I’m in the driver’s seat of my human’s car today because I have lots of things to tell you kitties about traveling with your human! Today is National Pet Travel Safety Day, and I wanted to pass along some cat travel tips I’ve learned in the year and a half I’ve been going places with my human. I am wearing my first tip — a cat harness with an ID tag that includes my human’s cell phone number! That way, if there is an accident or I somehow get out of the car, it will be easier for someone who finds me to locate my human. Plus they’ll know my name! I am also microchipped.
Here is an important Don’t: Never let your cat move around freely in the car. Come with me and I will show you why!
This is my favorite place to hang out in my human’s car… but it also where she needs to put her feet to make the car go, and more importantly, to make it stop! A lot goes on when humans are trying to drive, and it’s dangerous if they can’t fully concentrate on the road. As we cats know, we are very distracting! You will have lots of time to get your human’s attention when the car isn’t in motion, so let her focus on her driving.
Here is another Don’t, but I doubt anybody would try this: Humans should never just put a seatbelt on their cat. Seatbelts only work on human adult and older child bodies.
Here is a combination of Do’s and Don’ts: Yes, we cats should be closed up in a carrier when we are in the car, and yes, the carrier should be secured with a seatbelt. But don’t put the carrier in the front seat! If your human is in an accident and the airbags are deployed, they could injure or even kill us kitties! So the front seat is actually a very dangerous place for us. Instead put the carrier in the backseat area, and secure it with a seatbelt there.
I have a couple of things to say about carriers too. When my human is going short distances with me, like to the pet store, I go in my Sleepypod Atom pet carrier, which is the carrier I fly in. But it is a soft carrier, and does not really protect me all that well if there is an accident. It is really better for us kitties to travel in something more sturdy. This hard plastic Pet Taxi is very old, but a lot tougher. There are other, nicer carriers like the regular Sleepypod, and you can also find some really safe, durable pet carriers for less if you do some research. But I don’t think humans should skimp when it comes to keeping cats safe when they are in the car.
If you are traveling in the car for several hours or several days, do consider getting a crate or kennel that’s large enough for a small litter box. To be honest, we cats actually prefer more closed in spaces — we feel safer. But if we’re cooped up for a long period of time, it’s nice to have somewhere to relieve ourselves. I read an article somewhere that says cats usually won’t use the litter box while they are in a car, but that’s not true for me! When I went to Las Vegas in 2014, and Livermore last November, I did use the litter box that was provided for me.
Here are a few more Do’s for you humans:
- Make sure the temperature in your car is comfortable for your cat, especially at the height of summer and winter. It gets hot here in the summer, so my human always blasts the air conditioning when I’m in the car. She likes it warmer, but my comfort comes first.
- Pack a travel kit for your kitty, if you are going somewhere for the whole day or for more than a day. You should have pet first aid, treats, water, a litter scoop, and pet wipes and paper towels in case there’s an accident (not the car crash kind — the other kind).
- Never, ever leave your cat in the car! Even if it seems mild outside, it can get hot enough in a closed up car for her to die of heatstroke. If you are traveling with your cat in a crate or kennel, you also need a carrier to bring her in and out of the car. My human always takes me into rest stop restrooms, the gas station convenience stores when she is buying snacks for herself, and she usually eats drive through meals when I am with her. If she wanted to stop at a restaurant and have a sit down meal, she would pick one with an outside patio so I could accompany her.
And here is one last Don’t:
Kitties, never try to drive your human’s car! You are not long enough to reach the accelerator and brake pedals and steer at the same time. Plus, you probably don’t have a driver’s license and you could get thrown in jail if you are caught.
2022 Somali Cat Calendar Starring Summer Samba
See all of Summer’s merch at her her Zazzle Designercat Shop
VERY good advices , Summer !
My mom-person does almost efurrything right when we travel 😀
XOXO
When I travel the 300 miles from here to my parents’ farm where Parker was born (and back), I stop off at the PetSmart about halfway there so I can use the restroom and take the cat inside with me. There are a couple of drive-thru lanes at that same strip mall, so I’ll get my food, drive over to the PetSmart parking, eat there, and then go inside.
Great travel tips Summer. Thanks for the reminders. We had a lady from out of state who lost her kitties on the highway due to an accident this summer close to where I live. She didn’t have them in their crate even though she had it in her jeep. She never found them and was devastated. Thank you for your post and reminder!
I have to confess that I never respected all this. Anyway from all cats I have now, I don’t travel with them only to the vet and the groomer. On the way to, they stay in the carrier, on the way back I let them free and they usually sit on the back seat or look out of the back window. None has ever tried to be near my feet.
Arthur from time to time climbs in my car for a little tour, but then he sits in the back looks out of the window, washes himself and does a show and I have a line of cars behind me admiring Arthur ! But that’s only short distances of course.
