When you travel with your cat in the car...?

Question

Do you let your cat loose, keep it in a carrier, or have an animal guard behind the driver seat?

I ask because I would like to get an animal guard so that my cats can stretch their legs in the back of the car, without the danger of them getting in the front. One vet I spoke to said that this is a good idea; another said that it is dangerous as the cats could fall all over the place in the back. At the moment we keep them in pet carriers; but it can't be nice for them and they don't like staying in there for too long (I'm not surprised!)

Thanks! xx Emmie

Answer 1

I keep my cat in a pet carrier. She is a very nervous rider, if I let her out she has to sit on my shoulder.

Answer 2

We have two cats and in the early days they travelled in the back of an estate car with a guard behind the front seats
They had more room than we did.

We tried them in cat carriers but they got distressed and made a mess and a lot of noise.

They were quite happy with the guard in back of car but strangely they did not move about much when car was moving so do not seem to need a lot of room actually.

The cats are older now so we tried the carriers again only this time we got large containers small dog size in fact on the idea that they could stand up sit and turn around.

This does seem to be the best way the cats just sit there on back seat and we do not have to worry about opening the rear doors and losing a cat by accident.

So my recommendation large (about twice normal taking to the vet type containers )
open wire mesh cages are available these might be worth considering but expensive our carriers cost £15 each from Wilco bargain

Answer 3

Cats are very curious creatures, as you probably know because you sound like you have experience. Do NOT let your cats loose in the car, and having an animal guard behind the drivers seat isn't much better, because there is still alot of area in the car to roam. Imagine if your cat was investigating something behind your seat and you didn't know it was there and you put your seat back and you clamped it's foot? That would not be good in the middle of the intersate. Personally, I'd rather be safe than sorry, and your cats might poop or pee in your car. Animals, well most, are much less likely to soil the place they sleep. For now I would stick with cat carriers, untill you get alot of opinions and talk to a vet about what one is most appropriate.

Answer 4

We also travel with our cat.. We have found the best solution is to put him in a large carrier cage. The one we have has a wire front door, and rest of the carrier is made of a hard plastic with hundreds of holes in it, so there is plenty of ventilation but the cat has the impression no one can see him. We place the cage facing the front window of the car, so he can see out and not get the feeling of motion. We use a large carrier cage, because we can put all the cats favorite things in it.. ie, a small cat bed, small litter box, food and water.. In a sense his cage becomes like a den for him. He has traveled thousands of miles this way with no problems.. Also, the cage that we have folds down for storage. Our cat likes his cage so much that we find that if we leave it set up in the house with his cat bed and the door open, he will spend hours sleeping in it. I guess he thinks it is his home, which might also be why he is eager to get into his cage when we take him in the car. .You might try this with your cat and his existing cage since you said your travel time is so short.. Leave your cage set up in your home in an area where he likes to go, and let him make it his den, then when you put it in the car with him in it, he might be a little less nervous.. For long journeys though, I would highly recommend a big cage.. We also leave the cat at home sometimes.. When he is left at home he always has lots of food, water, multiple litter boxes, and a toy that has our recorded voices on it. ..hope this helps..

Answer 5

The only time my cats are in the car is for trips to the vets and they usually go one at a time, but tomorrow is when they're all due their shots so I have a large pet carrier and put them all in that and strap them in the back of the car. I never heard of an animal guard being used for any animal other than a dog.

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

Having a cat loose in the car in never a good thing. I show cats and have the policy if the trip is 1 -2 hrs long then they go in their carrier boxes if it is longer then I have a puppy pen that I put in the back of the car with a rug for comfort and a litter tray incase of emergencies that way they can stretch their legs move around and use a tray if needed and offer water on stops.

Answer 7

Most cats prefer to be in confined spaces, like a carrier, when they are scared. Like another poster said, it is better for them to mess in a washable carrier (put a disposable pad inside) than anywhere in your car; you'll never get the stink out. If you were in an accident and the cats were loose behind a guard, they would still be thrown around in the back of your car and could be very injured. If they are in a kennel, however, and that kennel is tied down or buckled in, they won't go far at all. Less pain for kitty. I vote for the kennel.

Answer 8

The idea sounds good in theory to have a guard but cats have minds of their own and yours could escape as soon as the door is opened. I would advise getting a caged large carrier used for dogs will give space to move around if travelling over a long distance plus you can see how they are getting along. They are easily available from places like Argos.

Answer 9

I agree with the Vet. Carriers are much safer. I find putting a towel over the carrier calms the cat. If you plan only traveling allot for long periods at a time then I could understand but for the normal traveling cats, carriers are good, safe and secure.

Answer 10

It sounds a good idea getting a guard in the back of the car so your cat can stretch its legs while you are travelling but what concerns me is when you stop and open the back of the car, cats a pretty nifty and could escape before you can grab it.

Answer 11

Ive got 2 British Shorthair cats, whenever I take them out or to the vets I have a large wicker igloo style cage so they have plenty of room and a view out. I put them in it on the front seat so they can see me. I put the seatbelt through the handle at the top and buckle them in incase I have to break suddenly, this way they are secure. I wouldnt let them loose in the car, tis dangerous and if the police see you doing this, they could fine you.