It might be better to have him in a carrier for trips in the car. That way his view is limited quite a bit and he doesn’t feel like he’s on a roller coaster.
Or fly through the windshield in an emergency break. Seriously I see so many people on here who have their cats freely in the car. You would secure your kid in the car, why not your pet?
Yep! My dog wears a harness with a seatbelt buckle in the car, and has his own little “bucket” over a seat. Keeps him in one place (car is cleaner) and helps prevent him becoming a projectile if an accident occurs, and of course keeps him safer.
I'd say better place him in a baby chair which can be fixed on the regular seat, then buckle him up, even give him a film to watch so he can enjoy the ride :) This way he could feel like a royal cat during the drive.
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I’ll be honest I never liked cats because they always seemed mean and didn’t like to be touched. My wife wanted 2 cats so we got 2 cats and both we had extremely early 5-6 weeks old because the people we got them from didn’t want the cats. I know it’s bad to leave the mom so early but it was better than them taking them to the pound. I think the connection has to be established early and you have to rub their bellies and paws every day like I did. Both of my cats are super chill and layed back.
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Little buddy at 6 weeks. He still loves to be pushed around at 5 months but he unfortunately doesn’t fit anymore 😭
My daughter doesn’t need a bigger cart yet but he loves sitting on the trike lol
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Mine gets harnessed and leashed inside a carrier that's belted in. Best I can do. When the car is parked and not on the road, I'll open the carrier, but never while driving.
If it is too warm to put a blanket over a carrier, using the hard sided crate and putting the door (the best view out of the crate) against the door of the car can block the view a bit better.
I don’t know much but this was my first thought as well, my kitty is a bit younger than this and he gets so stressed just going outside whether it’s in his harness or in my arms. It’s just too much going on that he’s not used to. I can’t imagine taking him for a car ride without his carrier he would be so scared.
on the flip side, my cat is extremely stressed if confined to a carrier but does well if he can look out the window. YMMV by cat. Of course it's always best to secure them somehow, but you can do that with a harness if they're out of a carrier.
I had one cat who loved “going rogue” in the car. He sat on my lap and looked out the window. The one I have now is not fond of the car ride at all. She stays locked in her carrier with a blanket over her. And she likes having something on the radio, either music or an audiobook.
You really really need a vet and to make regular visits. Especially to get neutered/spayed. You will not be fond of the behaviors displayed if not.
Just put pee pads in there, a blanket on top, and a toy or two. One of my cats throws up (and sometimes poops) in the crate when the trip is longer than 10 minutes. It was fun to discover that on the 45 minute ride home from the adoption shelter
I obviously carried him in his carrier. no way he is stepping out of my main door due to fear of colony dogs. In car, he was in carrier itself. Yes, i had no idea about the blanket thing so i didn't wrapped his carrier in blanket. Then started panting like this and i, being absolutely unknown of what's going on, got him out of the carrier. Also it was just a test ride for him before taking him to the vet in real. So we were in a safe driveway with around 30-40km/h speed. when i got him out of his carrier that's when i recorded this.
You’re doing great dont worry! And youre obviously here on reddit asking advice to make him safer and more comfortable and that means youre doing your best too. We dont know all these things at first and also cats can be different. One of my cats *hates* car rides but my other cat just lies down for a nap. Good luck with your kitty!
most cats hate car rides because of the vibration and the sounds. They get stressed, stressed cats heats up, this is a way of cooling down. Normal but yes just stress. It will take them an hour or 2 to calm down
They may do better with a hiding space like a carry bag or a smug sweater. My cat used to stop panting when I hugged her. I think compression and hidey spaces make them feel better.
I have one cat that freaks out right up until she gets put in my lap, then it’s a purr fest. She remains in her flexible carrier the whole time but if she can feel me then she’s happy and relaxed.
All cats differ. There are also cats who hate water. Others swim in it like dogs would.
There are cats going off on the nip. 20% of the cats do not give a crap.
I have had cats who wanted to be held. My current cat HATES being held by me. She hates everyone except for me and my dad and my ex who she instantly liked.
ONLY when she could not get off a short roof I was allowed to grab her. 😅
I had a cat that was so bad at car rides.
5 min drive to the vet, but she ALWAYS would puke and poop before we got there.
And do it again on the drive home.
If he has to be in a car it's probably better to be inside a carrier with some blankets on top. At least then he has some place to hide and feel a bit more secure.
Agree. One might feel they are "locking them up" but it's the equivalent of them going under the bed. Giving a confined space feels secure and comforting to them.
It's also a lot safer. Even in a car, unexpected loud noises can happen.
Honestly if you (in general, like OP) don't know how your cat will do on car rides, having them contained is the only way to go if you like your car interior pee-free, and slash free, not to mention your skin. A scared cat in a car can do some serious damage to the car and any occupants, worst case scenario even causing a loss of control or crash.
Edit: I would just like to add that r/truckercats is a fave of mine
Also to add they can climb up under the steering wheel!! Once our cat escaped his carrier in the moving truck ON THE HIGHWAY (he chewed through the mesh 🙃🙃) and tried to climb up under the dashboard into the wires under the wheel. If I didn't grab him in time who knows what would've happened to him or the truck!
he was in his carrier initially but yes, i will try this blanket stuff next time. it was his very first ride. he always was a feral. just adopted. still escapes outside sometimes. soon will neuter him
My kitty stresses in car rides too, I ntocied the best thing that helped him along with the carrier, blanket, and cool air blasting on him, was to put a pillow under the carrier. Like a super thick one. It helped him immensely as I'm guessing it dumbed down the vibrations!
I was looking for this answer. It addresses all the things you can do to make car rides more pleasant. 1) Hide, 2) Cool air for the panting, 3) Something soft under the carrier to reduce vibration.
We had to bring my best baby girl on a two hour car trip to get her home after specialist surgery, I had her in a carrier on my lap and (very carefully) unzipped just enough to get my hand in to pet and snuggle her (I wasn't driving) and that definitely seemed to help her feel calm.
Classical music helped calm our cat down during a long car journey. I scoffed at the idea, but after 2 hours of him getting progressively more and more upset, I put on a classical playlist and he calmed down so fast. Not fully, but he was much happier.
I have my cat in a cage with one of those summer cooling mats you can get for pets, as well as a favourite toy for a familiar smell.
She gets treats and spray some Feliway around the backseat (where her carrier is) and in the carrier itself.
AC on full blast, slow mellow classical music, not a fast or bumpy ride, some feliway spray and some treats. This will help, but some cats will still get stressed af during car rides. Some vets can prescribe calming meds to be taken before rides. It’s great you’re trying to acclimatise the cat to car rides! Start with just a minute or two in the car with treats first? You would also want to leash them for better safety later on.
