Whether it be by car, by train, by airplane or boat, it’s not always easy to travel with your cat. It is necessary to always arrange certain things in advance – the tickets, an adequate kennel, tranquilizers, and water – in order to assure him maximum comfort and avoid any irregular meowing during the many hours of travel…

Cat shows, week ends in the family cabin, or big vacations… For a civilized chat, the opportunities to travel are seldom missed. A worthy master who deserves to be called such will always plan ahead so that his animal experiences the transportation in the best of conditions. Certain animals are familiarized at a young age with transportation from one place to another, and they accept the situation perfectly, however others struggle with being moved around so much.

If the owner of the cat intends on staying in a hotel, he mustn’t forget to find out if his feline travelling companion will be admitted (only 1 hotel out of 6 accept clients with their pets). In all cases, always remember this precaution: to always attach an identification tag to your cat’s collar. A nervous and anxious animal will always run away quickly!

By Car

Even for a short trip, it is always preferred to use a kennel or cage. Nevertheless, is the cat is calm and reliable, you can always make an exception to the rule: the can will always be able to sit on the knees of the passengers, but the kennel must always be within reach.

If used, the kennel must be placed so that even sudden breaking, stopping or starting will not make it fall. Above all, never put the cat in neither in the trunk nor should he be left in a vehicle without sufficient air circulation or to much sun exposure, which could put him at risk for heat exhaustion. If the trip lasts several hours, give him water and let him out to relieve himself from time to time when nature calls. It’s better to not feed him too much before leaving, which could cause car sickness. Certain cats are subject to this, so it is always prudent to consult your veterinarian, who will prescribe a medicine that prevents noxiousness and that won’t cause drowsiness. If your cat is really irritated, seems uncomfortable or bothered, but is not vomiting, your cat will need a tranquilizer.

By Train or By Bus

Train and bus companies generally do not accept cat unless they are in there kennels. Certain ones, however, allow passengers to keep their cat on leash. The fees are usually minimal, consult the companies before hand.

By Plane

For cats weighing less than 5 kilograms, (a little more than 10 pounds), staying in the cabin is allowed if they are in a kennel. But each airline has it’s own rules, and can not exceed a certain number of animals allowed on the plane. It is thus necessary to plan ahead to assure oneself a spot on board. In the cargo, cats travel in kennels that can be reserved or bought from the airline. The cargo is heated and pressurized so your cat will travel in good conditions. Nevertheless, he will suffer slightly without the presence of his master. In this case, it is better to give him tranquilizers to ease his anguish.

For fees included with the ticket price consult your airline.

By Boat

Ships are not usually well equipped for animal transportation. Usually, animals would travel in cages. In certain boats, animals are tolerated in the cabins. For a small sea voyage, by ferry for example, you can generally use a portable kennel. Once again, there are not rules, it is best to consult the company. Generally, the advantage of taking a boat instead of the others is the extra space. Your cat will be able to walk on the deck with his master. The inconvenience however is a longer voyage and seasickness, which most cats are prone to.

Foreign Travel

Whether it be Rome, Vienna or Athens, before taking your cat to a foreign country, it is necessary to know what vaccinations and documents are demanded by the country.

It’s good to know that Air France has a database of information that indicates the formalities to comply with in whatever country. If not, you can always consult the embassy or consulate of the concerned country.

Most of the time, your cat will need to have a recent certificate of health, given by a qualified veterinarian. Some documents proving that your cat does not have rabies might also be necessary.

In the rush and excitement before leaving for a trip, it’s
so easy to forget something. And when you’re a pet owner,
it’s even more of a challenge — not only are you packing
for yourself, but you’re packing for your pet, too!

[It doesn't help when Fido runs around wildly with
excitement, poking his nose into piles of clothing...
while Fluffy daintily picks her way through each and
every suitcase!]

Here’s a quick list of things to prepare for your pet
before you leave:

* Medications. Before you leave, consult with your vet.
Pick up refills of any medications your pet will need
while you are away … and find out whether or not
there are any health concerns about the area to which
you are traveling — for example, fleas and ticks are
common concerns which can be alleviated with certain
medications. Talk to your vet.

