Cats enjoy their independence and don’t generally enjoy being driven around in a car. The last thing they want is to be cooped up in a car with strange noises and bumps and jolts. Added to which, they end up at this clinical white place with unpleasant smells and an aura of fear, the VET. The reward for all this? Sharp needles and your mouth being forced open.

Therefore, it’s only right that we humans make the whole experience as stress free as possible.

To begin with, cats need to be put into a basket. Most of us will fetch the basket out of storage shortly before we intend to go, this can mean the cat will start to associate the basket with the trip to the vet. You can help avoid this happening by bringing out the basket out at few days ahead of time and placing it somewhere where your cat will see it every day. As cats like to hide in small spaces, they sometimes actually see it as a place of sanctuary, and it can be quite difficult to get them out of it at the other end! Having a basket where you can take the complete top off, for easy access, is certainly useful in these cases.

Cats can have different ways of handling stress. There are cats that will go quite quiet and withdrawn, however, others will start howling as soon as the car starts rolling. On the whole, it’s the sensation of movement that’s beyond their control that upsets them most.

For this reason it’s important to secure the basket in the car with a seat belt, to avoid undue jolting, and keep movement to a minimum. Drive more considerately as well, be aware of junctions and roundabouts, so that you can anticipate them and negotiate them as smoothly as possible and avoid those sudden changes in direction. Fresh air is important too, so keep the car well ventilated.

If your cats are car sick, and some do suffer, then it’s possible to get appropriate medication from your vet. Under no circumstance use human medicines to try and treat your cat yourself. If your cat is highly stressed, there is a spray that you can use in the basket and car that gives the area an aroma of calm and tranquility for cats - Feliway. It’s very useful stuff for applying in areas where your cat may be stressed, for instance cats living in homes with other cats, may get stressed and this can be a useful treatment for this, also if you’ve had building works or are thinking of going away on holiday, this can be used to help reduce the level of stress in your cat.

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