My cat goes mad travelling in the car. She won't get into the cat basket now, and I'm covered in scratches. What can I do?
There are various things you can do, but remember it will take time and patience.
Get a cat basket that is easy to close, which the cat can see out of, such as a wire cat basket with a 'bar' that closes the top opening lid. Leave the cat basket in a frequented room, perhaps with a favourite toy inside to encourage your cat to climb in and out.
The next stage is to get your cat into the basket. Put the basket on the floor and lift the cat carefully into it, talking calmly all the time.
Once your cat is calm
Start with very short journeys, and try and ignore any sickness where possible, and be lavish in your praise when he is not sick. Don’t feed your pet before the journey, and place the pet carrier on a seat, secured by the seat belt, or in the front foot-well on the floor. Do not place the carrier in the boot of a saloon car. Position the pet carrier so that it cannot shoot forwards if the driver breaks suddenly.
Make sure they are in a basket secured by a seat belt, so the car’s movement does not affect them too much. You can cover the basket with a light cloth, so they can’t see out of the car and make sure your car seats are protected against any ‘accidents’.
Over a few weeks, hopefully, your cat will associate trips in the basket and car as being a pleasant experience.
If all of this fails, I would suggest making an appointment to chat this through with your vet. Perhaps you can be offered advice and short-term medical support for your cat.
Good luck!
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