Travelling with a cat, or not
Most cats do not enjoy travelling: their home is their territory. When it has to happen, a good carrier and a bit of preparation make it bearable.
First, the question
A dog usually prefers to come with you rather than stay behind; a cat, almost always the reverse. For a holiday of one or two weeks, many cats are better off at home with a sitter who visits once or twice a day than in a car, a hotel and an unfamiliar place. Travelling makes sense for a house move, long stays or cats that are already used to it. If you decide to take it, prepare for weeks: carrier left open at home, short car trips that end in something good and, if it gets travel sick or very stressed, a chat with the vet before the trip.
By car
Always inside a rigid carrier, never loose: a loose cat gets under the pedals or bolts when the door opens. The best place is the footwell behind the front seat or the back seat with the seat belt threaded through the handle or the frame of the carrier. Cover it with a light cloth so it sees less, do not feed it in the hours before to reduce travel sickness, and bring water. On long journeys, stop for breaks but do not take it out of the car; if needed, put a small litter tray inside the car with the doors shut. In summer, not even a minute inside a parked car.
Train, coach and plane
In Spain, the national rail operator Renfe accepts small animals, cats included, in a carrier and within a weight limit, on most of its services; check the conditions, and whether it needs its own ticket, before you travel. Elsewhere, rail and coach rules depend on the operator. On a plane, the usual arrangement is for the cat to travel in the cabin, under the seat in front, in a soft carrier and within a maximum weight that tends to be 8 to 10 kg (about 18 to 22 lb) including the carrier, with a fee per journey and limited places per flight. Conditions change often and vary between airlines: check them when you book, not on the day you fly.
Travelling abroad
To travel with a cat between European Union countries you need an EU pet passport, issued by an authorised vet, a microchip and a valid rabies vaccination. After the first rabies vaccination you must wait at least 21 days before travelling. Outside the EU, including the United Kingdom, the requirements are different, and some countries ask for antibody tests months in advance or quarantine. Check with the embassy or the official website of the destination country in good time, not the week before.
At your destination
Ask beforehand whether the accommodation accepts cats: many places that take dogs say nothing about cats. When you arrive, set it up in a single room with its litter tray, water, food and bed, and check windows, balconies and gaps before opening the carrier: a frightened cat in a new place looks for a way out or hides in the most inaccessible corner. Bring its usual food, its litter and something that smells of home. A cat lost far from its territory is very hard to find, so a microchip with your phone number up to date and a tag on a quick-release collar are essential.
Often the cat is better off at home with a sitter. If it travels, always in a carrier, secured in the car, with the transport company’s rules checked before booking, and with a passport, microchip and rabies vaccination to travel abroad.
Educational content from Michipedia. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.