worth purchasing a panoramic, well-ventilated backpack. These are becoming more and more trendy these days and these are manufactured specifically for cats.

Never let your cat alone in the car in sunny hot weather, so that he doesn’t get heat stroke. Include a sufficient number of rest periods, when your little pet can drink some water. Don’t be surprised if your cat doesn’t bear  the trip well. It is better to have hygienic pads for pets and paper towels for problematic cases.

Holiday in our case

As a summary, please allow me to prioritize the solutions described above. I haven’t been on vacation for several days since much time I have Tirus. Once I went to visit our relatives, so I couldn’t take him with me, because the houses of our relatives aren’t cat-safe. So I entrusted my Tirus to the care of a close, cat-loving family member. I wrote her all the information, showed her all the necessary things related to the care of Tirus.

If I wouldn’t go to visit relatives, but would stay in a hotel and find a cat-friendly one, I would take Tirus with me. Then I would plan programs, so Tirus can come with me in a backpack or walk with a leash, for example in a forest or in a cat-friendly museum.

I wouldn’t like to let him in a cat boarding and I also wouldn’t like to let a stranger cat sitter in my flat. I rank these two posibilities in last places.

I hope that I could give you some useful ideas in this blog post. I also hope that now you can more easily plan your vacation with or without your four-legged family member.