The cat boarding cattery is completely full, the friendly neighbour has no time, and your own family lives far too far away. If you want to go on holiday with your cat, there are plenty of things to consider. In the following article, you’ll find important information and tips about travelling with your cat.
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A holiday with your cat is possible – however, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Not every type of holiday suits your cat, and in general cats aren’t big fans of changing their surroundings. That’s why it’s only advisable to travel with your cat if you’ve been training them to do so since they were a kitten.
Touring holidays or activity breaks with lots of outings usually mean a great deal of stress for cats. If, on the other hand, you’re planning to relax in a holiday cottage and spend most of your time by a warm fireplace, a cat that’s used to travelling will certainly enjoy the time together.
Don’t forget to check whether cats are allowed in your accommodation. Almost all hotels and holiday resorts have house rules and make no exceptions.
Every country has its own entry requirements for cats. It’s best to check with your vet, online or with the embassy of your destination country about the travel regulations for cats.
Entry requirements range from specific vaccinations (usually rabies), to parasite prevention, and an official veterinary health certificate. In addition, in almost all countries cats must be identified with a microchip.
Certain deadlines must also be observed in connection with these rules. For example, if your cat has been vaccinated against rabies for the first time, the vaccination must have been given at least three weeks before departure. If parasite treatment is required, it must be administered between 24 and 120 hours before entry.
It’s always worth visiting your vet before travelling abroad with your cat. They can top up any necessary vaccinations and provide you with the appropriate medication for parasite prevention.
Your vet can also inform you about possible health risks for your cat in your holiday destination. In some cases, your cat may come into contact abroad with pathogens that can cause serious illnesses (e.g. leishmaniasis).
Once the formalities have been successfully dealt with, the second part of planning your holiday begins. During the journey, your cat must be kept in an escape-proof carrier.
There is a wide range of pet carriers available – plastic models are a particularly good option. They’re easy to clean, completely escape-proof and comfortable to carry. This makes them ideal for travelling by car, as well as for air travel or train.
Wicker baskets and soft fabric travel bags may look more attractive, but they’re far less suitable for longer journeys. Wicker baskets are extremely cumbersome, and soft bags don’t offer your cat enough protection.
You can find out more about this topic here: 9 tips for finding the perfect cat carrier
Travelling with your cat naturally requires the right equipment. Familiar items and, above all, their usual food will help your cat settle more quickly into an unfamiliar environment.
Packing list for your holiday with your cat:
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Anyone travelling with their cat needs to bear a few things in mind: some cats don’t cope well with car journeys. They may suffer from severe nausea, tension and nervousness. If your cat has experienced this before, ask your vet for anti-nausea medication.
If you want to travel with your cat, you need to be aware of certain risks and the effort involved. Of course, it is possible to go on holiday with cats or to take them along on an urgent business trip.
Nevertheless, before setting off you should carefully consider whether there really is no alternative. In general, cats prefer their familiar territory and can cope with being separated from their favourite people for several weeks. If you plan ahead, you’ll certainly be able to find a loving carer for your cat.
Cat sitters, catteries or animal shelters are also suitable contacts if you need to arrange temporary accommodation for your cat. You can find addresses of professional cat sitters online or often in vets’ waiting rooms.
Whether you can leave your cat alone during your holiday depends on various factors. The main consideration is the length of time – cats should not be left alone for several weeks.
Although cats are more independent than most dogs, they still need fresh water and food every day. The litter tray should also always be clean so your cat is happy to use it. Some cats are very closely bonded to their humans and would suffer from stress if left alone for several days or even weeks.
It is therefore strongly recommended that you arrange for someone to look after your cat while you’re away on holiday.
At the Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen I was extensively trained as a veterinarian and was able to gain experience in various fields such as small animal, large animal and exotic animal medicine as well as pharmacology, pathology and food hygiene. Since then, I have been working not only as a veterinary author, but also on my scientifically driven dissertation. My goal is to better protect animals from pathogenic bacterial organisms in the future. Besides my veterinary knowledge, I also share my own experiences as a happy dog owner and can thus understand and enlighten fears and problems as well as other important questions about animal health.
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The cat boarding cattery is completely full, the friendly neighbour has no time, and your own family lives far too far away. If you want to go on holiday with your cat, there are plenty of things to consider. In the following article, you’ll find important information and tips about travelling with your cat.
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