Traveling with a cat requires planning for transport, acclimatization and the stay at the destination. Many cats thrive best in familiar surroundings, but needs vary. If you are taking your cat on holiday, moving or for a longer stay abroad, a suitable transport cage and gradual training can make the journey less stressful.
Should the cat be included?
Many cats feel most comfortable at home in familiar surroundings. When travelling, they encounter unfamiliar smells and sounds, and they have fewer places to retreat to. Cats are also individual: some travel regularly without any problems, while others are clearly affected by a short car trip. For a shorter holiday, it is therefore worth considering the alternatives first.
A famous cat sitter at home is the least stressful solution for many cats, because routines are maintained. Agree specifically what the care entails: supervision and care every day, social contact adapted to the cat, and monitoring of food, water, litter box and any medications. The cat sitter must also check that the cat is not sick or injured, and know who to contact if necessary. A quick stop to fill the bowl is something else than supervision.
A suitable cat hotel is the alternative when home care cannot be arranged. Clarify the guesthouse's vaccination requirements and any waiting times well in advance of your stay.
When moving or staying for a longer period of time, it may be appropriate or necessary to take your cat with you. Assess your cat's health and how well it tolerates transport, and check with your veterinarian if it has any illness or has previously reacted strongly to travel.
Choose a transport cage and train before the trip
If you only do one thing before a trip, do this. A cage that only appears when something unpleasant is about to happen quickly becomes a warning sign for the cat.
Choose the right cage
- Hard cage that opens at both the top and front. The top opening allows you to lift your cat in and out easily, instead of pulling it out through a hatch.
- The top should be able to be unscrewed. Then a cat that doesn't want to go out can be examined where it is sitting — making the vet visit less stressful.
- Big enough to stand, turn around and lie down. This is also a common requirement among airlines.
- The cage you use for car trips and vet visits is not necessarily approved for flights. Airlines have their own requirements for design and labeling, and they distinguish between cabin and cargo space.
Turn the cage into a piece of furniture
Leave the cage out all year round, with the door open and a blanket that the cat can smell. Put treats in it occasionally, and feed the cat near it. The goal is for the cage to become a place the cat chooses to sleep in.
Start several weeks in advance; how quickly training progresses varies. If you have a trip in three months, now is the time to put the cage out.
Continue training when the cat goes in voluntarily
Getting your cat to sleep in the crate at home is the first step, not the entire training. Build on it in small steps, and take a step back if your cat becomes insecure:
- Close the door for a few seconds while the cat is inside, and open it again before it becomes restless.
- Lift the cage a few centimeters, put it back down, and gradually carry it calmly across the room.
- Put the cage in the car without driving. Leave the engine running for a while next time.
- Run a lap around the block, and finish at home.
- Increase the length gradually, depending on how the cat reacts — not according to a fixed schedule.
The point of the short trips is that the car should mean something other than a vet or moving.
On the day of travel: add something that smells like home, and place a light blanket over parts of the cage — without covering the ventilation openings. A partially covered cage can reduce visual impact. Monitor your cat's reaction and make sure it doesn't get too hot.
Traveling with a cat in a car
The cat should be in the cage, and the cage should be secured. A loose cat in a car is dangerous for everyone in it — it can end up under the pedals, and in a sudden stop it will be thrown forward.
Secure the transport cage according to the manufacturer's instructions for placement and attachment in the car. Use the seat belt only if the cage is designed for such protection. The cage must be stable and cannot slide or tip over.
Do not open the cage during the process. A stressed cat that escapes to a picnic area will run and hide — and it doesn't recognize the place. If the cat is going to go for a long walk, it should be done in an enclosed space, never outdoors.
How long a cat can go without a break varies from cat to cat — there is no one-size-fits-all number of hours. Plan your breaks according to your cat, and include more than you think you will need the first time.
On longer car trips you should bring:
- water and a bowl that is easy to reach when stopping
- absorbent bedding in the cage, and an extra set in case of accidents
- a litter box, if the trip is long enough for the cat to leave the cage in an enclosed space
- bags and paper to clean up along the way
And as for the dog: The cat should never be left in a parked car. Read more about how fast it goes in the article about dog in hot car and other summer dangers.
Cat on a plane
The airline determines the rules, and they vary. Check with your company before purchasing a cage or ticket.
- Whether the cat can sit in the cabin depends on the total weight of the cat and cage, among other things.
