Is your cat car sick? Several reasons can explain it, here is each one of them and I explain to you for each cause what it is necessary to put in place so that your cat can take the car without any problem.
Sick cat in the car: The causes and their solutions
Here are the causes of the problem, for each I also give you the means to react to them so that the journey goes as well as possible.
A problem with the inner ear and balance management
If your cat is very young, this problem is unfortunately common because his body is not fully developed and at this level it causes symptoms of car sickness.
Avoid making him eat just before and make sure that the environment is as healthy as possible for him during the trip. If he eats, he will tend to vomit and if he does not have fresh air, these symptoms will be stronger, especially if you change altitude level.
The stress
Factor number 1 of sickness in the car of the cat stress is normal because the cat is afraid, he does not know the environment, he is in a cage and the journey is tumultuous. So do the following:
- Ride slowly: The faster you ride, the more your cat will be stressed, especially when cornering. A car will also make noise when driving fast, increasing your cat’s stress.
- Take a cage that allows you to see the outside: Not seeing the outside will increase your stress tenfold. A hard model is ideal so that he can avoid snagging and struggling. It is better if he can look out the window, especially if you are walking through nature.
- Diffuse soothing pheromones : Which will act on his nervous system during the trip and allow him to calm down naturally. This is highly recommended if you have an anxious cat in the car, acting directly on his nerves.
- Reassure him during the trip: To maintain a bearable level of stress for him. Cuddle him if possible and talk to him softly. Young cats often need it.
- Get him used to it: By starting with short trips and increasing the duration as you go along, with a reward at the end so that he associates it with something positive. For example, you can start letting it go in the car at home, then drive in a parking lot and gradually build up to real trips.
- Give him medicine: If he is sick, but always after receiving a prescription from the veterinarian. Never give him human medicine because his body will not tolerate it and he may have serious health problems.
- Open the window a little: Cats have a very sensitive sense of smell so that they can feel good, especially if the air is cool.
How do you know if your cat is car sick?
If your cat is car sick, he will show the following symptoms:
- Vomiting: A cat that vomits in the car is necessarily sick. Do not feed him before if he vomits during the trip to limit the risks, he can still vomit bile or gastric juices however, so bring something to clean everything.
- Hypersalivation: Your cat will start drooling excessively during the trip if he is sick.
- Meowing: Meowing is used to express his discomfort.
- Dilated pupils: This is a sign of stress and poor state of mind.
Car sick cat: The final word
If your cat is car sick, prepare the trip as well as possible so that he can do it as normally as possible. Younger cats will be more likely to get sick, but on the other hand they will be more accustomed to future journeys.