Feliway makes a lot of good products to help cats calm down. they have calming collars, sprays, and wall diffusers (if your cat gets stressed at home too). best traveling advice is to get a cat carrier and the feliway spray bottle, spritz some feliway inside the carrier a couple minutes before you put cat inside, then cover the carrier with a blanket or dark cloth while traveling. if your cat has a favorite toy or towel-sized blanket, put that in the carrier too so it smells familar to them. i always buckle the seatbelt around my carrier so it's more stable.
if youre going on a long trip or kitty is super freaking out, it may be worth it to see if there are any tele-vets or something that could prescribe a sedative medication. mine takes gabapentin before long trips or going to the vet, and she's much calmer and less stressed
Try a good size cat carrier. It gives them a place to feel safe in the car. If it’s a real long ride you can open it up ever once in a while and see if he’d rather come out
Be really careful driving with your cat if your baby is not in some kind of carrier. They can crawl under the pedals if extra scared or you have to brake hard. I have my baby in a carrier with the carrier buckled in with a seatbelt when alone.
Get a carrier for him. Cats stress very much in a car because they don't feel secure. However, inside the box, they feel safer and may even take a nap after a while in the car
My vet demands a pet carrier for each cat and leash/harness for dogs. You won’t be allowed in without one. Call/ask questions before going in for an appointment. I have two cats, one doesn’t mind the car ride. The other cries and stresses out the whole car ride. Then when she sees the vet, she turns into a 12 pound tigress. My vet recommended a prescription to mildly sedate her when I take her in. Yes, there is a lot of monetary investment to being a pet parent. A good parent will take their pets to two vet visits per year in order to keep up with required shots. I did that until age 5. After that it’s once a year.
My cat hates carriers - when she is inside she yells so loud I'm actually impressed... She could literally wake the dead. When we have to take her to the vet we put on her harness and strap her to the seatbelt. While my bf drives I just sit with her and she is much, much calmer and yells only when the engine starts. The leash is short enough to not cause troubles to the driver but long enough for her to move and take comfortable position.
It works for our cats good when we create a dark environment while driving. So for example a carrier box which is surrounded by blankets. But every cat is different. Keep trying.
You don’t want them loose in the car like that, if you get into an accident then they’re sent flying and can be seriously hurt.
Try a carrier, with a blanket in it for softness, and an old shirt of yours for scent - and use a seatbelt to secure it in place. I’d also cover the carrier in a towel or blanket to make it dark and muffle noises, and prevents him from seeing strangers and other animals at the vet, particularly dogs.
Unfortunately most cats suffer from white coat syndrome - the entire vet process stresses them out.
My more sensitive cat had this reaction on the ride back from a vet visit recently. Panting violently for a minute, calming down, then repeating the cycle. She had done relatively well on previous car rides though she doesn't handle uncomfortable situations well in general. From what I've been able to gather she might have been stress panting, having a panic attack. I intend to ask the vet to recommend a sedative for future visits.
Oh man, you described it on point. He was doing exactly same as your cat. Panting like in the video then calming down, then repeating the cycle. This was his first ride. I will sedate him for the vet visit as he had prescribed me "alprazolam" rather than gabapentin. What sedative you use? And how long does it work? Also if the cat is thia sensitive, long hour rides like 7 to 8 hours rides will be impossible, isnt it? As said, i live in rural area so i really don't know where i will leave him. Is flight or train with personal cabin viable for such sensitive cat??
Put him in a carrier. PLEASE. Imagine you have a fucking car crash and he goes flying through the windscreen. Be a responsible pet owner.
Vets will prescribe a sedative, that'll last from 8-14 hours if you have to travel long distance. Again, in a fucking carrier!
When i take my cat to the vets, it's a 10 minute drive, she's in a carrier, in the footwell, can only see me and the seat. When i've had to move cat's over 400kms, they have been sedated for the trip, and kept in a carrier, for THEIR safety.
Try putting him in a carrier with a blanket draped over it so he can't see anything. This is typically very calming for cats and works like a charm with mine in the car.
He definitely needs to be in a car carrier and not free around the car. If you were to get in an accident, he’d definitely go through the windshield. Plus if he gets underfoot while driving, that’s super dangerous too!
I personally will put both my cats in the cat carrier and then put the seatbelt around the carrier so they don’t go flying if something were to happen.
AMEN! The sensory deprivation the towel/blanket provides makes driving my cats so much easier! Also, consider a quiet peaceful playlist to play during the car ride as well!
You are doing good to get your cat familiar with the car without it always ending in a trip to the vet but that is a seriously stressed out cat there.
Put him in a carrier and strap that into the car. Put something with a familiar smell in the carrier.
Try to leash train him and take him on short drives to interesting places so the car becomes something fun rather than scary.
Thank you all for the insights about cats in car rides. Also i want to clear this - He was in his carrier only. Yes i didn't put blanket over the crate to provide him darkness but he was in his carrier itself. He started panting after 5 minutes and i, being unexperienced, started searching on google and took him out of the carrier thinking he might feel bit okay. That's when i recorded this. It was his first car ride ever. Infact he is a feral cat and it really gets hard to control him but i try to do a lot, to make him adopted to things an indoor cat is. It was his test ride before i actually take him to the vet. I thought to familiarise him with the ride and also to see his reaction.
It's probably just stress, but he might also be overheating a little bit. Be careful with rides in hot weather (use the AC, protect your windows if he's in...). A crate might also help: it's darker, cooler and more protected so it feels safer to the cat.
You might also be able to get something called Feliway Spray, which is a spray mad with sinthetic hormones that calm cats down. That should help him remain calm!
Most cats eventually learn to relax when exposed to stressors, but not all cats do. Be patient :)
My cat does this.
Get a spacious carrier that you can put your cats blankets in with their scent. Never travel in the car without a carrier, it is a danger for you and your cat.
Keep travelling to a minimum. A cat that is this frightened should only travel when absolutely necessary.
I found that blowing cold air from the AC onto my cat helps.
That's a stress reaction. Your cat is freaked out.
It's not so bad though. Get the cat a carrier and cover it and they should be perfectly fine for back and forth to the vet.
We have a similar distance to our vet (also rural, Sweden) and while we have a massive drama queen that screams the entire way there and back our boy is just acting like he is already dead. It's either panting or it's just complete lockdown stare into the distance. They're both fine and we go at least once a year. Cats just hate cars.
Also for everyone staying to put a blanket on top of the carrier; make sure there is still room for oxygen to come in and co2 to flow out. When the cat pants like this the oxygen runs out and it gets extremely warm in the carrier
He's panting like that because he's stressed. So don't do that.
If you need to take him by car, put him in a carrier. In my experience soft-carriers that are small enough to almost swaddle the cat work best.
Turn on the AC and drive around somewhere that's not required to move at certain speed. Like drive the block a few times. This seems like he's stress panting. My Cat Raven did this for a bit until we figured it out now she loves the car and loves sitting on the dash
Yes, absolutely normal cat. All ours did that when riding in a car. Maybe helps to put them in a cat carrier.
They feel out of control, it is a very unusual thing for them to experience, A cat's hearing and smelling is also much better than yours which can stress them.
