Whether you are planning a trip with your cat for fun or out of necessity, as in the case of a move or evacuation, one of the most important parts of the journey takes place before you ever head out the door. Planning for your trip, whether it’s a one-night excursion or a cross-country journey, can help ensure that you and your cat don’t have any unpleasant surprises along the way.
Make Hotel Plans Then Check and Doublecheck
First, do your research and see which lodging establishments at your vacation destination allow cats. While a growing number of properties accept dogs, you’ll find that some of these properties don’t welcome cats. Fortunately that’s the exception and most properties that are “pet friendly” welcome both felines and canines.
When you find a property of interest that says it accepts pets, always confirm this with the hotel itself before heading off on your trip. After 20 years of writing travel guidebooks, we can tell you there’s one truth that applies to hotels everywhere: changes will happen. Whether it’s a new ownership, new branding, or just new rules, hotels change and change frequently.
When you make your reservation, do so by calling the hotel itself, speaking to a person on-site rather than at a booking agency–and explain that you will be traveling with a cat. Be sure to obtain the name and title of the person you spoke with then take all the information with you on your trip.
Plan for Pet Emergencies
Once you’ve set your travel itinerary, take a few minutes to look up the address and phone number of animal hospitals along the trip route. Print out the information or add it to your smartphone for easy access. Find out the hospital’s hours, and also ask how they handle after hours emergencies. They may have a vet available on call, or they may refer you to a nearby emergency hospital. It’s harder to find this information when you’re in a strange place and in a panic.
Plan for Human Emergencies
Also, include information on a boarding facility or pet sitter at your destination in case of an emergency. What if you should become hospitalized on your trip?
A search for a boarding option will only take a few minutes but this information can provide peace of mind as you hit the road.
Visit Your Vet
On the topic of veterinarians, you should also bring along a record from your home vet confirming that your cat has had all the necessary immunizations. Hotels and other lodging establishments may require showing proof of vaccinations at check-in.
If your travel with your cat will take you across a state line–and certainly if you’ll be crossing an international border, you’ll also want to obtain a health certificate from your veterinarian. A health certificate–also known as a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (or CVI…or eCVI in the case of an electronic Certificate of Veterinary Inspection). These are required by some states and not others. Many states will require proof of current rabies vaccination. You’ll find links to the each state’s Department of Agriculture requirements on the USDA website.
When you go by get your proof of immunizations, also ask your local vet if your destination has any special veterinary health concerns.
Update Your ID Info
This is also an excellent time to get your cat microchipped if he is not already. A tiny microchip implanted between your cat’s shoulder blades (a quick procedure much like getting a immunization) can help a lost cat be returned to you when that chip is scanned by animal control or a veterinarian’s office.
When you get your cat microchipped, be sure to register that number with a service such as HomeAgain. If your cat should be lost, you’ll just report it to HomeAgain and they’ll send out an alert to veterinary offices, shelters, and animal control within a radius of the area in which your cat was lost.
Speaking of identification, make sure your cat’s ID tag has your current cell phone number on it, not just your home number. If the tag is damaged or hard to read, replace it.
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