* Kennel or carrier. Some places ask that you kennel your
pet if you are going out and leaving him in the room.
The kennel is also a safe way for your pet to travel;
please don’t let your dog ride loose in the back of a
pickup truck; he could fall out and suffer serious
injuries. If your pet is prone to jumping out of the
car unexpectedly (ie. while at a rest stop, or when
the doors are opened), the kennel will keep him safe.

* Food and water bowls.

* Food (and maybe even water)! Keeping your pet on the
same diet that he’s accustomed to will help to prevent
an upset stomach. If your pet has a sensitive stomach,
you may also want to bring water. Don’t forget to
bring along a few treats!

* Stain remover/cleaning supplies… just in case!
Please be courteous and clean up as much pet hair,
etc. as you can. Vacation rentals do not have to
allow pets; a few minutes spent cleaning can help
to ensure that our four-legged friends continue to
be welcomed.

* Plastic bags for picking up after your pooch. If you’re
traveling with your kitty, bring his or her litter box
and litter.

* Grooming tools – including a comb and/or brush, nail
clippers, pet shampoo, and anything else your pet needs.
Your active pet may end up needing a bit of a ‘touch-up’
after a happy day hard at play!

* Extra towels – for wiping those muddy paws and wet or
dirty bodies!

* Collar and leash(es). If you are travelling to a remote
area, consider bringing an extra leash – just in case
one of them breaks.

* Bedding. Many vacation rentals ask that pets stay off
the beds or furniture, so your pet will appreciate a
comfortable pet bed or blanket.

* Identification. Be sure to record the license numbers,
tattoo numbers, and microchip numbers of your pets and
bring this list with you.

* Vaccination records and other documents. If you are
travelling from another one country to another, be sure
to check what types of vaccinations your pet will need.
Bring an up-to-date record with you. Also check whether
or not there are any special requirements for either
traveling into the country, or returning to your own.

* Recent photo. Unfortunately, . If your pet is lost
while you are traveling, the photo will prove to be a
handy tool when describing him to others.

* First aid kit. Accidents happen.

We enjoy camping, and love to take our yellow lab, Kayla, along with us. With Illinois currently as our home base, we’ve taken her on trips as far away as California, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and South Carolina for wonderful camping trips. Being prepared for road trips with your dog is very important. And in this article I’d like to share some of the things I’ve learned from our experiences.

Before you hit the road:

*There’s nothing worse than loading up the car and heading off for a long-awaited family vacation, only to discover your carsick dog is throwing up all over the back seat sixty miles from home. So make sure your dog can handle long car trips well before you leave town. Take you your dog on several “practice runs” of varying time/distance, and if your dog does experience car sickness, consult your vet about possible remedies, or consider leaving your dog home.

*Speaking of the vet, we get print-outs of all our of dog’s most recent records to take with us on the road. We do this in case she has to visit a vet while we are away, and some kennels require them for short-term boarding and/or grooming. And we make sure she’s up to date on all of her vaccinations. If one will expire while we are away, we make sure she gets it before we leave, even if it’s early.

*If you’ll be staying in motels along the way, make sure you are familiar with chains that accept dogs in the room. Don’t wait until you are tired from a long drive to start looking for a motel, because many won’t allow pets, and you could be searching for quite a while. We do one of two things. Either we call ahead and reserve a room at a motel we know accepts pets. Or we plan to stay at a chain we know allows pets. Motel Six and Holiday Inn have pretty broad acceptance policies, as do many Super 8’s and Day’s Inn (though not all, so make sure you know which ones do). Some motels will allow pets on an individual basis. Just make sure you have travel guides, or have done internet searches, so that you are know where you will be welcome with your pet before you leave home. (For example, AAA guides list which motels allow pets, and there are many pet-travel websites that list them as well.)