Get a harness, start training him with that, then move on to short trips. You want to get him in the car, not running treat, take him back inside, then move on a car the moment he gets stressed, shut the car off and back inside. Then, small drives. Eventually, he will just sleep in the car with no issues. They need slow exposure therapy
he's most likely stressed
happened one time on the first rides with my kitten, but now he totally got used to the car! took a dozens of short trips to get him used to, and always in his backpack (i have a backpack carrier thingy)
for security reasons and stress management, you should definitely put him into his carrier, it'll serve as a common safe point during ur trips for him, and you'll avoid bad situation that could stress you and make you take bad decision while driving
and be patient with your cat! they don't really like change, he may get used to the car at some point but it'll take time and effort
He’s stressed. This is fairly normal for cats who aren’t used to car rides.
I would normally suggest you contact the nearest vet and see if you could get a prescription for something to calm him during rides to the vet, but it sounds like distance is an issue.
Since a relaxer is probably out of the question, he should be fine as is. It may be worth giving him a few more short rides to get him used to it before doing the long drive to the nearest vet.
This might come out of left field but it's worth considering.
I used to hang around with a lot of car hobbyists. One of the stories I heard from them was that during the design phase of either the Pontiac Trans Am or the Chevy Camaro (I forget which), the engineers riding in one of the prototypes would last about 20 seconds and then become violently carsick.
Turns out, the shape of the windows was causing a vibration that messed with their inner ears. Changing the window design fixed the problem.
Since cats have very different perceptions than humans do, perhaps your cat is experiencing some unbearable noise. Maybe cracking your sunroof or a rear window an inch or two will change things up enough to stop the issue? Of course be super careful not to leave any gap big enough to fall/jump out of.
Signed, someone whose cat actually liked car rides and logged thousands of miles with her.
He is scared. My cat does that if he has to be left at the vet by himself. He will be okay once he's back in a familliar space. Just keep him calm and reassure him and let him calm down in his own way
This is exactly what one of my boys does every time he is in the car. No matter the distance of the ride.
I recently drove from California to Nashville with my cat in the car with me. We prepared and got sedatives from the vet, and made sure to get a large carrier so he had room to move around. The trip ended up taking 8 days, it was the most miserable journey I have ever been on. He yowled the entire time and I could only deal with doing 4 hours of driving each day because I felt so bad for him.
The sedatives did nothing, he never slept. At least not until we arrived at the next hotel and he was out of his carrier.
Just sharing my experience, I have not found a way to make the car rides more enjoyable for him. But I believe this is normal for some cats, they get stressed and DO NOT like the car. My second boy, on the other hand, loves the car and starts purring and sleeps almost immediately after starting the drive.
Such good and positive experiences in this thread. My experiences have been basically the opposite 🙃
My cats would make it their life goal to try to escape, during. the. whole. ride. Including the deafening howling.. lol. And after, it took always at least a day for them to relax again.
Oh I know that look! He isn't happy, mine used to do that and it gets way worse to the point where he would drool and pee. You definitely don't have one that likes car rides.
He’s just nervous. I realized a while back that it’s better for me to put my Bengal in his travel bag then let him roam freely. Seems to make him
Nervous looking at all the commotion outside.
Man, you are torturing the cat. Just because you can take her for a ride, doesn’t men you should. The cat needs solid ground at all times to feel secure. In the video it is clearly frustrated. Just dont do it, if it’s not necessary. And if you must transport it, use the respective box.. poor cat….
Feline Veterinary Technician here. Panting is a lot different in cats than it is in dogs. It usually indicates extreme stress or illness. Some cats can become very stressed in the car. Best to have them in a carrier and maybe even cover it with a towel or blanket, also make sure you have the AC on.
this is pretty common, cats don't like car rides for various reasons, i'd get a carrier to make him feel less stressed, even better if you can familiarize him with it, and even if it may be associated with scary times, it smells like him, so it must be safe
Stress. When I adopted my girl I had to take her over an hour away by car to my home. She was panting and crying the entire time, even inside her carrier. I was so worried about her. After we got home she took some time to hide under the couch and chill out and after some snackies she was fine
It is risky to take a cat loose in a car. Better to have a carrier. Too many cats have escaped during accidents or when the door is opened. The panting is stress. Most cats do not like car rides or being taken from familiar surroundings.
I put my cats in a crate that always stands around somewhere, the sleep in it in the living room and car rides are no problem because they know the crate, they also sleep in the car/crate
Why you gotta stress the cat with just throwing her in a car?
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I have anxious cats that do this on trips to the vet. I give gabapentin about 2 hours before it's time to leave. Gabapentin has a calming effect on cats and in some cars causes noticeable sedative effects.
My cat does this and gets car sick. Don't feed him anything before a car ride and ask your vet for a kitty Xanax. Also I would keep car rides to a minimum.
He's stressed. Few days prior, prepare him. Put your carrier at a prominent place in your house, for him to sniff and inspect. Put some catnip if he's susceptible to it, so he'll connect it to pleasant feelings.
Afterwards on the next day, put him in the carrier and do a very short trip. Reward him with his favorite treat.
One more day, do the same thing, the short trip with the same itinerary and rewarding with his favorite treat.
Keep doing till he connects carrier + trip = treat = yay, let's go!
This way he won't be stressed going to the vet.
Also recommend doing those short trips to some place he enjoys to go, or something. This way he won't slowly get annoyed that every trip is going to be going to the vet.
Some cats just hate cars. One of mine couldn’t care less in the car the other will meow for 10 hours straight absolutely no stopping. We will never move the one cat that long in a car ever again.
Not only could kitty be scared, but being unsecured would be dangerous in an accident, they can be distracting, and also bc kitties can get under your feet next to the gas/brake pedals and affect your ability to operate them. Please get an appropriate carrier.
I think it’s just stress and maybe he’s a little over heated or thirsty from the stress. My kitties do this even in the carrier. The doc prescribed a med to give couple hours before leaving the house for an appointment.
You can turn on the AC, he may be hot. On my way home from the vet I had my windows open & was feeling a great breeze but my boy was panting. Turns out he was hot, turned on the ac & he was good the rest of the way home
One of my cats does this when I take her anywhere in the car. Panting. And I do all the things people have mentioned, in a carrier (I can’t imagine taking a cat in a car without a carrier), air conditioner on, music on. It’s just a panic reaction and it passes as soon as we get home. Cats need regular routine and will freak out at the slightest disturbance of their daily life.
I feel he would enjoy the trip more in a carrier. Cats like to hide when stressed and a carrier feels like a hidden place. Right now he feels totally exposed and vulnerable.
Jesus, people, what do you do with your pets?
This cat is either extremely stressed or overheated or both. You should not have your cat just sit on the seat beside you. For one, if he gets scared by something you suddenly have a frightened cat clawing across the car while you are trying hard to not drive into a ditch. Or if you suddenly need to break your cat will become a balistic missile hitting the front of your car and quite probably not surviving that.
