Cat lovers: how to make my cat feel less insecure in the car?

Question

I sometimes drive my cat to my parents' place (about 40 minutes away), and put her in a pet carrier on the seat next to me. She would meow about every 10 seconds, and looks to be kind of worried or insecure. I was wondering whether certain music would calm them down or maybe there's some good ways to make them comfortable travelling in a car without being so scared?

Ex Head: that's precisely what I do now :)

Answer 1

If you can, place your fingers inside the carrier. My babies always rub up against my fingers or sniff them and start "kissing" them (it always makes me melt and want to let them out but you must stay firm!). I always turn the carriers so they are facing me, and they can see I didn't disappear (my youngest freaks out if she can't find me and when one whines sometimes the other will follow). If you are comfortable doing this, before taking the trip, let her roam around the vehicle, sniff it out. It's possible the smell of the vehicle is scaring her, being a new location outside of the boundaries and smells she called "home". From there, I often place a dirty shirt, or sock, something I don't mind if they have to go to the bathroom on (I can throw it away and no tears shed). If I know I'm taking my cats to the vet, I make sure to wear an old shirt and old socks the day before. That way my scent is on them and I give the socks to my youngest cat (my youngest has a "thing" for feet, she loves them), and the shirt to the oldest cat. This often calms them down and if I put my fingers in to where I can touch them, it helps too. Now that we've made a 3 state trip with these cats roaming around the car out of their carriers (I know, irresponsible but it's a long, long story), they are *much* more at ease riding in the car - mainly because they've sniffed it out. It's no longer a foreign scent to them. They consider it a safe place.

(Though the youngest still whines a little, it's a different type of whine than the whine she gives when she's afraid of someone or someplace. This is because she has a fear of having doors shut and cannot stand that carrier door being closed, open the door; she'll stay in the carrier and be perfectly content.)

Anyways, hope that helps =)

PS> in travelling 3 states, my babies weren't in their carriers, they roamed freely and that seemed to really calm them down for the trip. They slept a lot and I held one in my lap and the other slept curled at my toes. If you're comfortable with letting her out of the carrier, make sure someone else is driving and hold her, pet her, (have a soft blanket on your lap) and she'll probably feel more at ease. She'll want to roam a bit, which is okay as long as she doesn't find the brake and gas pedals! =P)

Answer 2

First of all, changing the environment is a stressful event for any pet. So changing the environment, even for brief periods of time is a major stress for a cat who will have to adapt to the new environment, even if she-s been there a hundred of times. It's their instinct to be watchful and suspicious for any imaginary threat that can appear since they last visited a place (this is why a cat will first inspect the house when she arrives).

When you transport your cat to your mother, you actually make her change the environment 4 times :
- from the house to the car (and she has to adapt to the environment in the car)
- from the car to another house (your mom's) - and she has to adapt again
- from your mom's house to your car (and she has to adapt again)
- from the car to your house

This is a stress that is amplified 4 times.

And on top of that, in the car she will hear the sound of your engine which is frightening for any cat, where it came from and, and feel the vibrations of the car which will make her insecure.
To a cat, the sound of the engine is threatening because she does not know what makes the sound - she may think maybe it's a dangerous animal, a predator, that makes the sound; maybe the sound is similar with the sound cats make when they hiss and spit other cats; maybe it has some higher frequencies of sound that we humans do not hear but the cats and dogs do.
No wonder she is afraid and insecure.

And no music (no matter how relaxing), will diminish or silence the sound of your engine - so the cat will be just as stressed.

This is why the best advice would be to leave her at home, even if alone. Your mom can see her when she visits you. That way there will be no stressful event for your cat.
And if you think the cat will feel lonely, you can always adopt another cat so she will have permanent company of her own kind.

But if you really want to train her to get accustomed to the car, no matter how hard and horrible the experience will be for the cat, than the best advice is to ask someone else to drive the car (a friend, your mom) and you to always keep your cat in your arms and pet her, and cuddle her all the time she is in the car.

This way, for the cat, your protecting and loving arms will always represent a protecting environment that does not change (from the moment she leaves your house - all the time she is in the car - to the moment you get to your mom's house).

And in time, if the cat will associate the sound of the engine with the secure and loving embrace that protects her (also in time she will see there is nothing to fear), she will get accustomed to the car.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Of course I have the same problem as well. If it's a short trip all you can really do is just talk to them, put your fingers in the cage and play with them, and put their favorite toy in there.

If it's a longer trip (over 2 hours), I give them a tranquilizer from the Vet. They still meow like crazy for the first 30 minutes, but then they get really sleepy. I give them less than the vet said to, because they can get really groggy and cranky if you give them the recommended dosage.

They still meow but are much more mellow. Also, they are perfectly fine when you get to where you are going.

Answer 5

This is almost certainly not the safest, but I let my cat roam around. I open the carrier door and let him complain (meow) and wander around, look out the windows. Once he's explored the new space he sits on the floor in the back seat and I'm safe to drive. He then just meows softly every once in a while.

It's not the safest, but it works great. Fortunately, I don't take him in the car much.

Answer 6

Take along a blanket or something with a familiar, reassuring scent. Talk to her soothingly while driving. Sometimes, a cat can feel secure just by having their owners talk to them. Maybe sing a little along with the radio. Don't give the cat tranquilizers of Gravol. That would just make the poor animal sick and worsen the situation

Answer 7

what has worked for me in the past is to get a smaller pet carrier.. that seems to actually make them more comfortable.. i also loosely cover the carrier with a warm blanket.. doing both of these really seems to put my cat at ease, she used to meow incessantly, and now she only meows for about the first few minutes

Answer 8

My Babies do the same thing. Unless they have been riding in a car from a very young age they will continue to do it. I put my Babies in the front seat with me with the bars on the carrier facing me, and I talk to them and put my fingers through the bars and let them know I am close.

Answer 9

wear a shirt you don't really care bout for a while then put it in the carrier, cats like familiar smells. so what ever smells like you. Also i don't know why but Harp music calms my cats down, almost putting them to sleep!
hoped i helped.

Answer 10

The vets I worked for reccomended this & it always worked great: put the cat in a pillow case & tie the end shut (with twist-tie, rubber band, etc). For short trips, the cat feels secure & mellows out - just why they like to get in grocery bags, boxes, etc. & sleep.