Tips for Traveling Cat Owners

Dr. Jean Hofve, DVM, is a holistic veterinarian from Denver, Colorado, is a pro when it comes to traveling with pets. She has driven her cats seven times back and forth from California to Colorado without having to endure constant yowls of protest. She offers these six tips designed to maintain your sanity when traveling with cats and checking into pet-friendly hotels:

• Never feed your cat the day of travel by car or airplane to reduce stomach upset.
• Select pet carriers that are big enough for a cat to turn around and curl up in, but not too large.
• Include a current health certificate for your pet. You may need to present it when crossing state lines.
• Limit car travel to nine hours and include frequent short breaks.
• Keep your cat in a pet carrier in the back seat of your car with the carrier tethered to the seat belt.
• Before putting the cat inside the carrier, spritz the carrier with a calming flower essence such as Easy Traveler or Rescue Remedy or Feliway. Stash the bottle in a side pocket of the carrier for easy access.

“I’ve learned the hard way to not let my cats out of their carriers in the hotel room
because they crawl under the bed and it is nearly impossible to get them out,” says Dr. Hofve. “They are far safer inside the handicap bathroom and you are more apt to get a good night’s sleep because they won’t be roaming all over the room at night.”

For more feline travel tips, please visit Dr. Hofve’s website: www.littlebigcat.com.

Arden Moore is a pet expert, best-selling author and radio show host who travels all over North America.
Visit her website: < www.ardenmoore.com