If you are going to be away from your home for an extended period of time, you should consider boarding your cat at an animal hospital. This way, you know they are going to be safe and cared for while you are away. Most cats get extremely stressed during travel. This article will give you advice on how you can get your cat to the facility without causing them too much stress.

Tips for driving your cat to the animal hospital for boarding

Tranquilizer

Traveling with a stressed out cat can be one of the hardest parts of putting them in a boarding facility. If you know your cat gets very stressed when they are in the car, the vet at the animal hospital may be able to give you a mild tranquilizer you can give them for the drive.

Pheromone Spray

You can purchase a spray that's a cat-specific pheromone spray. Use it on the carrier and a blanket to put in the carrier about 10 minutes before you leave for the animal hospital. The spray will help to calm the cat and it can be purchased at many veterinarian offices and pet supplies stores.  

Catnip

Catnip has different effects on different cats. It calms some and makes others excitable. If your cat gets calmed by catnip, consider putting a catnip toy in the carrier with them.

Practice Drives

If the facility is far from your home, you should take your cat on a few short drives ahead of time to get them used to the car before their long trip. If possible, have a familiar family member sit next to the carrier to talk to them and pet them during the drive.

Tip: If your cat is in need of any type of procedure, such as spaying or neutering, you can plan to have the procedure done while they are being boarded at the cat hospital. This is good for a couple of reasons. It fits the procedure perfectly into your travel plans, and it allows the cat to be looked after by trained staff during their recovery, rather than having you worry over them at home.

By following the advice in this article, you will have a much easier time getting your cat to the animal hospital for boarding. The more comfortable you are able to keep the cat, the better you will feel leaving them at the facility.