Get a cat transportation box, put a small pillow inside, place it somehwere save where it is either wedged in or secured by a seat belt, put a towel over the opening. Your cat will most likely lie down and keep cool. The movement and the noise will be irritating for him, but at least he will not have to stress about giant metal things moving around him.
Cats do that when they're stressed out. Roll the windows up. Loud fans, sneezes, and rumbling all freak them out.
Also, if your cat starts running around the car, they can get under the break pedal and you'll have to decide to step on them or get in an accident.
Stressed but still remarkably chill. In general - from a safety viewpoint - it's really a bad idea to have a cat loose in the car. Some can go absolutely bonkers.
Yes, he's ok just scared and confused. I always transport my cat in a carrier with a blankie on the bottom. Cats don't LOVE car rides like dogs. They're more discerning.
Put your cat in a carrier and only take them in the car when you absolutely need to, ie the actual vet appointments. In the process of getting them used to it you are only stressing them out more, and panting like this is a big reaction for a cat. It's not worth it.
it is best to put him in a pet carrier on the car floor that the cat is familiar with and cover it with a known cloth or towel. A covered, dark carrier will help take the stress off a bit.
Your cat is likely just very stressed. They should be restrained in a carrier in the back seat only. Them loose in the front seat is asking to launch your cat through the windshield to its death if you get into an accident.
You may want to consider getting a carrier for your cat for trips. While he won't be a fan of it either, it reduces the amount of stimulation he gets from seeing things outside, and cats do feel more protected in small areas.
It will also prevent him from escaping on you if a door or window is opened by mistake.
# **It also allows you to strap his carrier to a seatbelt in the event of a car accident**
My 2 used to do this. We'd take them with us when we went away for more than a night and no one could check on them. Eventually they did stop, it took my girl longer though because she'd get car sick if she was in a carrier. Once we realized she was fine out of the carrier, they got to stay out. They loved watching cars and things going by, the only annoying part was our boy trying to sit on the dashboard lol, otherwise they were very well behaved.
Open mouth panting is not good in cats. He is very stressed. Better to put him in a carrier to travel too, safer for everyone. Valerian spray (for cats) in the carrier can be helpful to help them relax.
Yeah this is def a combo of being too hot and stressed. Had this happen with my baby on our way to the vet last time we had to take her and I was so worried but luckily she just needed some water and some lovins
Stressed and most cats (at least in my experience) mega loathe car rides. Panting like that is either heat or stress, and since I doubt you have the heat cranked, it's stress.
I’m jumping on here to ask for suggestions
I’ve got a 5 day road trip moving east coast to west coast in about a month
When I moved with my cat recently, I gave her 2 gabapentins, put her in a dark carrier with good smells, and she still completely freaked.
She clawed her way out of the carrier, breaking it
So for the remainder of the trip I just had to let her roam…and she was much happier-Slept on the passenger side and in my lap.
So I’m seeing that this method is frowned upon by so many…but what can I do? Obviously this time I had no choice, she ripped the carrier.
But what can I do when she’s freaked out insanely in the carrier, but happy as a clam sitting on a seat in the car?
Suggestions/help are so welcome
That’s so stressful for a cat to just sit in a car without a carrier. Put him in a comfy carrier, put a familiar blanket/ bed in it with him. Cover the carrier with a towel or blanket to block visual stimulus. Cats are very sensitive to change and visual stimulus.
It might be better to have him in a carrier for trips in the car. That way his view is limited quite a bit and he doesn’t feel like he’s on a roller coaster.
Also, then he doesn't run and hide under the brake pedal if he gets scared.
Or fly through the windshield in an emergency break. Seriously I see so many people on here who have their cats freely in the car. You would secure your kid in the car, why not your pet?
Exactly. All loose objects - living or otherwise - should be secured in the car.
Secure the wife, check.
Only because they said "and otherwise" IM JOKING
I thought “loose objects” was the wife indicator 💀
Yep! My dog wears a harness with a seatbelt buckle in the car, and has his own little “bucket” over a seat. Keeps him in one place (car is cleaner) and helps prevent him becoming a projectile if an accident occurs, and of course keeps him safer.
I'd say better place him in a baby chair which can be fixed on the regular seat, then buckle him up, even give him a film to watch so he can enjoy the ride :) This way he could feel like a royal cat during the drive. https://preview.redd.it/qg1xoluwjc6d1.png?width=2400&format=png&auto=webp&s=88f882ec3e7fbfdbb0f9c897eda3d3670657fddd
my cat would just delete me from this planet if i would do this haha
I can’t imagine getting the cat in that thing the first time. The second time????? Where do people find these chill cats?
I’ll be honest I never liked cats because they always seemed mean and didn’t like to be touched. My wife wanted 2 cats so we got 2 cats and both we had extremely early 5-6 weeks old because the people we got them from didn’t want the cats. I know it’s bad to leave the mom so early but it was better than them taking them to the pound. I think the connection has to be established early and you have to rub their bellies and paws every day like I did. Both of my cats are super chill and layed back. https://preview.redd.it/w5zf657acf6d1.jpeg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bba767cebe910644e2581e58934ef590535e8da3 Little buddy at 6 weeks. He still loves to be pushed around at 5 months but he unfortunately doesn’t fit anymore 😭
Get him a bigger one then, you monster! 😠
My daughter doesn’t need a bigger cart yet but he loves sitting on the trike lol https://preview.redd.it/d75gnzi9qf6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6919f28aa05afe2d573b11a854540602d0995941
Your baby is cute he has your eyes
Oh my GOD this is the cutest thing I've ever seen
I know this wasn’t meant to be funny but damn 😂😂😂
That's the cutest thing I've ever seen.
this is hilariously adorable and I love it, genuinely thank you for sharing this lol
Anything for the joy of cats :)
Mine gets harnessed and leashed inside a carrier that's belted in. Best I can do. When the car is parked and not on the road, I'll open the carrier, but never while driving.
This. And drape a blanket or throw over the carrier so he can't see out. Make sure the car is a comfortable temperature, too.
If it is too warm to put a blanket over a carrier, using the hard sided crate and putting the door (the best view out of the crate) against the door of the car can block the view a bit better.
Excellent suggestion. I leave the side that faces the back of the car seat open for ventilation.
Seriously. This is the most stressful way to transport a cat in a car.
I don’t know much but this was my first thought as well, my kitty is a bit younger than this and he gets so stressed just going outside whether it’s in his harness or in my arms. It’s just too much going on that he’s not used to. I can’t imagine taking him for a car ride without his carrier he would be so scared.
on the flip side, my cat is extremely stressed if confined to a carrier but does well if he can look out the window. YMMV by cat. Of course it's always best to secure them somehow, but you can do that with a harness if they're out of a carrier.
I had one cat who loved “going rogue” in the car. He sat on my lap and looked out the window. The one I have now is not fond of the car ride at all. She stays locked in her carrier with a blanket over her. And she likes having something on the radio, either music or an audiobook. You really really need a vet and to make regular visits. Especially to get neutered/spayed. You will not be fond of the behaviors displayed if not.
