Special Needs

Travel

Taking a cat out of its regular domain is causes extreme stress. That's why your cat races out of the carrier and hides as soon as it comes home from the vet. It is not recommended that you take cats on trips. Find a friend or pet sitter who can come to your home and feed and play with your cat while you are away instead. Be sure that you introduce that individual to your cat over a series of visits before you go away so that your cat is familiar with the person and his/her scent. If you are moving and must take your cat, make your carrier as comfortable as possible and place a small box of litter in one corner. You should also talk to your vet about sedating your cat. Sedation can keep your cat relatively relaxed and limit the level of stress your cat experiences. While in transport, speak calmly to your cat and give it lots of attention to help keep it calm. Be sure to give your cat food and water in accordance with your regular routine. When you get to your new location, leave your cat in the carrier until you have one room or enclosed space where it is safe to let it out.

Seasonal

Cats can tolerate temperatures similar to ranges for people. Just be sure that in the event of a power outage, you include the cat in any of your plans to stay heated in winter and cooler in summer.