My husband and I are going home for a while and we are taking our cat. She has always hated traveling and seems to genuinely be distressed. To add to the equation we have a new puppy who she absolutely hates. Should we give her a relaxer?
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For the best answer consult your vet on this one.
talk to your vet about it. there are some products that can help ease anxiety…but consult your vet 1st.
sedatives in cats generally do not work well, they tend to freak out cause they do not know what is wrong with their bodies. cats tend to have an opposite effect when it comes to sedation. there are some pheromone products, like Feliway you can discuss with the vet.
I recently moved, and it involved a seven-hour drive. I got a mild sedative (I’m pretty sure it was just an antihistamine) for my cat from her vet, and it didn’t even seem to affect her.
After reading some other articles online that had various suggestions, I set her up on the passenger seat with her favorite pillow, a blanket that smelled familiar, and her toy stuffed squirrel. On the floor in front of the passenger seat I had a small litterbox (just those open pans) just in case. Whenever we stopped at a gas station, I offered her food and water, too. She did just fine, luckily.
It’s worth noting that for the two weeks leading up to the move, I went for 30-60 minute “joyrides” with her to get her accommodated to being in the car. This helped her calm down tremendously, because prior she’d only associated being in the car with going to the vet or groomer. Maybe that’s why your cat hates traveling, too?
Good luck!