Cat owners have an extra duty to take care of while moving with their kitties. The process accompanies by a number of obstacles, but it is also great stress for a cat itself. As always proper preparation helps to avoid a bunch of problems.
Tips for Moving With a Cat
Owning a cat is incompatible with trips, but what to do if you have to move to another state or even a different country? Long-distance moving with a cat can is a totally separate sort of adventure, which should be properly planned. Sometimes it is even more complicated to organize a trip with an animal than with a kid. Besides food, carrier, and documents, you need to take care of the pets friendly place to stay. Here is a small set of tips for moving long distance with cats to follow, when traveling with your fluffy family members.
Checking Formal Requirements
Treat your pet as a family member and think about a comfortable stay for the cat. To ensure everything will go smooth, check the following things:
- Before booking an accommodation check if the hotel or apartment is excepting guests, who are moving with a cat.
- In case you are relocating and moving to a new home, set a clear clause in the agreement with a landlord, that cat is allowed on this territory.
- Just in case of emergency check the pets hotels in the area. It will let you feel secure if an unexpected situation with the booking arises or let’s say it appears that someone in a place you are going to stay have an allergy
- Check the quarantine restrictions in the area, some counties or city councils may set up additional restrictions to keep up with a proper epidemiologic situation
- Transporting cats long distance implies following the rules of the logistic companies, so contact your airport and airline in advance to understand their requirements.
- Prepare the list of necessary documents
- Find out if you need to register your kitty or fill out any kind of form for the local authorities.
Vet Consultations
Before planning to move with cats consider a visit to a vet clinic. A doctor should make a general check-up to make sure that a kitty is ready for relocation, have no health issues, and will react to such a stressful situation normally. Sometimes even experienced travelers neglect this tip and later it can be turned out into a critical health situation or lack of prescribed medicine. Share with your doctor the location of your destination. No, this is not to satisfy the vet’s curiosity, but to receive advice on water and food. The thing is the tube water may be other in different parts of the country, and it can lead to indigestion problems.
Another situation, which can take you aback while long distance moving with cats, is the unavailability of certain cat food brands, which you already got used to. It is better to check before transporting cats long distances how you can substitute regular food.
Another issue vet can help with is formal legal requirements: to check the vaccination, veterinary certificate, or provide the vet passport if necessary. Of course, it is on you to make the full list of the required documents before the appointment.
Transportation Option
You know your animal’s character better than anyone. Decide on transportation-based the cat’s needs. Moving with a cat by car seems to be a suitable option. You may use the carrier, leash, or even do not use any of these precautions if your cat is very laidback. However, moving with cats will force you to make stops. If you do not want to chase your cat and get him out of the tree, train a cat to walk with the leash.
But if you travel throughout the whole country, long distance move with cats are limited to airplanes then carriers can not be avoided. Attention, some airlines have similar restrictions to the pets carrier as to the suitcases. In this case, you need to make sure that you have the right one. The next step would be to teach a cat to be calm in the carrier. Start slowly, use treats to get him inside, make short walks with the carrier and make it a safe place for a cat.
Kitties Baggage
Long-distance moving means that you need to carry on more stuff than usual. It applies also to your cat. You need to think of two categories while planning moving with a cat. The first one is trip necessities. Here we are talking about pet waste bags, enough treats, water, and a small bowl. Keep it in a carry-on suitcase or somewhere within a reach. The second category will include favorite toys, bowls, cat’s bed, toiletries, and other things you are using on a daily bases.
How to Move Long Distance With a Cat
Now when the action list of long distance moving with cats is ready, it is the right time to set up a timeline. Ideally, start the preparation 3-4 weeks before the setup day of a trip.
Start to Pack
Animals are very sensitive to any changes, they may start to panic, while you just packing the staff. Try to keep the routine as usual as possible do not freak out a cat in advance. You need a certain amount of food, water, and a number of stops to make during the long-distance trip. It is better to plan these stops based on the eating habits of your pet and pack the food and medicines in advance.
Actions to be Done on Moving Day
Try to keep the animal calm when moving with a cat. Don’t forget to pet and play with your fluffy friend. Remember, that being on a leash or in cannel may be stressful as well as meeting strangers on the way or in the airport. If you feel like the animal is being in shock, try to put him asleep, feed him, or take him for a short walk. For an animal, it is crucial to feeling the owner by the side at this moment.
Settling In
The key to success here is things, which you bring with you to a new home, even if it is temporary. This allows the animal to plunge into the familiar environment. You are moving with cats for reason, and it means that you need to pay enough attention to a creature and treat it with extra care. Simply continue to love your animal and it will smooth the adjusting period.
No doubt moving with cats is tough. It is a challenge for both pet and owner, but still it manageable. If you want to avoid all nuances connected to a cat’s relocation, there is always a plan ‘B’ to hire a professional movers company and trust your kitty to people, who have done this procedure thousands of times and will be responsible for your cat’s comfortable and safe journey.