Proven Ways to Keep Your Cat Calm in the Car

Have you ever had to bundle your kitty into her carrier and load her in the car for a trip to the vet or road trip? Every mile is torture while Kitty cries and sings the song of his people in the backseat. The stress of actually getting him there is the number one reason cats don’t go to the vet. Knowing how to keep your cat calm in the car will make your trip easier, safer and stress-free.

Reasons Why Cats Hate the Car

Consider the experience from Kitty’s point of view. Cats are territorial creatures of routine. They like their familiar home environment with the smells, sights and sounds they expect. They like napping in the same sun puddles everyday and having dinner arrive at the same time. New spaces make most cats anxious and upsetting their routine stresses them out. Cars are noisy and unfamiliar and aren’t part of a cat’s normal routine. They aren’t going to be shy about sharing their distress with us as we drive.

We don’t give cats credit for having memories, but they do. If the only time they get forced into their carriers and put in the car is to go to the vet, they are not going to look forward to it. Unlike dogs, most of our cats don’t go for car rides to places where they are exposed to fun and positive reactions. Making their carrier and the car a more rewarding experience would be the first step to calming a cat in the car.

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Training Your Cat To Stay Calm In The Car

Keep your cat from freaking out in the car by starting with training. Training your cat to accept his carrier without panicking is the first step to a more peaceful car ride. Kitty’s carrier can become his safe, familiar space with all the smells and comfort of home in the car. Choose a comfortable carrier that is big enough for Kitty to sit, stand up, and turn around. Put his favorite blanket or carrier mat in it. A few treats, his favorite toy, some catnip or silvervine can help.

Related Post: Teach Your Cat to Love her Carrier

Once he no longer fears getting in his carrier, transfer it to the car and get him used to the sounds and feels. Start out slow. Sit in the yard. Then go around the block. Desensitize him slowly. You need to incorporate car trips into his normal routine. Take him to small pet stores at times when it isn’t likely to be too busy. Drive through coffee shops or restaurants where he can get a reward. Offer his most favorite treats at the end of the trip. Make traveling a positive experience for Kitty.

Tips for Keeping Your Cat Calm and Comfortable in the Car

Keeping Kitty comfortable is an important part of a successful road trip. A comfortable cat is much less likely to get worked up and spend the car trip singing the song of his people. Start with a tired cat. Have a good play session before you load Kitty into the car. He’ll be more likely to nap through your trip.

Prevent Car Sickness

Just like us humans, cats can get carsick. If your baby is licking her lips, drooling, or coughing, she could be nauseous. You can help her just as you would a child. You can use Benadryl or Dramamine, or the vet can give you a prescription for Cerenia. Feed her lightly the night before and either skip her morning meal or give her a small meal.

Paying attention to the location of her carrier can help too. Face the carrier to the front of the car so she isn’t looking out the side window. She’ll probably prefer to sit where she can see you. On the other hand some cats prefer their carrier to be elevated. Buckled in the center of the back seat is the more stable part of the car.

Try different things until you find the best fit. Don’t let Kitty roam free in the car. It isn’t safe for you or for her.

Related Post: Riding Around in Cars with Cats

Make the Car a Comfortable Space

The environment in the car can help keep your feline friend relaxed while you drive. Cats like a

temperature around 70F. Keeping her warm but not too warm will help keep Kitty comfortable.

Visual stimulation can bother some cats. If your cat needs help to stay calm in the car, covering her carrier might make her more comfortable. Just make sure she has necessary ventilation and doesn’t overheat. You can buy specially designed carrier covers or just use a familiar blanket or towel.

The choice of music for your trip is important too. Some cats have their own choices. My Betsy is into industrial. She has her own Spotify playlist and a little speaker all her own in her carrier. But for most cats something a little more mellow is desirable.

There is music made especially for cats. Through a Cat’s Ear Offers a mini speaker and 5 hours of specially created calming music designed to provide sonic anchoring frequencies for your baby. You can find music for cats on your Spotify app as well.

It might be your voice instead of music that calms your cat in the car. Talk to her and let her know you are still there with her.

How to Stop a Cat from Freaking Out in the Car

Having an agitated cat freaking out in the back seat of the car will not make a road trip pleasant for anyone. There are several stress remedies that can help. Keep in mind that no remedy works for all cats. You may have to try several different things before you find the right answer.

Pheromones:

Feliway/Comfort Zone’s pheromones help Kitty feel safe. You can use it in a wipe or spray form. We’ve had success with calming cats in the car by spraying the carrier mats and covers.

Thundershirts:

Some cats respond to the pressure of being wrapped in a jacket or thundershirt. I’ve seen it. But it doesn’t work for mine.

Natural remedies to help keep your cat calm in the car:

These can come in the form of treats, chews, paw gels, or drops. Ingredients include supplements like L-theanine, L-tryptophan, and thiamine (Vitamin B1). Others contain relaxing herbs or flower essences like chamomile or valerian. CBD is a newer entry into this category.

• Vetriscience Composure Treats: Chicken flavored Composure soft chews use the natural power of Colostrum, L-Theatine and Thiamine. Takes about 20-30 minutes to start working. We have had good success with these if the cats are willing to eat them. I have a couple cats that avoid “functional treats” like kids avoid vitamins.
• Zesty Paws: Another functional treat. The Thiamine, L-Tryptophan, L-Theanine, Chamomile in these chews may help with signs of normal stress. A bacon flavored option. Like the Composure treats, these take the edge off a cat’s anxiety and may make for an easier car ride.
• NutriVet Paw Gel: Veterinarian formulated with a blend of Oat, Chamomile, Passion Flower and Cat Nip extracts. Salmon flavored. Can be easier to give than trying to get a cat to eat a treat. Similar to hairball gel. In my experience, this is less effective than the treats. Doesn’t work if Kitty needs to have a clean coat for a show.
• Bach’s Rescue Remedy: Stress relief tincture for pets with natural flower essences. You can dose directly or put the drops on one of the calming treats or mix with food or water. I’ve used the people version for years for my own anxiety so giving the pet one to my nervous travelers was an easy choice.

Medications for your stressed out cat:

For the highly stressed cat that doesn’t respond to natural remedies, ask yourself if it is necessary for your cat to travel. Perhaps it would be better for him to stay home with a pet sitter or board in a cat hotel. For unavoidable car travel, consult with your vet. Kitty could benefit from anti anxiety medications like gabapentin, clonidine, or xanax.

Do a trial run first if you do choose to medicate Kitty for your trip. Not everything works as you would expect. We tried medicating a cat during a 12 hour move. She had an adverse reaction, paced her carrier, screamed and cried the whole day. We would have been better off to just give her a calming treat and tuck her into her carrier.

Keep Your Feline Friend Relaxed in the Car

Whether you are heading around the corner to the vet or across the country, keeping your cat calm in the car will make your trip easier and more comfortable. While not every cat will look forward to a car trip like a dog, most cats can learn to tolerate a road trip if you use these tips to keep your cat calm in the car.