Should You Sedate Your Cat for Travel? A Veterinarian Explains the Pros and Cons

While you journey, you already know precisely the place you are headed, but when your cat is touring with you, they in all probability do not, and that may be nerve-racking for them. In case your favourite feline will get anxious after they journey, it might be a good suggestion to speak to your veterinarian about sedative choices.

We talked to Kerri Blackburn, DVM, a veterinarian at River’s Edge Animal Hospital in Rock Hill, South Carolina, about travel-related stress in cats and when sedation could also be the perfect plan of action.

Why Cats Wrestle With Journey

Cats do not normally go for automobile rides, and after they do, it is normally for a go to to the vet, one thing that may be nerve-racking for a cat in its personal proper. However a number of different extra components could also be stressing your kitty out whereas en path to your vacation spot.

“The movement of the automobile, usually with an unstable or slippery crate or provider floor, numerous new noises, together with engine and visitors sounds, plus visible stimuli with surroundings dashing previous—it is no marvel a cat might wrestle with journey,” Blackburn explains.

These items can simply induce indicators of tension, comparable to:

• Panting
• Elevated vocalization
• Extreme grooming
• Hiding

When Vets Advocate Sedation

Your cat will seemingly expertise stress when touring, so it is higher to speak to your vet about your choices earlier than journey begins somewhat than ready till you are in the midst of your journey. Your vet will take particular well being situations or histories which may particularly warrant a sedative into consideration.

“In sufferers with situations which can be much less tolerant of stress comparable to coronary heart or blood strain situations, in addition to sufferers with mobility issues comparable to extreme arthritis, they need to at all times have some degree of sedation when touring,” Blackburn says.

Your vet might prescribe your cat a sedative you can give shortly earlier than the journey, or they might advocate ready to see in case your cat begins to change into harassed whereas touring earlier than giving them something.

“At any time when indicators of stress are manifesting, when unsure, a little bit of sedation is at all times really helpful to keep away from any potential stress/concern,” Blackburn says.

Dangers and Downsides

Whereas the objective of sedating your cat is to make them drowsy to allow them to calm down, there are some dangers to pay attention to, Blackburn notes.

“Sedatives by their nature trigger drowsiness and sleepiness,” she says. That is typically the specified impact however may be problematic if the sedative’s impact is simply too profound or if a affected person has pre-existing respiration issues, like smush face cat breeds. In these sufferers, cautious discussions with a vet and pretravel trial sedations must be thought of to fine-tune the specified impact and keep away from undesirable problems.

No matter your cat’s breed and well being historical past, you will wish to take a look at the sedative earlier than touring to pay attention to the real-time results it should have in your cat.

Alternate options to Sedation

If sedating your cat will not be one thing your vet recommends, you are unable to go to your cat’s vet earlier than touring to get a prescription sedative, otherwise you aren’t comfy sedating your cat, there are alternate options to sedatives that will nonetheless assist your cat keep calm throughout journey.

It’s also possible to think about calming dietary supplements, Blackburn says. These are sometimes herb or protein-based, not drug-based, and may present a protected various to sedatives. Such dietary supplements usually are not very potent however ought to nonetheless be mentioned together with your vet, as many herbs can work together with drugs and may typically trigger abdomen upset.

Pheremones and desensitization coaching may work on your explicit cat. On the very least, you’ll be able to at all times choose a quieter path to your destiation, which might make a giant distinction in your cat’s stress ranges.

You’ll want to talk about what choices is perhaps finest on your cat earlier than you head out on the highway, or to the airport, even. Plan your journey prematurely at any time when doable, get your cat accustomed to spending time of their provider, and take trial runs within the automobile and with giving any sedatives that could be prescribed. The extra comfy your cat is touring, the simpler and fewer nerve-racking the journey shall be for everybody.