Everything about cat carriers: selection, training, use

What to take on the road

Before transporting your cat in the car, stock up on the necessary equipment.

The most important will be:

• carrying;
• favorite toys;
• water;
• food.

Features of the choice of carrying

A special plastic box or fabric bag equipped with good ventilation is used for carrying.

You should not put your pet in a regular box or put it in a bag that is not suitable for this: this way you will avoid overheating and lack of oxygen. Place a diaper on the bottom. You can put your pet's favorite toy in the carrier. The familiar smell will have a calming effect.

If you don’t have a carrier, you can use a reliable harness. You should not let your animal roam freely around the car. A cat frightened by a sharp noise can attack the driver while driving, which can result in an emergency. Therefore, the animal must be well secured in place. A strong harness with reliable fastenings is suitable for this.

However, do not forget that a frightened animal can use its claws. Therefore, you can lay a thick towel on your knees, which will save the owner’s clothes and skin from scratches.

Need for food and water

You need to take the feeder with you only in case of a long multi-day trip. In this case, it is better to use dry food, which does not spoil so quickly.

Be sure to take a drinking bowl and clean still water with you. The pet needs to be given water during stops. The hotter it is inside the car, the more liquid the cat should drink.

What happens to a cat when it suddenly travels?

How are animals usually transported? In most cases, the cat is simply picked up and forced into a carrier, then taken to an unfamiliar place. Sometimes the journey takes several days.

What happens in this case? Imagine, a cat lived in an apartment for several years, saw the world around him from a window or balcony, and there are so many new things here. New smells, sounds, strangers, transport, screams, barking...

An animal from a familiar environment suddenly finds itself in another world, and everything unidentified causes fear. When there is danger, a natural mechanism is triggered: run away or defend yourself.

When a cat cannot escape, it freezes and practically does not react to others. If you have been to clinics where there is an inpatient facility, you most likely noticed how calmly the animals left for treatment behave. They can easily give an injection or connect a system, that is, an IV, or carry out other necessary manipulations.

Yes, of course, they feel bad about it and already agree to everything. But if you compare a sick animal at home and in a clinic, these are two big differences.

In her apartment, a sick cat will defend herself to the last, sometimes the whole family has to hold her for a routine examination. And when it comes to complex manipulations, it becomes completely difficult.

Why am I making such a long digression and telling you different stories about the clinic and IVs? To draw your attention to some points.

It may seem to you that the animal bravely endures the trip, sits calmly in the carrier and does not even meow. This may be true, but most often the cat is under severe stress, it freezes and does not make any sounds. We see calm outside, but what is happening inside is not noticeable.

And inside the whole body is preparing to fight with all its strength or run as fast as possible. Adrenaline is produced, blood supply to the brain and muscles improves, sense organs are sharpened, more oxygen is supplied, and reserves are used.

An hour or two passes, but the causes of stress do not disappear - we continue the journey, we can still hear the noise of the crowd, foreign smells, and changes in temperature.

Exhaustion sets in, the body cannot constantly be in constant mobilization. In such situations, the cat may begin to make loud noises, scratch the carrier, urinate, and lick itself nonstop. Or he will completely stop reacting to what is happening.

Prolonged or severe stress can lead to serious complications. Neurosis, decreased immunity, exacerbation of chronic diseases, allergies and other disorders are often observed.

It has been noticed that after a trip, a cat more often suffers from infectious diseases, digestive disorders, autoimmune pathologies appear, and chronic ones worsen.

Possible problems during the trip

Cats, like many other mammals, are prone to motion sickness in cars. There is no need to feed your pet right before the trip, otherwise the entire contents of its stomach may end up on the upholstery. At the first vomiting in the animal, you should stop the car.

If the cat has never been transported by car and its reaction to the trip is unclear, you need to get special tablets in advance. Veterinary pharmacies sell medications for motion sickness and vomiting.

Another serious danger for cats on the road (especially long-haired breeds) is overheating. In hot summers, the temperature inside a car can rise to critical levels, which often causes heat stroke.

Pay attention to the main signs of overheating in cats:

• frequent and heavy breathing with an open mouth;
• significant increase in body temperature;
• apathy;
• vomit.

If the air conditioner can't cope with the stuffiness, the cat needs help: drink water often to prevent dehydration, wet your hands with water and run them through the cat's fur. The interior of the car must be ventilated, but at the same time you need to be wary of drafts, because the animal may catch a cold.

You should not leave your cat in a parked car for too long, because your pet can overheat not only in the summer under the scorching sun, but also in winter by leaving the carrier near a hot stove.

There are cats that react excessively emotionally to trips. They can behave inappropriately, try to get out at any cost, hurting themselves and their owner. This kind of extreme stress can cause injury and serious illness. Therefore, some animals are given anesthesia or sleeping pills before the trip.

Remember that any sleeping drugs carry a serious burden on the body. Anesthesia can even be fatal for some cats. That is why it should not be abused and can only be used in the most extreme cases. You can administer anesthesia or give sleeping pills to your pet only under the supervision of a veterinarian.

How to train your pet to travel in a car

Many people get cats as companions who will always be close to the owner. But do not forget that cats are territorial animals that become strongly attached to their home. That is why they are not particularly inclined to travel frequently and for long periods of time. Let's look at how to transport a cat in a car without stress and accustom him to frequent trips.

First, you need to train him to carry him. You can lay animal bedding in it, put your favorite toy or put a feeder. The cat must learn to enter the carrier without fear and feel relaxed in it.