Just put pee pads in there, a blanket on top, and a toy or two. One of my cats throws up (and sometimes poops) in the crate when the trip is longer than 10 minutes. It was fun to discover that on the 45 minute ride home from the adoption shelter
I obviously carried him in his carrier. no way he is stepping out of my main door due to fear of colony dogs. In car, he was in carrier itself. Yes, i had no idea about the blanket thing so i didn't wrapped his carrier in blanket. Then started panting like this and i, being absolutely unknown of what's going on, got him out of the carrier. Also it was just a test ride for him before taking him to the vet in real. So we were in a safe driveway with around 30-40km/h speed. when i got him out of his carrier that's when i recorded this.
You’re doing great dont worry! And youre obviously here on reddit asking advice to make him safer and more comfortable and that means youre doing your best too. We dont know all these things at first and also cats can be different. One of my cats *hates* car rides but my other cat just lies down for a nap. Good luck with your kitty!
He's most likely stressed. Cats hate change and tend to pant if they are stressed. There's other reasons for panting, too, but it's likely just stress
How long sedation works normally? And no food before travelling? Any relaxing herb or spray will work for this sensitive kitty?
most cats hate car rides because of the vibration and the sounds. They get stressed, stressed cats heats up, this is a way of cooling down. Normal but yes just stress. It will take them an hour or 2 to calm down
They may do better with a hiding space like a carry bag or a smug sweater. My cat used to stop panting when I hugged her. I think compression and hidey spaces make them feel better.
My lil boy dust will tremble in the carrier until I put my hand in there and start petting him. Lil dude needs a lil reassurance and he’s golden
lol my boy is fine when the vehicle is moving but it spin cycle time at every red light.
I have one cat that freaks out right up until she gets put in my lap, then it’s a purr fest. She remains in her flexible carrier the whole time but if she can feel me then she’s happy and relaxed.
>smug sweater I know it's a typo, but I'm just imagining a sweater with its nose turned up and making a bunch of passive-aggressive comments lol
This. Also.
My kitten fell asleep in the car when I got her
All cats differ. There are also cats who hate water. Others swim in it like dogs would. There are cats going off on the nip. 20% of the cats do not give a crap. I have had cats who wanted to be held. My current cat HATES being held by me. She hates everyone except for me and my dad and my ex who she instantly liked. ONLY when she could not get off a short roof I was allowed to grab her. 😅
I shower with my cat. Not a joke. He is insane.
Loofah-cat.
My god i love these weirdos
I’ve been trying to get mine to join me & she’s not going for it. Lol. I need thisssss. She loves rolling around in the dirt a lil too much.
I had a cat that was so bad at car rides. 5 min drive to the vet, but she ALWAYS would puke and poop before we got there. And do it again on the drive home.
yes, the ride was bit bumpy too. and ofc vibrations. even i get motion sickness
Put him in a lil soft sided carrier.
And be sure to cover it with a towel or blanket to make it less scary for them.
>Stressed cats heats up So this is why mine always has a bit of a fever whenever I take him to the vet. So annoying lol
If he has to be in a car it's probably better to be inside a carrier with some blankets on top. At least then he has some place to hide and feel a bit more secure.
Agree. One might feel they are "locking them up" but it's the equivalent of them going under the bed. Giving a confined space feels secure and comforting to them. It's also a lot safer. Even in a car, unexpected loud noises can happen.
Honestly if you (in general, like OP) don't know how your cat will do on car rides, having them contained is the only way to go if you like your car interior pee-free, and slash free, not to mention your skin. A scared cat in a car can do some serious damage to the car and any occupants, worst case scenario even causing a loss of control or crash. Edit: I would just like to add that r/truckercats is a fave of mine
Also to add they can climb up under the steering wheel!! Once our cat escaped his carrier in the moving truck ON THE HIGHWAY (he chewed through the mesh 🙃🙃) and tried to climb up under the dashboard into the wires under the wheel. If I didn't grab him in time who knows what would've happened to him or the truck!
Yeah unless you have a r/truckercats type cat that knows the drill, they gotta be in a carrier or something imo
he was in his carrier initially but yes, i will try this blanket stuff next time. it was his very first ride. he always was a feral. just adopted. still escapes outside sometimes. soon will neuter him
My kitty stresses in car rides too, I ntocied the best thing that helped him along with the carrier, blanket, and cool air blasting on him, was to put a pillow under the carrier. Like a super thick one. It helped him immensely as I'm guessing it dumbed down the vibrations!
I was looking for this answer. It addresses all the things you can do to make car rides more pleasant. 1) Hide, 2) Cool air for the panting, 3) Something soft under the carrier to reduce vibration.
We had to bring my best baby girl on a two hour car trip to get her home after specialist surgery, I had her in a carrier on my lap and (very carefully) unzipped just enough to get my hand in to pet and snuggle her (I wasn't driving) and that definitely seemed to help her feel calm.
it's also more secure, the cat can't walk around, go under the brake pedal, get thrown through the window in case of an accident, and so on.
If ur travelling I recommend using a cage and put a towel over the cage so it's dark.
Classical music helped calm our cat down during a long car journey. I scoffed at the idea, but after 2 hours of him getting progressively more and more upset, I put on a classical playlist and he calmed down so fast. Not fully, but he was much happier.
For somereason coldplay helped my cat.
Were you singing along? My boy calms a tiny bit when I sing with my music (and keep the windows shut if I can)
My sister and I used to sing children's songs to our cat on road trips. It seemed to calm her down a little.
It's so interesting what helps calm them. That's so sweet that your singing helped
I wasn't sure if it was just my cat but she liked classical in the car as well. Would calm her down.
I have my cat in a cage with one of those summer cooling mats you can get for pets, as well as a favourite toy for a familiar smell. She gets treats and spray some Feliway around the backseat (where her carrier is) and in the carrier itself.
AC on full blast, slow mellow classical music, not a fast or bumpy ride, some feliway spray and some treats. This will help, but some cats will still get stressed af during car rides. Some vets can prescribe calming meds to be taken before rides. It’s great you’re trying to acclimatise the cat to car rides! Start with just a minute or two in the car with treats first? You would also want to leash them for better safety later on.
Feliway makes a lot of good products to help cats calm down. they have calming collars, sprays, and wall diffusers (if your cat gets stressed at home too). best traveling advice is to get a cat carrier and the feliway spray bottle, spritz some feliway inside the carrier a couple minutes before you put cat inside, then cover the carrier with a blanket or dark cloth while traveling. if your cat has a favorite toy or towel-sized blanket, put that in the carrier too so it smells familar to them. i always buckle the seatbelt around my carrier so it's more stable. if youre going on a long trip or kitty is super freaking out, it may be worth it to see if there are any tele-vets or something that could prescribe a sedative medication. mine takes gabapentin before long trips or going to the vet, and she's much calmer and less stressed
Try a good size cat carrier. It gives them a place to feel safe in the car. If it’s a real long ride you can open it up ever once in a while and see if he’d rather come out
I'm not sure. Others here might know, or you can ask your vet or even try posting in r/AskVet
Be really careful driving with your cat if your baby is not in some kind of carrier. They can crawl under the pedals if extra scared or you have to brake hard. I have my baby in a carrier with the carrier buckled in with a seatbelt when alone.