*If you’ll be camping, make sure you know the rules for dogs in campgrounds before you arrive. Most private and public campgrounds will allow pets, but require them to be leashed at all times. We have discovered that National Parks allow leashed dogs in parking areas and paved walkways, but most won’t allow them on hiking trails. Zion National Park has a 2 mile paved trail on which dogs are allowed, and they welcome in their campgrounds. Grand Canyon allows dogs on the paved “Rim” trail, but not on hikes down into the canyon. Bryce Canyon allows dogs, but only in cars on in parking areas. However, Red Rock Canyon in the Dixie National Forest, near Bryce, allows dogs not only in campgrounds, but also on all of their hiking trails (as long as they are leashed). My advice is to find out before you go by visiting web sites or calling ahead so that you aren’t disappointed by the restrictions when you arrive.

What to bring:

*Kayla has her own “suitcase” – and whenever she sees us take it out of the closet, she knows we are about to take her on a trip (and she gets very excited). Here is what we keep in her bag:

1. A couple of towels (she’s a lab, likes to swim wherever she sees water, so they are handy for drying her off, or if she has an unexpected accident, throws up, etc.).

2. Plenty of plastic grocery bags for picking up after her while on the road. One of the reasons pet owners are unwelcome in many places is because they don’t pick up after their dogs in rest areas, motel lawns, campgrounds, etc. So make sure you always clean up after your dog.

3. A couple of filled water bottles and water dish. We offer Kayla water at every rest stop, and occasionally even on the road if she seems thirsty. Keep her hydrated. As much as dogs love to travel, it can also be stressful for them.

4. Individual baggies of food portions, if her mealtimes will occur on the road. We also include a few treats, to reward her for being such a good girl in the car.

5. Chew toys/balls: Kayla doesn’t usually like to chew things while we are driving, but some dogs do, and it helps alleviate boredom.

6. We also bring wet wipes and paper towels, in case of any spillage or accidents.

7. Bringing a dog bed of some sort is helpful because motels don’t like dogs on the beds. If your dog uses their bed regularly at home, it also brings something familiar along with them. If it will fit, you might put it on the seat where the dog will ride as well. The familiar scent is comforting, and offers more comfortable ride for the dog.

*In addition to the items we bring in Kayla’s suitcase, we keep her medical records in a safe place.

*Some dogs get pretty excited when traveling, and are hard to restrain. This can cause dangerous situations for drivers. If your dog has a hard time sitting still during the trip, you might consider a dog harness which attaches to seat belts. There are many out there, and make the trip safer for you, and more comfortable for the dog (like when you make those sudden stops or turns that throw the dog onto the floor).

While on the road:

*Frequent stops: We try to stop every couple of hours at a rest stop. Normally Kayla doesn’t need to go potty that often at home, but being in the car for long stretches can be stressful and/or boring for a dog. So we stop more frequently to let her get out and stretch her legs. She LOVES rests stops (all those new smells) and sniffs every blade of grass she can. We find it is good for us as well, because when we travel without her, we stop very rarely. But with Kayla, we find our travel experience more enjoyable because we get to take a break from driving and stretch our legs too. Just remember to always pick up after your dog. It’s the right thing to do, and in some places, it’s the law.

*We don’t let Kayla stick her head out the window when we are driving, particularly at high speeds. As much as dogs love doing this, it can be harmful for them. Objects flying through the air may strike their faces and do damage to eyes and ears. When we do open the window to let her hang her head out, we do so only at lower speeds.

*Never leave your pet alone in your motel room. It’s against motel policy, and if a dog destroys objects in a room, you have to pay for them. In addition, if a barking dog annoys other guests, you may be asked to leave. If a motel has several problems with pets, they may change their pet policy, so for your sake and other pet lovers, always stay with your dog.

*On a warm or hot days, we try to never leave Kayla in our parked car for long periods of time. On the rare occasions that it’s unavoidable, we try to find shade and leave the windows cracked, and get back as soon as possible. Most of the time we can avoid leaving her alone by splitting up to do shopping and other errands, always leaving one of us with her.