You need to gradually accustom your cat to a harness. First, put it on your pet without walking it for 10 minutes every day. Afterwards, attach a leash to the harness and walk around the apartment with the cat. When your pet gets comfortable, you can start walking outside.

It is advisable to accustom a kitten to a car from childhood. Just don’t forget that by this time your pet must have all the required vaccinations. First, the cat can be placed in the car. Let the animal examine and sniff everything.

When the cat gets used to it a little, you can start the engine. At first, the animal may be frightened by the loud sound and vibration, but over time it will get used to it. Afterwards, you can go with your cat to the park or nature. In this case, the pet must be treated for fleas and ticks.

How to train a cat to be carried

At first, you just need to leave the carrier open in the cat's field of view (and keep it open at all times in the house). It is better to place it near the place where the animal likes to rest or play.

Cats are curious creatures, so after a while the pet will definitely approach a new object to examine and sniff it. After a few days, the carrier will be saturated with the cat’s familiar home smell and will be perceived as an already familiar part of the interior.

Many cats almost immediately begin to climb inside the carriers, because in fact instinct attracts the animal to objects of this kind: in the wild, cats spend a lot of time in similar shelters (they sleep in hollow trees, other people's abandoned holes).

It’s great if your pet starts using the transport box as a place to sleep and rest. To stimulate this, you need to put a soft bed, your cat's favorite toy or some kind of treat inside. Soon the pet will appreciate the efforts of the owner and will begin to treat the carrier as a reliable and safe shelter.

When the animal is already sufficiently accustomed to being carried , you can close it there for a while (several minutes). If the animal begins to worry, the exercise should be stopped and then repeated again after a few days.

Soon the cat will be able to be carried around the house in a carrier - it will react calmly to this. And then the animal will no longer be afraid of any type of transportation, because it will feel calm and protected in the carrier.

Carrying arrangement

The bag can be made of plastic or thick fabric. Hard carriers are the most convenient because you can put a container of water and other personal items for the animal inside. A fabric bag also has advantages; it is convenient to carry on your shoulder. But this option is suitable for traveling short distances (to a veterinary hospital, for a walk, and so on). For long trips, you should carefully arrange the box so that the adult pet can stand at full height and move minimally. It will be good to place the cat’s own rug in the cage, then he will calmly settle down and will not be aware of upcoming trips or flights.

The basic rules for using the carrier are as follows:

• The owner is calm and confident. The animal is securely enclosed, it is completely safe and there is no threat to others. You can be sure that the cat will not run away, get an infection, get lost or die.
• The cat should feel protected. Pets have a hard time adjusting to changes in their space. A well-chosen portable box will help you move the animal comfortably and protect it from unwanted contacts and outside influences.
• Satisfying physiological needs. The transport bag must have a hard bottom so that the cat feels support under its paws. It is appropriate to put an absorbent sanitary napkin, litter tray, drinking bowl and food cup there.
• In the carrier, to stabilize the emotional state of the cat, you can put your scented item or a toy that the furry purr loves. The main thing is to convince your pet that the carrier bags will not cause him pain or inconvenience.

What you need to transport a cat by train

Transporting a cat on a train is not the easiest test for its owners. It is unknown how the animal will behave during the trip, and the process may be complicated by the requirements of the railway company. To avoid unpleasant situations, there are a number of solutions that will help make this comfortable for both humans and cats.

Interesting article: all about the Abyssinian cat breed.

Which car is suitable: passenger or baggage

The only passenger carrier in our country is Russian Railways. If such a move is planned, it is better to find out in advance the existing rules of this state company in the field of transporting animals.

If you are using a shared carriage where the passenger is seated, you will need to pay extra for the cat and present a transportation ticket (receipt). There are other types of wagons that have different requirements.

Some trains provide only 1-2 seat compartments for transporting animals. This is a question worth asking when purchasing a ticket. Most often, you can only travel with an animal in a compartment carriage. This is dictated so as not to create inconvenience to other passengers. The main conditions for transporting animals by Russian Railways trains are listed in the table below:

Table of conditions for transporting animals in Russian Railways cars.

Cost of transporting cats on a train

Transporting a cat on a train has its own cost, which depends on the route, carriage, type of train and other factors. An additional fee is charged in reserved seat, seated and shared carriages. If the passenger travels in a compartment, no additional payment is required. The pet carrier is located in the place purchased by the owner.

If we are talking about high-speed trains, you will also have to pay extra. The “swallow” charges a fixed fee of 150 rubles. In Sapsan it is already included in the ticket price.

Transportation on long-distance trains

When transporting an animal, the owner must ensure sanitary and hygienic requirements, as well as the safety of other passengers.

Long-distance travel is considered to be a route longer than 700 km. The cost of transporting a cat will depend on the distance, for example, for a distance of more than 12,000 km the cost will be 3,000 rubles. To ensure your pet’s comfort, you must fulfill a number of requirements:

• ensure constant access to water;
• carry anti-motion sickness pills;
• If possible, at stations with a large parking lot, take the container with the animal into the fresh air and give her the opportunity to go to the toilet.

Also, when moving long distances, it is worth considering the cat’s diet. It is optimal to choose dry ready-made food. You should not feed your pet too often.

Transporting cats unaccompanied

The Russian Railways company offers transportation of pets without human accompaniment. This happens in the luggage compartment. The owner must write a corresponding statement at the box office and comply with a number of requirements:

• cage or special carrier;
• veterinary documents;
• food, water, hygiene products for the cat.

The cost of such a service is determined by the distance. During the entire journey, the animal will be under the supervision of train staff.