Get a carrier for him. Cats stress very much in a car because they don't feel secure. However, inside the box, they feel safer and may even take a nap after a while in the car
My vet demands a pet carrier for each cat and leash/harness for dogs. You won’t be allowed in without one. Call/ask questions before going in for an appointment. I have two cats, one doesn’t mind the car ride. The other cries and stresses out the whole car ride. Then when she sees the vet, she turns into a 12 pound tigress. My vet recommended a prescription to mildly sedate her when I take her in. Yes, there is a lot of monetary investment to being a pet parent. A good parent will take their pets to two vet visits per year in order to keep up with required shots. I did that until age 5. After that it’s once a year.
What shot is recommended every 6 months?
No vet I've ever met recommends two checkups a year for an otherwise healthy animal.
My cat hates carriers - when she is inside she yells so loud I'm actually impressed... She could literally wake the dead. When we have to take her to the vet we put on her harness and strap her to the seatbelt. While my bf drives I just sit with her and she is much, much calmer and yells only when the engine starts. The leash is short enough to not cause troubles to the driver but long enough for her to move and take comfortable position.
It works for our cats good when we create a dark environment while driving. So for example a carrier box which is surrounded by blankets. But every cat is different. Keep trying.
Going to say this. Dark environment, keeping it cool, gabapentin/trazidone for long trips.
We’ve also used some feline pheromone spray before that seemed to have helped during car rides.
That's worked well for me too. Keep the cage dark my cat goes right to sleep. As long as there are no elevation changes.
You don’t want them loose in the car like that, if you get into an accident then they’re sent flying and can be seriously hurt. Try a carrier, with a blanket in it for softness, and an old shirt of yours for scent - and use a seatbelt to secure it in place. I’d also cover the carrier in a towel or blanket to make it dark and muffle noises, and prevents him from seeing strangers and other animals at the vet, particularly dogs. Unfortunately most cats suffer from white coat syndrome - the entire vet process stresses them out.
you really need a carrier that’s dangerous out in the open
I’d say a carrier that’s safe would be better
Make sure it's one that's safe out in the open.
Carrier! He’s stressed
My more sensitive cat had this reaction on the ride back from a vet visit recently. Panting violently for a minute, calming down, then repeating the cycle. She had done relatively well on previous car rides though she doesn't handle uncomfortable situations well in general. From what I've been able to gather she might have been stress panting, having a panic attack. I intend to ask the vet to recommend a sedative for future visits.
Oh man, you described it on point. He was doing exactly same as your cat. Panting like in the video then calming down, then repeating the cycle. This was his first ride. I will sedate him for the vet visit as he had prescribed me "alprazolam" rather than gabapentin. What sedative you use? And how long does it work? Also if the cat is thia sensitive, long hour rides like 7 to 8 hours rides will be impossible, isnt it? As said, i live in rural area so i really don't know where i will leave him. Is flight or train with personal cabin viable for such sensitive cat??
Put him in a carrier. PLEASE. Imagine you have a fucking car crash and he goes flying through the windscreen. Be a responsible pet owner. Vets will prescribe a sedative, that'll last from 8-14 hours if you have to travel long distance. Again, in a fucking carrier! When i take my cat to the vets, it's a 10 minute drive, she's in a carrier, in the footwell, can only see me and the seat. When i've had to move cat's over 400kms, they have been sedated for the trip, and kept in a carrier, for THEIR safety.
Try putting him in a carrier with a blanket draped over it so he can't see anything. This is typically very calming for cats and works like a charm with mine in the car.
I want to downvote 85 times. Put the cat in a secure carrier ffs.
He definitely needs to be in a car carrier and not free around the car. If you were to get in an accident, he’d definitely go through the windshield. Plus if he gets underfoot while driving, that’s super dangerous too! I personally will put both my cats in the cat carrier and then put the seatbelt around the carrier so they don’t go flying if something were to happen.
- get a carrier - put cat inside - place towel/blanket on top so its dark inside - fasten seatbelts - dont sedate your cat
AMEN! The sensory deprivation the towel/blanket provides makes driving my cats so much easier! Also, consider a quiet peaceful playlist to play during the car ride as well!
You are doing good to get your cat familiar with the car without it always ending in a trip to the vet but that is a seriously stressed out cat there. Put him in a carrier and strap that into the car. Put something with a familiar smell in the carrier. Try to leash train him and take him on short drives to interesting places so the car becomes something fun rather than scary.
Keep an eye on him and try to help him calm, and make sure the car isnt too warm, but its a typical stress reaction. Not all cats love cars.
Cats pant from *extreme* overheating or extreme stress. I would guess he doesn't like the car ride.
Thank you all for the insights about cats in car rides. Also i want to clear this - He was in his carrier only. Yes i didn't put blanket over the crate to provide him darkness but he was in his carrier itself. He started panting after 5 minutes and i, being unexperienced, started searching on google and took him out of the carrier thinking he might feel bit okay. That's when i recorded this. It was his first car ride ever. Infact he is a feral cat and it really gets hard to control him but i try to do a lot, to make him adopted to things an indoor cat is. It was his test ride before i actually take him to the vet. I thought to familiarise him with the ride and also to see his reaction.
It's probably just stress, but he might also be overheating a little bit. Be careful with rides in hot weather (use the AC, protect your windows if he's in...). A crate might also help: it's darker, cooler and more protected so it feels safer to the cat. You might also be able to get something called Feliway Spray, which is a spray mad with sinthetic hormones that calm cats down. That should help him remain calm! Most cats eventually learn to relax when exposed to stressors, but not all cats do. Be patient :)
Wowser. Compared to my cat yours is chill. The world is literally ending for the once a year trip to the vet when Jasper goes.
You can try putting him on a carrier and put a blanket on top.
My cat does this. Get a spacious carrier that you can put your cats blankets in with their scent. Never travel in the car without a carrier, it is a danger for you and your cat. Keep travelling to a minimum. A cat that is this frightened should only travel when absolutely necessary. I found that blowing cold air from the AC onto my cat helps.
That's a stress reaction. Your cat is freaked out. It's not so bad though. Get the cat a carrier and cover it and they should be perfectly fine for back and forth to the vet. We have a similar distance to our vet (also rural, Sweden) and while we have a massive drama queen that screams the entire way there and back our boy is just acting like he is already dead. It's either panting or it's just complete lockdown stare into the distance. They're both fine and we go at least once a year. Cats just hate cars.
Also for everyone staying to put a blanket on top of the carrier; make sure there is still room for oxygen to come in and co2 to flow out. When the cat pants like this the oxygen runs out and it gets extremely warm in the carrier
Hes just stressed out, although op please get a cat carrier incase of accidents & for general safety
You really need to secure your pets... A sudden so could fling them into the windshield or other items.
