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Cats rarely make good travel companions.
Getting them to a veterinary appointment can be tough enough let alone having to box them up into a carrier for a long car trip. Anything that you can do to make the journey more comfortable and less stressful for them will, inevitably, make the trip easier for you, too, and one way is by using medicine to calm cats for travel.
You can sedate a cat.
It isn’t recommended by all veterinarians, but it’s a popular practice with many pet owners who’ve written about it online. Benadryl is an over-the-counter human medicine that’s sold around the world in pharmacies and grocery stores. You don’t need to speak to a vet before you give it to the cat but it might be prudent to ask for dosage advice before you do. We’d always be very careful about dosing a cat with anything even something that’s described as safe for pets.
Not only will this give you peace of mind, but it will allow the veterinarian to raise any concerns and give advice before the travel date.
Don’t dose your cat with Benadryl or any other medication if you’re traveling with your cat by plane.
Many airlines will refuse carriage to a sedated pet as altitude can cause breathing difficulties. Talk to your vet if you believe your cat needs medicinal support during air travel. Equally, if you’re looking to give your cat a high-duty sedative such as Benzodiazepine, then you should make an appointment with your veterinarian.
Benadryl as a Medicine to Calm Cats for Travel
Benadryl is one of the more common methods of sedating a cat for travel.
You may already be familiar with the name as it’s commonly used to treat allergies in humans. Although not approved for veterinary use by the FDA, it’s generally considered safe enough for cats in small doses.
In addition to being used as a sedative, it’s also used as an anti-histamine to treat allergies, bites and stings in felines.
There are other brands of anti-histamine available. Some appear to be very similar to Benadryl, but you must ALWAYS make sure that there is only ONE active ingredient. In Benadryl, this is clearly marked as DIPHENHYDRAMINE
If you decide to use another brand, then BE SURE that diphenhydramine is the ONLY active ingredient, as additional ones can cause health problems in your cat.
Benadryl is a popular choice for sedating cats because drowsiness is known to be a side effect, and, as you can imagine, a sleepy cat makes travelling on long car trips easier both for the pet and the owner. Airlines also don’t like to carry sedated cats in the cabin or hold.
Honestly, if you can get away without sedating your cat — even for a car journey — then that’s probably ideal. As in humans, it’s difficult to say exactly what effect Benadryl will have on your pet (even though countless owners use it without problem).
It is worth pointing out, however, that the side effects for your cat might not actually include drowsiness. Some cats may experience hyperactivity — the exact opposite of what you want. Every cat is different. If you believe Benadryl could be a good fit for your cat, then we’d recommend you give your cat a trial dose (a smaller one, perhaps) ahead of your trip. This will at least give you an idea of what to expect and whether or not Benadryl is the right product for your animal. Additional side effects can include a dry mouth, vomiting, diarrhoea and a loss of appetite.
Benadryl isn’t suitable for animals with liver or kidney disease, high blood pressure, hypertension, glaucoma or hyperthyroidism. If you have any concerns about the suitability of it for your cat, then you should speak to your veterinarian.
You must understand the correct dose because it is possible to overdose a cat with Benadryl. If you’ve given them the correct dosage to your feline, then don’t give them any more, even if it doesn’t appear to be having any effect. Dosage is dependent on the animal’s age, size and weight. Speak to your vet if you’re in any doubt.
The general recommendation is 1mg per pound in weight, given up to three times daily.
Benadryl comes in several forms. Liquid Benadryl is easiest to measure out into the correct dose, but some cats find it bitter tasting, and it might be harder to get them to swallow it. If you use a syringe to administer it, then remember to do it to the side of the tongue rather than straight down the throat, as you could cause the cat to aspirate.
Benadryl as a tablet is probably the easiest to administer. You may have to give a half-tablet, though. It’s usually easier to hide a pill in the food.
Alternatives to Medicine to Calm Cats for Travel
Synthetic pheromones work by replicating the scent that a cat releases each time they rub its head against people and objects. Bunting helps establish territory, and its familiar smell will create a calming response in the cat. Feliway is a popular brand of pheromone that you can buy on Amazon or in stores.
You can buy it as a plug-in to use in your house. or if you’re in the UK, you can use the Feliway spray for traveling. In the US, you can check out Relaxivet calming pheromone spray.
There’s also Bach’s Rescue Remedy which an owner can rub into his or her hands and then stroke into a cat’s fur. It contains valerian: a plant extract that’s often used to reduce stress and encourage sleep in humans, too.
You can read about other ways of helping reduce your cat’s anxiety and stress during travel in our post: why do cats hate car rides?
If you’re looking for the best cat carrier for difficult cats, then we have help there, too, including a list of hard carriers on Amazon to buy. You might also find it helpful to look at alternative carriers for the car, including a cat car barrier.
Using medicine to calm cats for travel won’t be everyone’s preferred method of reducing a pet’s stress, BUT sometimes it’s the only option, especially if your cat has a particularly nervous disposition and is a danger to themselves or to others.
Speaking to your veterinarian will mean that you’re fully armed with all the information on easing travel anxiety and all the options to help manage it.
We’ll add a few links below which you might find useful to use and explore your options
- 【Affordable Set】Calming cat collars are specially designed for cats that are frightened, stress, anxiety or hyperactive. 3 individually packaged cat pheromone collars are packaged together in a beautiful box, very easy to use and store.
