Cat Harnesses

[TimO]

Talisker really doesn't like car journeys, and at the weekend he'll need to be driven to the cattery for his Christmas Holiday (not that he'll see it as that!), and it'll probably be a 45 minute drive or so.

Since he's getting a bit stressed by pill taking, vets etc at the moment, I'm keen not to upset him anymore than I have to.

I wonder if I put him in a harness, and attach the lead to the rear seat belt, whether sat on the rear seat he'll feel less worried about it?

Obviously I can't let him loose in the car, but I wonder if this will work better?

I don't expect he will be all that enthusiastic, but if he's not stuck in a box, and can wander around a bit, hopefully he won't be so upset and might be more comfortable with it.

I do know of a friend of a friend who had a pet cat who used to sleep on the rear parcel shelf of her car when she was working (she is a GP), so cats can get used to being in cars.

Thoughts, suggestions?

[Adam]

I had a cat once that would be quite happy sat on the parcel shelf.  Then again, he was so laid back, you could probably have shoved a stick up his bum and mopped the floor with him and he would have still been purring.

However I think most cats are wary of cars for the obvious reasons - they get run over by them and are used to take them to that nasty vet.  So sadly, to be honest, I don't think you'll be able to try your suggestion without it still winding him up, and shredding your back seat.

[mike]

we tried that once and Basil was traumatised for months - he developed some nasty 'territory marking' habits.  Now much happier (relatively!) in a cat box. 

[Adrian]

When I first collected Boris as a young cat, I put him in a cardboard box to drive home, which he did not like at all. Immediately after we had set off he found a small tear down one edge of the box and managed to wriggle through it. He came and stood on my lap with his front paws on the steering wheel and was as good as gold.

As I am not recommending this, when you say "box", do you mean box or cat basket? If you mean box, would you like to borrow a cat basket?

[Basil]

It's too late for this Christmas, but you need to take your cat on a few car journeys that don't involve the vet or the cattery.  As Adam says, the car has only negative connotations for most cats.

[mike]

I mean basket too - we've got a plastic one and an older wicker one. We tried a cardboard cat box once but the little sod ripped his way out of it.

[border-rider]

One of ours gets very, very carsick in his basket.  He always decorates the seats 

When we moved house I scrounged two of those big show cages that they use for small dogs, and made up a bed for  them in each cage.  They could see out and move around, much less stressful than baskets.

We also used Feliway, which is a cat pheromone spray that you apply to the bedding and which calms them.  That all worked fine, and I was able to move them 85 miles with no upsets. 

Feliway is good.  Recommended for short journeys/stress also.

[Charlotte]

I'd suggest that in the event of an RTC, the last thing that you want is six kilos of startled feline impacting the rear of your head.  Talisker probably wouldn't be too chuffed at the prospect either.

He should stay in a box/basket whilst in the car and the box should be strapped down.

I wonder if I put him in a harness, and attach the lead to the rear seat belt, whether sat on the rear seat he'll feel less worried about it?

Besides, he'll piss on your seats if you do...

[LEE]

I'd suggest that in the event of an RTC, the last thing that you want is six kilos of startled feline impacting the rear of your head. 

Good advice Charlotte, that's how this fella was killed

[TimO]

When I said box, I meant a proper plastic cat carrier.

The RTC aspect had occurred to me as well, although no way is he 6kg.  He was 2.5 kg at the vets a few weeks ago, and I'm hoping he's put some weight on since, but I doubt he's put 3.5 kg on !

I suspect, as you say, that the association

 car == vet / cattery / badness

...has been made.

He doesn't particularly like the carrier, for the same obvious reasons, but it's also clearly the engine, since the moment the engine starts, he starts meowing in a very plaintive way, until it stops.  You wouldn't think one small cat could meow continuously for a long(ish) journey, but he can.  He's always done this, I think he made the association with his previous owner, of which we have no knowledge, he was taken to the Blue Cross as a stray.

I guess I'll stick with the carrier, he won't like it, and he's going to have a visit to the vets, and the cattery, within a couple of days of each.

[Basil]

Here's Trevor W Brush on his way to the cattery this morning (or Luxury Cat Hotel, as it chooses to call itself  )



I wasn't sure how he'd react but he didn't get stressed at all, which was a relief.

I guess he knew the engine better than the car engine. 

[Adrian]

He didn't get much of a view.