Let’s Talk Cats and Travel: Car Rides Aren’t the Worst Thing in the World
Previously on Let’s Talk Cats…
In Part 1, we turned your cat’s carrier into a familiar, happy place. In Part 2, we worked on lifting the carrier and carrying it, with your cat inside, all the way out to the car. Before starting on the car itself, your cat should be comfortable with every phase so far:
The First Six Phases of Cat Carrier Comfort
- Phase 1: Leaving the carrier bottom out as regular room furniture.
- Phase 2: Turning the carrier bottom into a “happy place” with treats and meals.
- Phase 3: Gradually adding the carrier top back on.
- Phase 4: Introducing the door and practicing closing it for short periods while your cat remains relaxed.
- Phase 5: Lifting the carrier, a few inches at first, up to a comfortable carrying height (from the bottom, not the handle).
- Phase 6: Carrying the carrier around the room, into another room, outside, and finally placing it in the car.
If your kitty isn’t quite relaxed being carried out to the car yet, take a step back and review Part 2 before diving into today’s lesson!
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the car with your cat in the carrier and she still seems to think life is ok. Excellent. Just turn on the engine and start driving, right?
Maybe not. For some cats this might work. But let’s examine the car from your cat’s perspective:
The Car From Your Cat’s Perspective
Smells. This is a very unfamiliar place with potentially frightening odors (children, other pets, oil, gas, carpet, vinyl, etc.).
Sounds. From inside the carrier your cat’s field of view is limited making it difficult to identify where the sounds are coming from. And they are often unusual sounds. The engine, the radio, people outside the vehicle, people inside the vehicle.
Feel and view. The vibration as the motor runs, the sway as the car moves, stops, goes again, turns corners. Go back to the carnival. How much would you like to ride the new roller coaster blindfolded, unable to tell when turns were coming or where you were going?
I am definitely not advocating taking your cat out of the carrier and giving them a better view. This is potentially very dangerous as a startled cat can easily end up under foot, the driver’s feet, and interfere with controlling the vehicle. I do think it is important to recognize that the car ride has many ways to be scary.
Which is why we need to break these down and help your cat understand that the scary things are manageable and won’t actually hurt them.
Safety Note: Where the Carrier Rides
For safety I recommend placing your cat on the floor in the back seat area of the vehicle. If your cat prefers to be up higher it is important to buckle the carrier to the seat. This prevents the carrier (with your cat inside) from sliding off the seat if you should need to stop suddenly. Some cats do better with their vision blocked by a blanket or towel. Wherever you place your cat make sure they are secure and that the carrier won’t be jostled more than necessary during travel. Similar to traveling with small children it is safer to place your cat in a rear seat and not in the front passenger seat.
Phase 7: Getting Comfortable in the Car
This next part works best with a second person to sit with the cat to feed treats.
Set the carrier (with cat inside) in the car, feed a treat. Close the car door. Open the door, give a treat. How is your cat doing? If they seem at all uneasy stay at this level for a few repetitions then take your cat back inside and let them have a break.
If your cat seems fine move forward at their pace. Remember, if at any time your cat becomes stressed, take a break and go back to the last step where they seemed comfortable before moving forward.
Over the next several sessions work on sitting in the car with the doors closed for longer intervals. As your cat becomes accustomed to the new environment delay treating for longer periods. For instance bring cat to car, set cat inside and close door. Wait 10 seconds and give a treat. Repeat for 1 minute, giving treats every 10 seconds. During the next session spread treats out to every 20 seconds, and the session after that give treats at random intervals over 3 to 5 minutes.
Building Up, One Milestone at a Time
The progressions from here follow a similar pattern as before. Each time you add something be sure you give your cat time to acclimate to the new situation. Be prepared to back up a step or two before you can move forward if they stop taking treats or show other signs of distress.
Aim for these milestones as you move forward:
- Cat comfortable being carried to car and placed inside with door open
- Cat comfortable sitting in car with doors closed
- Cat comfortable with engine running
- Cat comfortable with engine running and car driving 1 block
- Cat comfortable with engine running and car driving around for 5 to 10 minutes
It is important to keep the sessions short, no more than 5 to 10 minutes or 5 repetitions of the activity. When you take breaks bring your cat, in the carrier, back into the house and then let them out of the carrier.
Additional Tips
When you are getting your cat used to sitting in the car with the engine running start by turning the car on and watching your cat for signs of stress. If they are still taking treats let the engine run for 1 to 2 minutes then turn it off. Wait a couple minutes and then turn the engine on again. Repeat this 5 times and then take a break.
Some cats will adapt quickly and you may even be able to begin driving in the first session. Others will need extra time, and extra steps. Having a second person feeding treats every few seconds on the first few drives can help.
Troubleshooting
My cat is not interested in any treats I have tried but doesn’t look upset when I work with him and the carrier.
Not all cats are motivated by food. Many are more motivated by toys or tactile sensations such as petting or brushing. Consider offering a favorite toy, or petting for a couple of strokes with a brush as a reward when the directions suggest a treat.
My cat is fine until I close the car door, then he will not stop crying.
If your cat is doing well inside the house but becomes upset in the car try backing up a step. Sit in the car with the door open for a few sessions. When closing the door start by keeping the interval very short, or only partially closing it and then opening again. Consider how your cat is oriented in the car. Are they facing forward? Sideways? Backward? Are they on the seat or the floor? Are they in the middle of the vehicle or far in the back? Try repositioning them. As mentioned above some cats find it more calming to have the carrier covered by a towel or blanket. Consider spraying the interior of the car with Feliway about 20 minutes before travel as well as the towel or blanket in the carrier.
As soon as I turn on the engine my cat becomes frantic, crying, pacing, scratching at the carrier.
If your cat is immediately anxious when the engine starts and won’t settle and start taking treats within 60 seconds they may have a noise phobia or discomfort with the vibrations created by the car running. In this case we need to add an intermediary step of desensitizing them to the noise. I recommend doing this indoors with a recording. This can be done with your cat out of the carrier initially but should also be practiced in the carrier before trying again in the car. A full description of desensitizing to sounds is outside the scope of this article. If you need further advice please contact the clinic.
Next Stop: The Clinic
Can you believe it? You almost have a cat that is ok going to the veterinary clinic. They like, maybe love, their carrier. And they think car rides aren’t the worst thing in the world. Next up: what we can do for you at the clinic to make us less scary.