Well put, and I love the last picture. Summer as car driver? NOT!!
HAH! That last one is a doozy. I used to be good furrends with Toonces the Driving Cat on Twitter. I hate riding in a car so much TW has to cover up my PTU with a towel.
If any cat could drive, it would be YOU, Summer! I’m embarrassed to say I never thought of the air bag going off in an accident…I have always put my cats in the front seat so they’re closer to me and I can comfort them. Never again!
Those are important points. I have a hard carrier that gets strapped into the back seat. I stress a lot in the car though, so dad usually drives and mum sits in the back next to my carrier. The last point is very important unless your name is Toonces.
Those are all great tips. I think my kitties like to be in the front with me, but I wonder if they would be safer in the back seat.
Great tips, Summer!
We enjoyed reading them and learned something too. We travel in hard carriers, but they are belted in the front seat…and meowmy *can* turn off that airbag, else we would be in the rear.
She once had a kitten who did exactly the wrong thing…got in the driver footwell…OMC!
That was the end of free travel…and um…it was a long time ago, too…meowmy is older and wiser!
This is a very cute post, Summer, with some great advice from the voice of experience.
Mom usually puts us in the front seat BUT she has disabled the airbags. She always uses a seatbelt (she was in a terrible accident a long time ago and the belt saved her) and buckles our carriers in as well. Our human is short and sits very close to the steering wheel–she says if the airbags don’t break her neck then the powder in which they are packed will probably trigger a fatal asthma attack!
It’s all good common sense but then you know how many humans don’t have any of that! Fabulous photos BTW…
These are all great tips, Summer! I don’t like to use the litter box in the car at all. On the way to BlogPaws, we stopped several times for me to be let out of my Sleepypod to use the litterbox, but I wouldn’t do it.
All great tips, especially the last one.
shared on facebook, Summer. . . this is always great info to know!! ♥♥♥
Good advice. Mom gets pretty nuts when she sees pets (mainly dogs) wandering in moving cars….and worse on drivers laps with the windows all the way.
You taught two things Mom L has been doing unsafe. I often ride in the front seat…I also,have a hard carrier so I will always been in back now. And Mom L didn’t know how to strap my carrier in and now she does. Thank you Summer
Sweetie,those are excellent tips. M says now days they have so many different types of safety products for pets. When she had her first kitty (a hundred years ago) they didn’t have all these nice carriers. She just left Pepper roam in the car, but he was never allowed in the front seat by the driver for the very reason you indicated. He would sit up in the back window so he could survey the world. But M always worried about having to stop quick and he’d go flying. Fortunately, that never happened. Now i ride in a hard sided carrier like you showed, and it is strapped in. Good post Summer.
What a great post, Summer! I have to go into a hard,sturdy carrier because I’m an escape artist. (I’m better than Houdini!) One time Mommy was driving through central park and I poked my head through the carrier!) Lexy is OK in a softer carrier. You’re the cutest chauffeur ever!
SUMMER WHAT GREAT ADVICE AND FOR SURE YOU ARE IN THE KNOW ABOUT TRAVELING!
THE ONLY TIME I GET IN A CAR IS FOR MY VET VISITS. MOM ALWAYS HOOKS THE SEAT BELT AROUND PTU.
HUGS MADI YOUR BFFF
Those were some mighty fine tips pretty Summer and we totally enjoyed your pictorial!
Great post! We think the last Don’t is the most impawtant one. MOL!
Happy New Year, Summer.
XOXO
I loved the pictures and the advice and mom actually did learn a couple of things while she knew some other of your points, Summer. She would not have thought to take me into a rest stop as she is in and out within a couple of minutes. Her legs still feel used to the car she is gone so short a time… but why takes chances ? Excellent advice and she knows she would never leave the widows open due to theft…taking me would be even more of a great idea! If that comes up, she will take me with her. It also didn’t occur that I should also have a hard bodied carrier for trips.
Good blog and yes, you did look strange all buckled into your seatbelt! MOL
These are some really good tips. We didn’t stop to think about the airbag deployment possibly hurting us. We will let mom and dad know. Your humom seems to be the purrfect companion. Thz for these informative life saving tips Summer. Happy Caturday. Purrs
Good tips – especially the last one!!!
The Florida Furkids
We are not fans of riding in the car, but mom does do the safety tips you suggest.
She wants us to be safe too 🙂
Happy New Year!
Purrs Georgia and Julie,
Treasure and JJ
Excellent advice, Summer! Happy Saturday!
Those are some mighty good suggestions and we have written them all down. We don’t go in a car very often thank COD because it is usually to the vet.
Great advice Summer – YOU and your safety are too important to risk taking chances in the car.
Good advice sweetie. You make a great model.
Huh. Maybe we should campaign for kittehs’ driving licenses… something to think about. Anyway, thanks for the advice! You do know a lot about traveling.