Ways to Keep Cat Calm in a Car

Unlike dogs who enjoy going for a ride in the car, a cat does not feel the same way. Granted there are a few cats that enjoy riding in a car but most felines find it stressful.

Today I had to take my cat Sam to the veterinarian for his annual checkup and one of the things we must do is keep Sam from stressful situations. Sam has FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) and his condition now is healthy but stress is a factor that can bring on illness. Sam gets stressed out riding in the car so I will do the following things to keep him calm.

If your cat gets stressed out when riding in the car then you may want to try the following helpful tips.

1. If you find that you must take your cat for a ride in the car then make sure you have a pet carrier that is large enough for a cat to be comfortable. They need room to lie down without a tight feeling.
2. Make the carrier more comfortable with a small crate mat. Spray this mat with the Feliway mood and behavior modifier before adding the mat to the carrier. The Feliway spray mimics the cat's pheromones and this aids in keeping the cat calm. Shop and save at Walmart.com for Feliway spray
3. Buy Kong treat dispensing toy to distract your cat while riding in the car. Fill the toy with temptation cat treats and put it in the cat carrier. The toy will divert your cat's attention and they will feel less stressed. (food is a friend to a cat)
4. Set the cat carrier on the car seat and wrap the seat belt around it. Secure the cat in the carrier so that it stays put and does not move around when the car turns or stops. Any sudden movement while the cat is in the car is very stressful and the cat will suffer.
5. Cover the cat carrier with a towel or small blanket. Blocking out the view of cars passing while the cat is riding in the car will help to keep the feline calm.
6. Refrain from turning the radio on loudly. It is best to have soft background music and that you talk to your cat while riding in the car. A familiar voice that is calm and projects positive energy will keep your cat calm while in the car.

FIV Cats Develop Cancer

In 2008 I rescued a stray black and white kitten that was constantly getting into fights.  This little cat had a big heart but was no match to the feral tomcats, so I befriended him by feeding him twice a day and soon he became dependent upon me. Then I coaxed him into my mud room by leaving the door open. Once the cat came into my house he made no attempt to run out the door. He came indoors on his terms and I welcomed him to my home.

Manx cat outdoors

The kitten was approximately five months old. I took him to the veterinarian and he was tested for Feline Leukemia and Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), the test came back negative. I had him neutered and he got all of his vaccines and rabies shots.

Black and white kitten rescued

All was well with this little black cat. He adjusted well with the other cats in my care and was sweet and loving. He was buddies with my Manx cat as they used to play and sleep together. Then one day my Manx cat got out of the house and he was gone for 28 hours, when he came back indoors we noticed fur was missing and suspected that he got into a fight.  I examined him there were no bite wounds.

My Manx cat was a gentle giant and never showed aggression so I was surprised when his behavior changed and he turned into a troublemaker.   His behavior changed for no apparent reason and he wanted to fight with my black cat. After two ruckuses where the fur was flying and Manx cat had bitten my black cat and caused an open wound, I took both cats to the veterinarian for a wellness exam because something was wrong.

The cat's teeth were the first system that my veterinarian noticed; they both had inflammation of the gums and dental disease, other than that my Manx cat had changes in his behavior. Even though our cats had the ELISA blood test which identifies the FIV proteins in cats' blood previously my veterinarian suspected that the cat had symptoms of this incurable disease. 

To my surprise, both cats were diagnosed with FIV.

We found out that our cats tested positive for FIV in December of 2013 and from that date forward their health seemed to fail due to a weakened immune system.   Both cats developed cancer and it spread very quickly.  My cats were put down in September 2014 they were both six years old.

 I suspect that my Manx cat was infected with FIV during the time he had gotten out of the house for a day and a half.  He must have had a puncture wound that I did not see when I examined him. 

This is why a recommend that everyone keep their cats indoors because there is no vaccine to prevent the feline immunodeficiency virus.  Know that FIV  is transferable by bite would. Even a mating love bite is enough to infect a queen cat and her kittens. 

I think it is better to keep cats indoors and be safe rather than sorry. 

Note: my Siamese cat named Sam has had no contact with these cats as he resides in another area of our home and only has contact with humans and with dogs.  Sam has no stress and is as healthy as an FIV cat can be. 

 

Sam my FIV cat hanging out with me in my office

Had I known that my Manx and Black cat were infected with FIV I would have taken steps to provide them with special care. I have learned that no cat is safe from catching FIV especially if they are permitted to go outdoors. 

Learn more about FIV at Web MD Pet Health

Photo black and white cat credit by Pixabay public domain

Train Cat to Use Scratching Post

Scratching posts provide your cat with beneficial exercise. Encourage your cat to use their scratching posts and they will be healthier.

Training a cat to use a scratching post is not easy especially if the said cat is older and set in his ways. My cat Sam is a kitty that could do no wrong in my eyes.  He was diagnosed with feline leukemia and I had intended on spoiling him for the rest of his short life.  I figured he had a year left before I would need to put him down.  I did not reinforce training Sam, I would say No to his destructive scratching but I did not follow through with being disciplined with him. 

Sam tore up my sofa before scratching the bottom out of my Queen Anne chair and then moved on to the trim on the door.  Sam was loving life and I was paying the high costs for my sofa and chair to be upholstered.   

Sam went in for his wellness exam and my kitty’s immune system was able to fight off the feline leukemia virus this meant that  Sam could live a long and happy life with me.  It also meant that I needed to set up some house rules.

No would be the first word that Sam would learn.  He would also learn boundaries; where he could scratch and where he could not scratch.  

Sam did not react well to the house rules and he certainly did not like the word NO.  He would look at me in disbelief and then give me the sad eyes that always make my heart melt. But this time I did not fall for his kitty tricks, this time I stuck to the training guidelines at first training Sam on the house rules was hard because he liked to test me, but when I followed up on him and watched his every move, Sam began to think that house rules was a game and he was eager to please me.

Training Cats to Use Scratching Post

Sam would not allow anyone close to his nails so we could not trim them. I made an appointment for him to be groomed with a nail trim and when I dropped him off I told the pet groomer my concerns.  She noted that Sam was feisty and I worried about Sam with a stranger.  

To my surprise, he was a very good boy and the groomer told me that Sam talked to her the entire time.  His nails were clipped and that has stopped his destructive scratching by 80%.  The remaining scratching I believe is due to a bad habit.

I introduced Sam to his scratching post but first I sprayed the post with catnip and set the post outside his cat house.  

I purchased another post and placed it in Sam’s playroom.  The posts were in areas that Sam would frequent and they were easy to access for him.  Sam’s initial reaction was to sniff the post and then he rubbed his entire body on them.  Sam liked the scratching post however he did not place his paws on the posts.

Sam preferred to scratch on the furniture and I needed to train him to use his scratching post.  Sam was reluctant at first and tested me by darting past me and running full speed to the trim on the kitchen door.  As soon as he would extend his paws to scratch on the wood I would say NO and then pick him up and carry him to the scratching post.  I would place his paws on the rope and tell Sam “good kitty, Sam is a good boy” and then I would give him a cat treat.

Scratching Post Tips

Training Sam to use his scratching post took 2 weeks.  Sam was a slow learner because he kept testing me, however in the end he realized that mommy was not nice when he would scratch on the furniture and mommy was nice and he got a treat when he scratched on the post.  He learned the negatives and the positives and now he and I have a closer bond.

For best results treat the scratching post with catnip daily and do not move the posts. Cats do not like change. If you move the scratching posts then your cat may regress back into destructive scratching.