- The requirements for the cage apply to dimensions, design and marking, and are different for the cabin and cargo hold.
- The number of animals per flight is limited. Cats must be registered in advance.
- It costs extra, and the price varies.
Do not administer sedatives on your own initiative. Industry travel recommendations recommends against sedation during air travel, both in the cabin and in the cargo hold, due to the risk of adverse effects during transport. If your cat is to have something, it should be assessed by a veterinarian who knows the cat, tried out at home first — and the airline must accept the use. Some companies refuse to accept sedated animals. Read more about sedative treatment.
Stress and motion sickness in cats
Stress can cause both obvious and more subtle reactions. Drooling and vomiting can also be caused by nausea or illness, so the signs must be considered in context:
- persistent meowing, or the opposite: completely silent and huddled at the back of the cage
- drooling
- vomiting
- urination or defecation in the cage
- dilated pupils, flat-backed ears
Open-mouth breathing in cats should be taken seriously. Stop in a safe place, ensure calm and a comfortable temperature, and contact a veterinarian immediately for advice. If there is obvious difficulty breathing or collapse, the cat needs urgent help.
For cats that become nauseous or very stressed by transport, there is treatment. The veterinarian will assess whether antiemetics or antianxiety medications are appropriate for the individual cat. Do not use leftovers from other animals — many medications that are safe for dogs are not safe for cats.
Arriving at the resort
The journey isn't over when the car is parked. A cat that is let out straight into an unfamiliar cabin has no idea where it is.
Give the cat a quiet, secure room To start, with litter, food, water, and the familiar things from home—the cage, the blanket, maybe a toy. Let it expand its area at its own pace as it begins to explore on its own.
Do not let your cat loose in an unfamiliar place. It doesn't know the terrain, the roads or the way home, and a cat that gets scared in a strange place may run far. Also check the room for open windows, pipes, vents and other places a cat could get out or get stuck.
Moving with a cat
When moving, the cat must become familiar with both the journey and a new home. It has its own pitfalls.
The actual moving day
Put the cat in a closed room with food, water, litter box and its cage, and hang a note on the door. Opening doors and carrying it in and out increases the risk of the cat escaping. Move the cat last, when everything else is in place.
After the move
- Start in one room. Give your cat one room with everything it needs, and gradually expand it as it begins to explore on its own.
- Keep the cat indoors for at least three weeks, and until it seems secure in its new home. Cats released too early may try to return to their old address.
- Update your contact information in the ID register. The chip only helps if the address and phone number registered are the ones you actually have. Check the information before moving day.
Traveling abroad with a cat
If your cat is going on a flight to study or work in another European country, the documents are just as important as the cage. The starting point for travel within the EU and EEA is:
- ID marking with microchip, sat before the rabies vaccine
- EU pet passport issued by an authorized veterinarian and signed by the owner
- Valid rabies vaccine. For first-time vaccinations, and for vaccinations after the previous dose has expired, it will only be valid after 21 days. Revaccination while the previous vaccine is still valid does not normally require a new waiting period; the veterinarian must follow the product's approved vaccination schedule.
The requirements depend on the destination and the return journey., and they are not the same everywhere. Norway has its own rules for travel to and from Sweden, among other things. The requirement for treatment against fox tapeworm upon return to Norway applies to dogs, not cats.
The rules are subject to change. Always check the current requirements for your destination, the countries you are passing through and the return to Norway. When travelling outside the EU/EEA, other documents, blood tests and longer waiting times may be required. See our page about traveling with dogs and cats og The Norwegian Food Safety Authority's travel guide.
We put Rabies vaccine and other vaccines for cats and issues EU passports. Start planning well in advance — the 21-day wait cannot be rushed.
Short checklist
- The cat has gradually become accustomed to the cage and transport.
- The cage is secured in the car according to the manufacturer's instructions, and it does not open during transport.
- The airline's cage requirements have been confirmed, and the cat has been pre-registered.
- The travel requirements for the destination and return are met.
- The contact information in the ID register has been updated.
- You know where the nearest veterinarian at your destination is
- You have considered whether the cat should rather stay at home with supervision.
If your cat needs a vaccine, EU passport or an assessment before traveling — or you want to discuss what is best for your cat — please contact us well in advance. Call 33 13 98 40 during opening hours, see treatments for cats or our price list.
If you want to bring your dog, you can find practical information in the article about travel with dog.