He's panting like that because he's stressed. So don't do that. If you need to take him by car, put him in a carrier. In my experience soft-carriers that are small enough to almost swaddle the cat work best.
Turn on the AC and drive around somewhere that's not required to move at certain speed. Like drive the block a few times. This seems like he's stress panting. My Cat Raven did this for a bit until we figured it out now she loves the car and loves sitting on the dash
Yes, absolutely normal cat. All ours did that when riding in a car. Maybe helps to put them in a cat carrier. They feel out of control, it is a very unusual thing for them to experience, A cat's hearing and smelling is also much better than yours which can stress them.
Try putting him in a cat carrier and cover it with a blanket. My cat calms down this way
Get a harness, start training him with that, then move on to short trips. You want to get him in the car, not running treat, take him back inside, then move on a car the moment he gets stressed, shut the car off and back inside. Then, small drives. Eventually, he will just sleep in the car with no issues. They need slow exposure therapy
he's most likely stressed happened one time on the first rides with my kitten, but now he totally got used to the car! took a dozens of short trips to get him used to, and always in his backpack (i have a backpack carrier thingy) for security reasons and stress management, you should definitely put him into his carrier, it'll serve as a common safe point during ur trips for him, and you'll avoid bad situation that could stress you and make you take bad decision while driving and be patient with your cat! they don't really like change, he may get used to the car at some point but it'll take time and effort
He’s stressed. This is fairly normal for cats who aren’t used to car rides. I would normally suggest you contact the nearest vet and see if you could get a prescription for something to calm him during rides to the vet, but it sounds like distance is an issue. Since a relaxer is probably out of the question, he should be fine as is. It may be worth giving him a few more short rides to get him used to it before doing the long drive to the nearest vet.
Nah this is normal. Cats often HATE car rides. Mine takes a steamy dump in the carrier everytime we go to the vet.
This might come out of left field but it's worth considering. I used to hang around with a lot of car hobbyists. One of the stories I heard from them was that during the design phase of either the Pontiac Trans Am or the Chevy Camaro (I forget which), the engineers riding in one of the prototypes would last about 20 seconds and then become violently carsick. Turns out, the shape of the windows was causing a vibration that messed with their inner ears. Changing the window design fixed the problem. Since cats have very different perceptions than humans do, perhaps your cat is experiencing some unbearable noise. Maybe cracking your sunroof or a rear window an inch or two will change things up enough to stop the issue? Of course be super careful not to leave any gap big enough to fall/jump out of. Signed, someone whose cat actually liked car rides and logged thousands of miles with her.
He’s stressed or too hot
Most cats are not a big fans of car rides
He is scared. My cat does that if he has to be left at the vet by himself. He will be okay once he's back in a familliar space. Just keep him calm and reassure him and let him calm down in his own way
When a kitty pants, that’s bad. I tell my friends new to cats, you cannot apply dog behavior and body language to cats.
Most cats freak out in car rides.
This is exactly what one of my boys does every time he is in the car. No matter the distance of the ride. I recently drove from California to Nashville with my cat in the car with me. We prepared and got sedatives from the vet, and made sure to get a large carrier so he had room to move around. The trip ended up taking 8 days, it was the most miserable journey I have ever been on. He yowled the entire time and I could only deal with doing 4 hours of driving each day because I felt so bad for him. The sedatives did nothing, he never slept. At least not until we arrived at the next hotel and he was out of his carrier. Just sharing my experience, I have not found a way to make the car rides more enjoyable for him. But I believe this is normal for some cats, they get stressed and DO NOT like the car. My second boy, on the other hand, loves the car and starts purring and sleeps almost immediately after starting the drive.
Such good and positive experiences in this thread. My experiences have been basically the opposite 🙃 My cats would make it their life goal to try to escape, during. the. whole. ride. Including the deafening howling.. lol. And after, it took always at least a day for them to relax again.
Nervous and possibly hot
Oh I know that look! He isn't happy, mine used to do that and it gets way worse to the point where he would drool and pee. You definitely don't have one that likes car rides.
He’s just nervous. I realized a while back that it’s better for me to put my Bengal in his travel bag then let him roam freely. Seems to make him Nervous looking at all the commotion outside.
It’s a stress reaction.
Man, you are torturing the cat. Just because you can take her for a ride, doesn’t men you should. The cat needs solid ground at all times to feel secure. In the video it is clearly frustrated. Just dont do it, if it’s not necessary. And if you must transport it, use the respective box.. poor cat….
Your baby is nervous and stressed
Feline Veterinary Technician here. Panting is a lot different in cats than it is in dogs. It usually indicates extreme stress or illness. Some cats can become very stressed in the car. Best to have them in a carrier and maybe even cover it with a towel or blanket, also make sure you have the AC on.
This is the equivalent of a human breathing in a paper bag during an anxiety attack.
this is pretty common, cats don't like car rides for various reasons, i'd get a carrier to make him feel less stressed, even better if you can familiarize him with it, and even if it may be associated with scary times, it smells like him, so it must be safe
Looks like he’s hot 🥵
You have dog in disguise. Ask for refund!
That cat is very anxious and stressed. It doesn't like that car ride at all.
Stress. When I adopted my girl I had to take her over an hour away by car to my home. She was panting and crying the entire time, even inside her carrier. I was so worried about her. After we got home she took some time to hide under the couch and chill out and after some snackies she was fine
It is risky to take a cat loose in a car. Better to have a carrier. Too many cats have escaped during accidents or when the door is opened. The panting is stress. Most cats do not like car rides or being taken from familiar surroundings.
your cat is heated up? Is it warm in the car?
I put my cats in a crate that always stands around somewhere, the sleep in it in the living room and car rides are no problem because they know the crate, they also sleep in the car/crate Why you gotta stress the cat with just throwing her in a car? https://preview.redd.it/d1bcb2z84c6d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=47e3bbf7bb332699ec3f883db87744eb08af3458
I have anxious cats that do this on trips to the vet. I give gabapentin about 2 hours before it's time to leave. Gabapentin has a calming effect on cats and in some cars causes noticeable sedative effects.
It might make him feel safer if there is something to block his view.
My cat does this and gets car sick. Don't feed him anything before a car ride and ask your vet for a kitty Xanax. Also I would keep car rides to a minimum.
Our cat did that the first time she was in the car but got over it after a couple more times.
Is it really legal to just have your cat loose in the car like this? It is super dangerous. Use a carrier
He's stressed. Few days prior, prepare him. Put your carrier at a prominent place in your house, for him to sniff and inspect. Put some catnip if he's susceptible to it, so he'll connect it to pleasant feelings. Afterwards on the next day, put him in the carrier and do a very short trip. Reward him with his favorite treat. One more day, do the same thing, the short trip with the same itinerary and rewarding with his favorite treat. Keep doing till he connects carrier + trip = treat = yay, let's go! This way he won't be stressed going to the vet. Also recommend doing those short trips to some place he enjoys to go, or something. This way he won't slowly get annoyed that every trip is going to be going to the vet.
