How to Take a Cat Cross-Country

Video Transcript

"Hello, I'm Dr. Carrie Burhenn. I'm a veterinarian at the Feline Medical Clinic in Vancouver, Washington and we're talking today about how to take your cat across country. This is a very common thing that I'm asked nearly every day in my practice. It's not so difficult as you might think and it kind of depends on how much you have and what mode of travel your actually using. If you're planning to drive across the country, the easiest thing is to try and acclimate the cat to the carrier ahead of time so it'll at least be used to riding in a carrier situation. Some cats never like riding in a carrier because they feel too confined and there's not much way around this. If the cat is very stressed and frantic by travel, your veterinarian may be able to prescribe a safer tranquilizer for the cat, but usually we try and go without, wherever possible, because this can be hard on the cat as well, especially if it's older. Once a cat's used to the carrier, then you should be able to set out on your journey, but remember, the cat will ride for shorter periods in the car than you will. They need time to rest and relax in between the stints especially if it is a multiple day journey. Be sure to take rest breaks, let the cat out inside the car to be able to urinate and defecate in a box that you prepared, but by all means, do not open the car doors when the cat is also out of the carrier. It's too easy to lose your cat at a rest stop that way. If you're traveling across country and you are flying, you will need to talk to your veterinarian about getting a health certificate for travel so the cat can safely travel on an airline. Not all airlines will ask for a health certificate, but is universally required, whether or not they ask for one. Your veterinarian will do a health exam on your cat, fill out the appropriate forms, and they usually need to be done within ten days of travel. Hopefully this has answered your basic questions about traveling across country with your cat. If you have additional questions, because you may be making multiple journeys or return trips, consult with your veterinarian and they can recommend for you the best protocol to use for you and your cat."