Unlike any other pets, cats also hate moving to any new place. They never like any kind of change in their regular routine. As the cats are very much territorial animals, even a short trip can make them feel insecure and they easily get freaky. Therefore, transporting cats cross country or overseas can be a horrible affair for most of the cat owners. And the scenario becomes awful for both you and your fondle. But that doesn’t mean that it is an impossible task to accomplish. Some proper advanced planning and precautionary measures can lessen your stress to many extent.
Keeping those related issues that could be faced by the cat owners while shipping their cuddly cats overseas, we are trying to point out some essential tips in this following discussion.
Let’s check out the points:
- Make your cat habituated with the moving process by taking it to some frequent trips. First take it for small distance destinations and then gradually increase the duration of the journeys. You must keep your eyes to the behaviour of your cat while moving. If there is any sign of discomfort to it then immediately remove it from the vehicle and in future try to take precautions before beginning to drive to somewhere. As the motto is to make the cat comfortable with a long moving process, make sure to eliminate all those travel related issues that can cause discomfort to your cat.
- Though cats do not have much affinity towards going to meet the vets, yet it is mandatory to take them to a licensed vet for a thorough check up before heading to an overseas transportation of them. Make sure to complete the courses of Rabies as that is federally mandated inoculation. Gather the necessary documents regarding vaccination and medical records. Also ask your vet about how to deal with motion sickness or stress diarrhea of your cat during transportation.
- Choose a study but comfortable carrier for your cat in advance and train your cat to stay inside the crate. Encourage the cat to take naps and play inside the crate to make it familiar with it.
Make sure the crate is well ventilated and spacious enough, so that your cat can easily turn around or stand up into it without touching it’s head to the crate’s roof. The crate should have multiple exits.
- If you are planning to travel by four wheeler, then keep your cat’s crate in the backseat of your vehicle. Also, secure it with the sit belt or harness, so that it won’t slide while moving.
- Attach a proper travel tag to your cat’s collar as well as to it’s carrier. The travel tag must contain your name, exact address, phone number, travel destination and also an alternative contact number. So that you can be contacted in case of any emergency. Get a customized microchip inserted under your cat’s skin for extra security, especially when you are traveling overseas with it.
- You must keep all the necessary cat transportation related documents with you during shipping your cat. There are different transportation policies for different countries as well as the different shipping processes. So, you need to make permit papers according to your destined country’s pet policies. You also require the medical certificates that should not be older than 10 days.
- Avoid giving tranquilizers to your cat while transporting it by plane. Instead of providing sedatives , you can rather give it pheromones to keep your cat calm over the journey process. You can also give it Zylkenenutraceutical protein supplements to make it feel good and it will help to eliminate it’s discomfort due to movement.
- Never transport your brachycephalic breed cat by cargo holds or planes. Because it can be fatal for snubbed nosed animals. Your push nosed pet may face breathing problems due to high altitude air pressure.
- Avoid feeding your cat immediately before boarding or transporting. Try to finish the feeding process at least 3 to 4 hours before starting to move. Do not let it drink frequently. But that doesn’t mean you would starve or dehydrate your cat. You can give it wet food instead of dry supplements. It would make it feel good. Keep some ice cubes to the attached food bowl of the crate.
- Do not try to transport your cat during holidays. As the cats are very much delicate, they would not bear the mishandling due to rush and that might be fatal for them.