*Related to the suggestion above, we tend to eat “on the road.” We get fast food or other take-out food while driving, and eat it in the car so as not to leave Kayla unattended for long periods. If we do go in to eat at a restaurant, we try to go after dark, when the sun is down, and leave the window cracked. Then one of us checks on her every half hour or so (particularly when it’s very hot) and makes sure she has water and is doing okay. Traveling in the cooler months makes this less necessary – but if your dog is a barker it can quickly become a nuisance to other patrons, so be respectful of them.

Other general suggestions:

*The reality is that sometimes while on the road, we like to visit places Kayla isn’t allowed. So rather than leave her alone at camp or in the car, what we do is check around at local kennels for day boarding possibilities, or even overnight boarding. For instance, we spent a day at Disneyland a few years ago, and for $10, she was boarded at the Disney Kennels for the day (she even got a certificate after her stay). On a rafting trip in Colorado, we found another day kennel nearby where we could leave her. And for an evening excursion, we know we can leave her overnight. Sure she’ll miss us, and we’ll miss her. But she’ll be safe and well cared for, which is what is most important. (Be prepared that this is where you may need a copy of her medical records – and make sure her Bordetella (Kennel Cough) Vaccine is up to date.)

*Be patient with your pet. Traveling is an exciting experience for them, but can also be stressful because you are removing them from their regular routine. Just like children, they may not behave as they normally do at home. Kayla tends to bark at anyone who wanders near our campground, and is hard to handle on her leash when we get anywhere near a river. Be calm and consistent with your dog, understanding that this is a new situation for them. And if it seems to be causing more problems for you and your dog than it’s worth, you may have to consider leaving your pet at home in the future. Hopefully that won’t happen – but if it’s what is best for your beloved dog, then you do have to keep it under consideration.

These are just a few suggestions I have from several trips with our dog, Kayla. It certainly isn’t exhaustive, and I may add things as they occur to me or I experience them in future travels. But I hope the suggestions are helpful for you as you consider traveling with you dog.

Wether it be on a vacation to your favorite resort, or just visiting the in-laws for the weekend, many people are choosing to take their dogs with them when traveling. Land or air, there are many things to take into consideration. The best advice is simply, be prepared. Below are some great tips for traveling by air and land.

Tips on preparing rover for air travel

Unless your dog is a frequent flyer, air travel is likely to be a very stressful experience, so you might want think twice about subjecting them to the friendly sky . Each airline is going to have their own set of rules for traveling pets. Be sure to know the details prior to making any arrangements.

- Have your vet sign a document (health certificate), stating that your dog is healthy, and free of disease.

– Make sure he is up-to-day with a flea tic program

- Do not feed your pet within 6 hours (some wait even longer) prior to departure. And no water 2 hours before takeoff.

- Make sure you have proper identifaction tags on him. This includes his name, and ALL your information…address phone number

- You MUST provide an adequate crate for you dog to travel in. The crate must be big enough rover to stand in, free of any “debris,”and strong enough to withstand the rigors of travel. Be sure to check with your airline for more specific requirement.

- Attach a note to the crate stating your dogs feeding and water requirements in the event that your flight is delayed or diverted.

- Carry a photograph of your dog incase he is accidently lost. Finding your dog will be a lot easier for everyone, If you have a picture.

Traveling by car

- keep your dog leashed whenever possible.

- Pack ID and a photo. Make sure your rover has his ID tags, with all important contact information (up to date). Along with his tags, make sure you have paperwork with current vaccinations and important health notes.

- Book your lodgings ahead. If your road trip involves staying overnight somewhere, insure that your accommodations allow dogs

- Is your dog ready for a long trip? If your dog is not use to long road trips it might be a good idea to get him accustomed to being in the car longer than a trip to the grocery store..

- Keep your dog cool. If you don’t have air conditioning in the car, make sure you have a window down to let in fresh cool air.

Traveling with your four legged pal makes a great trip even better. If you follow these basic guideline and educate yourself on rules and regulations for traveling and accommodations you will have a great memory of your trip, that will last a lifetime.