Taking Your Cat On Vacation... By Lorali @ ECAT...

           From  a breeder's point of view, we do not recommend taking your feline on vacation.  But, some of us get so very attached to our animals, or just cannot find the appropriate person or facility that would care for our animals as we would.  We start to second guess ourselves on the care that a boarding facility would provide.  What will their boarding area look like?  Will our animals be with other animals?  Are these animals healthy?  How many times a day are they fed?  Will they all receive adequate care?  There are a wide variety of pet sitters out in the market, but do they give our pets the proper care?  We are not saying these people are terrible.  But, think about it, not only are we letting these people into our homes to care for our felines, but we are letting them into our personal lives as well.  They will be fully responsible for the care of our pets and the possessions in our homes.  We question the integrity of this person, are they totally trustworthy?

     With all of this in mind, pet owners realize that going on vacation can sometimes interfere with the care of our pets.  The worrying of our felines interrupt with trying to have a wonderful vacation.  Sometimes, we even postpone our vacation due to the fact that we do not feel secure, knowing our pets will be cared for.  This can have a direct impact on our lives. We feel that our animals will be a burden, we expect too much of the care taker, the responsibilities of taking care of your pet are too much to handle.  These questions always exist in our minds, our animals are a big part of our human hearts, we as pet owners have to put them at ease and continue on.  Breeders have to keep in mind, have faith in other people and the services they provide.

     Cats are known to be very independent and can take care of themselves, given they have plenty of food and water.  But, as a breeder, I would never leave mine alone.  Experiences of traveling with your feline should start at an early age.   Prepare your feline by taking short rides to your local pet store.  These should be both short and rewarding for your pet.  Your pet will learn to experience the pleasure of traveling and be a  little more relaxed when preparing for the next trip.  My feline has gone on two trips, visiting people in the South.  I would not recommend feeding for at least 5 hours before departure.  Do not give your feline any food or water.  This can sometimes cause a stomach upset or nausea.   I also recommend that your flight be no more than 4 hours the most.

     The airport personnel are very friendly in preparing your feline for her first flight.  They assist in taking  her out of the carrier from time to time.  When everyone has boarded the airplane, she is positioned firmly between my feet on the floor.  She stayed in a mesh carry-on that had plenty of ventilation.  She would poke her head out from time to time to see if I was still there for her.  She was always reassured by my friendly voice that everything was ok.  Since her first time in the air, I am happy to say, "my happy feline has earned her own wings to fly"....