by Jennifer Brister

Created on: February 09, 2009   Last Updated: February 11, 2009

Any cat owner can tell you that transporting their cat can be a harrowing experience. Are there ways to make your cat more comfortable and at ease during travel? You bet there are! Here are a few cat carrying tips that will keep your cat at ease during vacation, travel or transport.

How to Make a Cat more Comfortable

1. Make sure that your cat carrier is the right size. The carrier should be no more than twice your cat's size. This makes the cat feel more secure while travelling. Check, however, to make sure that your cat has enough room to stand up, turn all the way around and lie down comfortably. Discount cat carriers are great, but if they don't allow your cat to move around a little, they are not worth the savings.

2. Purchase a cat carrier that has built in seatbelt snaps. This will allow you to secure the carrier during road trips and keep your carrier and your cat from sliding all over the car. If your cat feels secure in her carrier, she will be much more comfortable.

3. Choose a cat carrier that folds into a small unit. This way, when you travel with others and space is limited you can place the cat carrier in the trunk of the car or even fold it up and put it into a bag to save room.

4. If size will allow, place your cat's favorite pillow or bed inside the carrier.

When you're travelling by air, there are often a completely different set of rules for your cat and your travel cat carriers. There are several things that you need to do before your trip to make sure that your cat will be able to accompany you in the air.

Airline Regulations for Cat Carriers

1. Check with the particular airline that you will be using for your flight. Since regulations vary from airline to airline, make sure that you find out exactly what your airline will and will not allow with cat carriers.

2. When shopping for a cat carrier, you can check to see that you get an airline approved cat carrier. If the carrier is airline approved, it should say so right on the box. It is more important to have airline approved cat carriers than designer cat carriers.

3. Place a familiar object into the car carrier to make your cat feel more at home over a long airline ride.

4. It is very important to label your cat carrier with information such as your name and contact information, along with your cat's name, any medical problems and the name of your vet.

5. Make sure that you obtain a current health certificate before your flight. Many airlines require this before they will put your cat carrier on board.

Don't forget to pack extra food and water for your cat when you go on a trip. Treats are great, too, for keeping your cat comfortable during a long trip.

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