Mary Allen
Anyone who buys a cat bears a great deal of responsibility towards the animal. This not only applies to making sure that your cat is fed a healthy and balanced diet but also to ensure that the velvet paws can be given medical care. At the latest when going to the vet, the cat must be transported. Of course, the transport should not only be safe but also as stress-free and comfortable as possible.
A cat transport box is ideal for transporting the cat from A to B. This article is about what needs to be considered when buying a cat carrier, what benefits you as a cat owner has from the box, and also how a carrier for cats should best be set up.
When is a cat carrier needed at all?
The cat transport box is always needed when you have to transport the animal. This does not only have to be when the cat has to be presented to the vet. Many cat owners also take their pets with them when they travel together. The individual boxes are now available in numerous sizes, and shapes, and made of different materials, so you can choose the cat transport box that offers your cat enough space to lie down comfortably.
In addition, the boxes are so stable that they also comply with all statutory rules for animal transport. So it is not exactly uncommon for the cat to be taken with you in a transport box like this when you go on vacation by plane. In these cases, however, you should urgently use a box that specifically meets the requirements and complies with all legal guidelines in this regard.
What must be considered when buying a cat transport box?
The individual transport boxes are now available in different sizes, shapes, and features. Since there is now a wide range of different products, it is often not easy for cat owners to get an overview and find the perfect model. For this reason, it is important to consider individual criteria before buying such a product in order to ultimately find the right transport box for your own cat. We have put together some criteria for you.
You can find out what these are below:
The size of your cat: When buying a new cat carrier, you should definitely consider the size of your cat. The new box should always be selected according to the dimensions of your cat. With small kittens, of course, you have to keep in mind that they are still growing. If you don’t want to buy a new transport box after a very short time, you should see how big the respective cat breed usually gets on average.
Enough space
Your cat should also have enough space in the carrier to get comfortable and lie down when needed. In small transport boxes, the animals can quickly feel cramped and uncomfortable, which would trigger stress again.
The openings: There are different opening options for the cat transport boxes. For example, there are boxes that have a flap on the ceiling.
Still, other models have a normal lattice door. In addition, it is often possible to completely remove the upper part of the box from the individual boxes in order to take the cat out at the vet without any problems, which of course increases the comfort of use for you as the cat owner.
Sufficient ventilation: It should also be ensured that the cat transport box has various air slots. These serve to ensure that your cat can be supplied with sufficient oxygen and fresh air during transport. For this reason, most products have side slits and a grid opening.
Handling
It is also important to ensure that the cat transport box is easy to use for you as the user. This includes, for example, the fact that the doors are easy to operate, making them easy to open and close from the outside. In addition, the transport box should of course also be easy to transport and only have a low dead weight.
Security
Safety also plays a hugely important role when buying a new cat carrier. For this reason, it is important to make sure that all fasteners are really high-quality and strong, this is the only way to be sure that your cat cannot escape and run away during transport. Attempting to break out of “prison” is part of the nature of animals, so it’s not uncommon for cats to vigorously resist their carrier.
Cleaning
It is also important that the material of the box is easy to clean. Because with cats, it can happen again and again that they have to relieve themselves through the stress. Sturdy plastic boxes that can be easily washed out after use are therefore best suited. Although rattan cat boxes are well-ventilated, they are more difficult to clean. This also applies to the so-called cat bags.
Seat belt device
Some models also have a device with which the cat transport box can be offered on the back seat of the car. This is especially useful if you often want to transport your cat by car.
Tips for using a cat carrier
Below you will find valuable tips and information about the use of a cat transport box – locking and securing the cat box.
Before you want to transport your cat in the transport box, you should make sure that it is sufficiently secured and tightly closed. If this opens during transport, for example, if you have to brake suddenly, your cat could be badly injured. Furthermore, in such a stressful situation, a cat would likely run away. In addition, a firm securing of the box on the back seat should be guaranteed.
Of course, it is also possible to place the box in the footwell of the car. It doesn’t matter in which footwell the box is placed. However, it is important to ensure that there is enough space for the box and that it is as stable as possible. This means that there must not be too much leeway in all directions. In this case, the box could wobble back and forth when braking hard or accelerating. The footwell is usually even more suitable than the rear seat. This is for the simple reason that the transport box could otherwise become dangerous for the driver more quickly in the event of an accident. However, this danger can be avoided by strapping it down.
It is also possible for the cat transport box to be placed on the passenger’s lap. In this case, the co-driver could also calm the cat down while driving and take some of the fear out of it.
If you do not want to transport your cat by car but by train, there are also a few things to consider. While your cat gets used to the monotonous noise of the car tires quite quickly, the background noise on the train is completely different. Most animals find it very difficult to classify the different sounds of many people, which means that the stress level increases, and your animal can panic. In this case, you should try to choose a compartment that is as empty as possible so that the noise can be minimized. In addition, it is always advisable to calm the cat down in these situations by cuddling and stroking it.
The various transport boxes also allow transport on an airplane. For this special transport, however, the individual products must meet certain criteria. First of all, you should definitely be big enough so that you have the opportunity to set up a water and food bowl. This is especially important when the flight is more than a few hours. Furthermore, the lock of the transport box must be secured.
For this, experts recommend a stable lock that can be locked. In addition, it is stipulated that only healthy cats are allowed to fly. Not only for protection against other animals but also because flying becomes a strain on the organism.
Calm the cat before transport
When transporting a cat, it is important that your animal feels comfortable in the temporary home. The animals are often frightened, of course, nervous, stressed, or anxious. It is important that you calm your cat down before it is transferred to the sports box. So it helps to talk to the animal calmly or to stroke it. This also helps if the cat is already in the transport box.
Of course, it is not advisable to force the cat into the box. Cats often respond to such behavior with defiance and may even scratch or bite. Furthermore, the stress level of the cat increases, which can not only have consequential damage to health but also has a negative effect on future transport.
In this case, you would always have problems putting your cat in the transport box in the future. For this reason, it is advisable to slowly get used to the box. For example, you can show your cat the transport box before transport. Many experts even advise putting the cat in the transport box from time to time and taking it out again after a short time without transporting the cat. It is best to start when the cats are young. It also helps if you store one or two treats in the box and make the interior more comfortable. The easiest way to do this is to put a small blanket inside.
The advantages of a cat transport box
A cat transport box has many great advantages that are clearly worth seeing. These practical accessories give you the opportunity to transport your cat safely and comfortably from A to B. If the box fits your cat, you can make transport as stress-free as possible. In addition, your cat cannot escape from the transport box, which the velvet paws like to do in stressful situations. In addition, transport boxes nowadays are very robust, hard-wearing, and durable at the same time, so that a good transport box is sufficient for a cat’s entire life.
Conclusion
Before you get a cat, you should of course buy all the important accessories, such as the litter box, drinking, and food bowls, the scratching post, or high-quality food. The cat transport box should also be bought in advance and is a very important utensil for cat owners.
For example, the cat must be picked up upon purchase and transported safely to its new home. After the purchase, you should also present your new family member to the veterinarian within the first few days so that he can see whether the cat is really healthy.
There are also various vaccinations for small kittens in the early days. All in all, every cat owner should have a transport box for their animal and ensure that it meets the needs and requirements of the cat and not only ensures a high level of user comfort but also ensures impeccable safety.