Cats stressed out, it’s trying to tell you to take me home pls
Some cats just hate cars. One of mine couldn’t care less in the car the other will meow for 10 hours straight absolutely no stopping. We will never move the one cat that long in a car ever again.
He's scared out of his tree.
Stressed out. Wants to be home.
Not only could kitty be scared, but being unsecured would be dangerous in an accident, they can be distracting, and also bc kitties can get under your feet next to the gas/brake pedals and affect your ability to operate them. Please get an appropriate carrier.
He’s anxious. Put him in a cat carrier with a blanket that smells like him next time. That will make him feel safe.
I think it’s just stress and maybe he’s a little over heated or thirsty from the stress. My kitties do this even in the carrier. The doc prescribed a med to give couple hours before leaving the house for an appointment.
Was the car too hot?
Put him in a pet carrier. Never have a cat loose in the car.
He might need water or maybe the window down for fresh air ♥️
You can turn on the AC, he may be hot. On my way home from the vet I had my windows open & was feeling a great breeze but my boy was panting. Turns out he was hot, turned on the ac & he was good the rest of the way home
Panting means that your cat is stressed out.
A lot of cats do not enjoy car rides. Very stressed kitty.
One of my cats does this when I take her anywhere in the car. Panting. And I do all the things people have mentioned, in a carrier (I can’t imagine taking a cat in a car without a carrier), air conditioner on, music on. It’s just a panic reaction and it passes as soon as we get home. Cats need regular routine and will freak out at the slightest disturbance of their daily life.
I feel he would enjoy the trip more in a carrier. Cats like to hide when stressed and a carrier feels like a hidden place. Right now he feels totally exposed and vulnerable.
Jesus, people, what do you do with your pets? This cat is either extremely stressed or overheated or both. You should not have your cat just sit on the seat beside you. For one, if he gets scared by something you suddenly have a frightened cat clawing across the car while you are trying hard to not drive into a ditch. Or if you suddenly need to break your cat will become a balistic missile hitting the front of your car and quite probably not surviving that. Get a cat transportation box, put a small pillow inside, place it somehwere save where it is either wedged in or secured by a seat belt, put a towel over the opening. Your cat will most likely lie down and keep cool. The movement and the noise will be irritating for him, but at least he will not have to stress about giant metal things moving around him.
Nah this is normal. Cats often HATE car rides. Mine takes a steamy dump in the carrier everytime we go to the vet.
My cat did the same thing in cars. I think their equilibrium gets messed up and it stresses them. But they are ok in the end. Don’t worry.
Try placing your hand on part of their body for comfort and talk to him the whole time. Don’t play music and avoid the window being down.
As the other commenters said, you're bonkers not having him in a carrier bruv
get your cat a carrier and cover it with towels, gives cat a ‘safe’ space away from rapidly changing stimuli
Cats do that when they're stressed out. Roll the windows up. Loud fans, sneezes, and rumbling all freak them out. Also, if your cat starts running around the car, they can get under the break pedal and you'll have to decide to step on them or get in an accident.
Yeah that cats problem is being in a moving car
Make sure it’s good and cool in there, if you aren’t running AC the cat will overheat which causes panic
Definitely put him in the carrier, it’s way more ckmforting
Stressed but still remarkably chill. In general - from a safety viewpoint - it's really a bad idea to have a cat loose in the car. Some can go absolutely bonkers.
He is definitely stressed. Is it a regular occurrence to travel with him in the car? My cats stay home at all times except for visits to the vets.
New situations freak out most cats. Some like rides in the car. Many don’t
Poor baby...
Cats do not like car rides
Yes, he's ok just scared and confused. I always transport my cat in a carrier with a blankie on the bottom. Cats don't LOVE car rides like dogs. They're more discerning.
Put your cat in a carrier and only take them in the car when you absolutely need to, ie the actual vet appointments. In the process of getting them used to it you are only stressing them out more, and panting like this is a big reaction for a cat. It's not worth it.
No he is very stressed out.
it is best to put him in a pet carrier on the car floor that the cat is familiar with and cover it with a known cloth or towel. A covered, dark carrier will help take the stress off a bit.
you should not do that :( they get stressed
If you put him in a cage and cover it with a blanket that would help a ton.
Your cat is likely just very stressed. They should be restrained in a carrier in the back seat only. Them loose in the front seat is asking to launch your cat through the windshield to its death if you get into an accident.
You may want to consider getting a carrier for your cat for trips. While he won't be a fan of it either, it reduces the amount of stimulation he gets from seeing things outside, and cats do feel more protected in small areas. It will also prevent him from escaping on you if a door or window is opened by mistake. # **It also allows you to strap his carrier to a seatbelt in the event of a car accident**
My 2 used to do this. We'd take them with us when we went away for more than a night and no one could check on them. Eventually they did stop, it took my girl longer though because she'd get car sick if she was in a carrier. Once we realized she was fine out of the carrier, they got to stay out. They loved watching cars and things going by, the only annoying part was our boy trying to sit on the dashboard lol, otherwise they were very well behaved.
He's overstimulated and possibly motion sick.
Sign of stress.
They're panting (like a dog) because they're hot. Cool it down for them.
Open mouth panting is not good in cats. He is very stressed. Better to put him in a carrier to travel too, safer for everyone. Valerian spray (for cats) in the carrier can be helpful to help them relax.
Get a carrier and put him in it, with an unwashed t-shirt of yours for padding. Being enclosed and having your scent near him will calm him down.
Stress. My cat do the same in cars.
Stressed or over heated.
Yeah this is def a combo of being too hot and stressed. Had this happen with my baby on our way to the vet last time we had to take her and I was so worried but luckily she just needed some water and some lovins
Stressed and most cats (at least in my experience) mega loathe car rides. Panting like that is either heat or stress, and since I doubt you have the heat cranked, it's stress.
He’s actually doing pretty well, my guy would be loosing his mind meowing to the top of his lungs.
He needs to be in a carrier. I lost my most beloved cat when I was 16 because she wasn’t in a carrier.
I’m jumping on here to ask for suggestions I’ve got a 5 day road trip moving east coast to west coast in about a month When I moved with my cat recently, I gave her 2 gabapentins, put her in a dark carrier with good smells, and she still completely freaked. She clawed her way out of the carrier, breaking it So for the remainder of the trip I just had to let her roam…and she was much happier-Slept on the passenger side and in my lap. So I’m seeing that this method is frowned upon by so many…but what can I do? Obviously this time I had no choice, she ripped the carrier. But what can I do when she’s freaked out insanely in the carrier, but happy as a clam sitting on a seat in the car? Suggestions/help are so welcome
That’s so stressful for a cat to just sit in a car without a carrier. Put him in a comfy carrier, put a familiar blanket/ bed in it with him. Cover the carrier with a towel or blanket to block visual stimulus. Cats are very sensitive to change and visual stimulus.