- 【Quickly improve bad behavior】Anxiety collar for cats can start working within 1 hour and continuously release pheromones,which effectively relieves and fear or stress by high temperature, noise, traffic, travel, veterinary visit, pet loneliness, Fireworks,Thunderstorms, Separation Anxiety. Helps cats Adjust to Challenging Environments
- 【Plant Essential oil-Safety Effect】Calming cat collar is made of safe and high-quality TPE material, Natural plants essential oils help relieve tension and anxiety. Hypoallergenic, not addictive, help reliever pet's tension and anxiety, help They relax and eliminate aggressiveness. (no harmful ingredient citronella oil)
- 【30 Days Continuous Calm】Calming collar for cats can release pheromones for up to 30 days. Provides superior, longer-lasting delivery of pheromone. cat calming collar for anxiety can be worn continuously and changed every 4 weeks for best results. The calming cat collar is waterproof so there is no need to take the collar off when bathing or playing in the rain.
- 【Flexible Adjustment - Suitable for All Body Types of Cats】Cat calm collar is very flexible and comfortable to wear, 15 inches / 38 cm adjustable length. You can choose the right length and then cut off the excess length, so it can provide perfect fit for almost any type all weights and sizes cats kittens even small dogs.
- FELIWAY Optimum is a new pheromone discovery, and the best FELIWAY answer to help reduce common signs of stress in cats such as: scratching, urine spraying, tension and conflicts between cats, fears, and reactions to changes
- 93% of cat owners report enhanced calming, with an average satisfaction rating of 9.1 out of 10
- FELIWAY Optimum is a drug free solution that helps cats with more signs of stress, in more situations, and calms cats better than ever; FELIWAY is supported by 25+ years of feline stress expertise
- FELIWAY Optimum heated diffuser covers up to 700 square feet; make sure to plug your diffuser in with the vents up, and for the best results, position the diffuser where your cat spends most of his or her time - avoid plugging the diffuser in under shelves and behind doors, curtains, or furniture
- Starter kit includes 1 diffuser head and 1 vial; make sure to only use a FELIWAY Optimum Diffuser with a FELIWAY Optimum refill (they are not compatible with other brands); to maximize effectiveness, replace the vial once a month, and the diffuser every 6 months
- EXTRA LARGE COMFORTABLE PET CARRIERS- Perfect for Medium to Large Cats or up to Mediumdog . Measures approximately 24x16.5x16 inches. Hold pets up to 55 pounds.Fit dog soft-sided carriers
- STURDY & COLLAPSIBLE STRUCTURE- The inner part is steel support structure. And the steel support is foldable.
- SUPERIOR QUALITY- This pet carriers is made from Oxford fabric that is wear resistant and easy to clean. And nylon mesh is resistant to tearing and ventilated.
- SAFETY DESIGN- There are 3 locking zippers for the 3 accesses to prevent pets from opening and one clip inside for additional security.
- CONVENIENT DESIGN- There are 3 access for pets, top and front. Besides, the fleece pet bed is machine washable.
- POWERED BY FELIWAY: Powered by the #1 Vet Recommended solution to reduce urine spraying, scratching, and other negative cat behaviors in your home. Use only in properly functioning 120 volt electrical outlets.
- EFFECTIVE FOR 90% CATS: Clinically proven to help reduce scratching and spraying in 9-out-of-10 cats. You can see results in just 7 days!
- DRUG FREE SOLUTION: Our diffuser mimicks a mother's natural nursing pheromones, which helps to put cats at ease, and adapt to changes, like a new family member, pet or home
- COVERS UP TO 700 SQUARE FEET: For the best results, your diffuser should be plugged into the room where your cat spends the most time.
- FROM THE MAKERS OF THUNDERSHIRT: You can trust ThunderWorks for affordable, effective, easy-to-use calming solutions.
- REDUCES ANXIETY, BOREDOM AND DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR – LickiMat allows cats to enjoy an enriched feeding experience by picking food embedded in the surface. The whisker friendly design is perfect for fussy cats and may encourage food interest.
- LICK MAT ENRICH FEEDING TIME - Casper is all about mimicking feeding, like in the wild. The ribs and ridges of the low profile design allow the cat to naturally crouch and enjoying feeding. The feeder enriches and prolongs the meal, making it a pleasurable experience.
- DENTAL HEALTH - LickiMat textured surfaces promote pleasurable licking action, which generates saliva helping protect your pet’s teeth and gums. Scrapes food pieces and odor-causing pieces off your pet’s tongue, promoting healthier teeth, gums and fresher breath.
- SERVE HEALTHY TREATS – serve yogurt, peanut butter, purées, spreads and all manner of organic and healthy treats. Food settles in the mat’s surface which slows the feeding dramatically and prolongs enjoyment. Less calories, healthier treats and longer duration.
- ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND SAFE: NO SILICONE. PLEASE SUPERVISE YOUR PET. THIS IS NOT A CHEW TOY. Please supervise your pet. If you have a known chewer, please order a LickiMat Tuff. It is very strong and 100% dishwasher safe. Licking, Lick Pad, Snuffle Mat.
Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API