How to Travel With a Cat (Without a Scratch)
Everything you need to bring your cat home for Christmas, including calming products and a portable litter box
share article
Whether you’re driving or publicly transporting a cat this festive season, you may think a carrier is all you need, but products that keep your kitty calm are no less essential. No matter where you’re headed for the holidays, you can use this round-up as a checklist to ensure you and your pet have everything you need before embarking on your journey.
Cat Carriers For a Quiet Rideopens in a new tab
It’s the journey, not the destination
First, you’re going to need a travel carrier, then you’ll need to get your cat acquainted and comfortable with said carrier. This can be made easier by offering them calming treats or putting their favourite toy in there. “Be sure to pack an object that your pet responds to and finds comforting,” says vet Dr Gary Richter. That way they’ll create positive associations with the carrier.
But, whether you’re going home for the Christmas break or taking a working holiday in the Lake District, you don’t want your cat giving you the ‘you really forgot the magical calming elixir?’ look midway through your trip. Ahead, all the essentials you should carry, along with your cat.
Btw, our editors (and their pets) picked out these products. They’re always in stock at the time we publish, but there’s a chance they’ll sell out. If you do buy through our links, we may earn a commission. (We’ve got a lot of toys to buy over here, you know?)
This may be the most obvious of product recommendations, but it’s not for nothing. Having a high-quality cat carrieropens in a new tab can really improve a long day of travel, especially as your cat will be forced to spend quite a bit of time in there if your final destination is a few hours away and involves several different modes of transport.
If you have a stir crazy cat on your hands, keeping them occupied and entertained is a constant task. For this reason, a treat-dispensing toy is an essential travel item that will aid you and your cat’s mental health.
Anything to keep your cat happy, right? Well, this calming toy takes the heavy lifting out of that never-ending task.
If your cat is too young to be prescribed a sedative for travel by your vet, this is the next best thing.
Travelling with your cat long-distance by car and worried about where they might do their business? Have no fear. Open this up whenever you make a pit stop and they’ll know what to do. Just be sure to scoop regularly.
These biodegradable, plant-based wipes are handy to have on you in case of any minor – or not quite so minor – accidents along the way.
Feeding and hydrating your pet on the go is a less messy affair with this collapsible food-grade silicone bowl. It’s available in small and large sizes, and folds flat for easy storage. Meanwhile, the attached carabiner is handy for clipping it on to tote bags and luggage.
Avery Felman
Avery is a writer and producer. She has written for numerous publications, including Refinery29, BuzzFeed, and V Magazine. When she’s not at her computer, you can find her reading, practicing her Greek on Duolingo, and delving into the Sex and the City discourse. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their cat, Chicken, who rules with an iron fist.
Related articles
![one white cat in a black carrier next to two other cats looking up]()
opens in a new tabCat Carriers For a Quiet Ride
It’s the journey, not the destination
![white and brown cat being brushed]()
opens in a new tab6 Cat Grooming Tools
Give them the day off from self-grooming
![Cat laying inside a cat tree]()
opens in a new tabCat Trees That Won’t Clash With Your Aesthetic
Stylish cat trees for every home and personality, from cartoon flowers to modernist towers
![A cat walking by a little box]()
opens in a new tabLitter Robot: Will My Cat Use an Automatic Litter Box?
I introduced my cat to an automatic litter box, and let’s just say it went off with... multiple hitches
