Mary Allen
If you buy one or, ideally, at least two cats, you should first ask yourself what happens to the animals when you want to go on vacation.
During this time, most cat owners have someone who takes care of their lovely velvet paws and feeds them regularly. Some other cat owners do not want to leave their velvet paws alone every day and only a few consider giving them to a boarding house.
No wonder, because the cats need their owners and many have big problems with strangers or are even afraid of them. So how about a vacation together with the cat?
While dog owners take their four-legged friends with them, this is of course also possible with their cats. But what do you have to pay attention to as a cat owner and what must not be forgotten under any circumstances? This article is about vacationing with your cat. We give tips and tricks as well as important information so that it becomes a wonderful time together.
Off on vacation – but how do we get to our destination?
The easiest way to reach your holiday destination with your cat is probably by car. Driving is relatively quiet and there is no contact with strangers here, as would be the case when flying, for example. Depending on the duration of the journey, it is not only possible to plan the route as well as the start of arrival and departure yourself, intermediate stops are also possible. So it’s no problem that you just take a break when your velvet paw needs some affection.
The Deutsche Bahn and various long-distance bus companies allow you to take your cat with you free of charge. The transport takes place in a transport box. However, the box must be placed either on the shelf or on the lap and must not stand in the aisle. During the flight, animals with a body weight of up to eight kilograms are allowed in the cabin, with larger or heavier animals being transported in the cargo hold.
This method is particularly stressful for both cats and dogs. They are very scared alone and there is no one to calm them down. If you still want to fly with your cat, you should find out about the laws in force at the respective flight company in good time and also register the cat.
The safe transport
Of course, it is not allowed for your darling to simply run around freely in the car. For your own safety and that of your cat, safe transport in a transport box provided is particularly important.
There are no alternatives for cats. For example, dogs are strapped to the back seat with a belt, while cats are often too small for this. A normal basket, in which the cat would lie down, cannot work either, as many animals want to get up again and again. However, we have already provided more detailed information on the subject of cat boxes in another article.
Don’t forget the cat luggage
Just like us humans, cats also have to take a lot of luggage with them. A suitable harness including a leash is definitely recommended for holidays with a cat. It is therefore possible for you to take your cat out into the fresh air on holiday or give it the opportunity to exercise in a quiet resting place. However, it is important that you practice handling the dishes with the cat at home so that it is not new territory for you. The holiday and the journey are stress and excitement enough. You have to remember that you can also take cats for a walk as normal. The leash training must not be neglected.
In addition, you should always take some water with you on the journey and the usual food should not be missing in a cat’s luggage. We recommend staying with the usual diet even on holiday so that the cat is not stressed by the change.
As cats do not usually feel comfortable in familiar surroundings, it is always advisable to take familiar things with you, such as your favorite toys. So the hours of play together on holiday should not be neglected under any circumstances.
If your cat normally uses a very special bed to sleep on, be sure to take this with you. It gives your cat the security it needs and saves it stressful moments when looking for a new place to sleep in unfamiliar surroundings.
The litter box is of course also particularly important. However, there are also special travel toilets that can be folded up and take up very little space in the trunk. The litter box for cleaning and the usual bedding should not be missing.
Since cats can be very sensitive to a new environment with its completely new and unique smells, it is always advisable to use special pheromone sprays.
This has a calming effect on the animals and is therefore also recommended when two cats are socialized or when moving with the cat.
The cat luggage at a glance:
- Pet crate;
- food bowl;
- drinking bowl;
- water for the journey;
- Usual food and small snacks;
- toy;
- favorite basket;
- Pheromone spray to calm the cat;
- Cat harness and leash.
The perfect accommodation for cat and owner
When vacationing with the cat, you have to check specifically whether the different accommodations allow pets. For example, there are also some holiday accommodations where dogs are allowed but cats are forbidden. The search for the right accommodation on holiday with a cat is not an easy task to solve and is usually the biggest hurdle.
For example, many hotels are already dog-friendly and allow cold muzzles to be taken with you, but cats are not allowed there. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home, however, it is always particularly important that it is large enough for the cat to be able to move around properly.
Unlike the cat-friendly hotels where you only get a room, a vacation home has more to offer. Here it is also possible for the cat to stay in the entire house or to go into the garden with the leash to enjoy the fresh air. In the case of houses, it is also possible to take a small scratching post with you or a scratching barrel if you don’t already have them. In this way, pieces of furniture, curtains and the like are spared. Again, the tip: Please take toys with you urgently to keep the cat busy.
No free running on vacation
Cats have a particularly good sense of direction, so they can usually find their way back home in their familiar surroundings, even after long or long trips. If you are moving or going on holiday with cats, it is always advisable that the animals stay indoors for at least two full weeks. Only then can the cats explore the new garden and slowly get used to the new environment. For this reason, you should completely refrain from running free on vacation and only go outside with the cat if it is secured by a leash and a special cat harness. Even if it is an old cat or you are sure that the animal will come back or not move widely, once is always the first time and the animal should under no circumstances stay away longer on vacation.
Are there legal points to consider when vacationing with a cat?
If you don’t want to go on holiday with your cat in Germany, but would like to travel abroad with it, you should urgently find out about the entry requirements for the animals there. In many EU countries, for example, only cats that are at least three months old are allowed to enter the country.
It is important that you have a passport, the blue EU passport. In addition, the cat must be chipped or tattooed. The chip number or registration number itself is now stored in the EU passport. The blue EU pet passport should therefore not be missing under any circumstances and can be issued by any veterinarian. It is also important that the cat has been vaccinated against rabies at least three months before the start of the trip and this treatment is also entered in the passport.
In some countries this has to be proven upon entry. In addition, the name of the vaccine must have been entered, which is very important in Ireland, for example. Information about the duration of protection is also expected here. Countries like Sweden, Malta or the United Kingdom have similarly strict rules. In addition, there are cases where tapeworm treatment must be carried out and here too a maximum of 30 days before departure is necessary. It is therefore always very important that you inquire sufficiently and intensively in advance about the individual guidelines of the individual countries.
Our opinion on vacationing with the cat
We too are of the opinion that a cat will be in better hands with you on vacation than in a foreign guesthouse where strangers and animals are part of everyday life. However, the holiday also means pure stress for the velvet paw. It is therefore best to ask someone to take care of the cat or cats during this time.
If your cat is not a solitary animal, but has a fellow animal with whom it gets along well, cats can sometimes be left alone for a week or two. Of course, it is important that the animals are fed several times a day and daily playing and cleaning of the litter box must not be neglected under any circumstances, which many cat sitters are only too happy to do. If all points are observed and nothing is forgotten, the needs and requirements of the cat are met and your own wishes are not neglected, then nothing stands in the way of a holiday together with a cat.