Should You Sedate Your Cat for Travel? A Veterinarian Explains the Pros and Cons
When you travel, you know exactly where you're headed, but if your cat is traveling with you, they probably don't, and that can be stressful for them. If your favorite feline gets anxious when they travel, it may be a good idea to talk to your veterinarian about sedative options.
We talked to Kerri Blackburn, DVM, a veterinarian at River's Edge Animal Hospital in Rock Hill, South Carolina, about travel-related stress in cats and when sedation may be the best course of action.
Why Cats Struggle With Travel
Cats don't usually go for car rides, and when they do, it's usually for a visit to the vet, something that can be stressful for a cat in its own right. But several other additional factors may be stressing your kitty out while en route to your destination.
"The motion of the car, often with an unstable or slippery crate or carrier surface, lots of new noises, including engine and traffic sounds, plus visual stimuli with scenery rushing past—it's no wonder a cat may struggle with travel," Blackburn explains.
These things can easily induce signs of anxiety, such as:
Panting
Increased vocalization
Excessive grooming
Hiding
When Vets Recommend Sedation
Your cat will likely experience stress when traveling, so it's better to talk to your vet about your options before travel begins rather than waiting until you're in the middle of your trip. Your vet will take specific health conditions or histories that might especially warrant a sedative into consideration.
"In patients with conditions that are less tolerant of stress such as heart or blood pressure conditions, as well as patients with mobility problems such as severe arthritis, they should always have some level of sedation when traveling," Blackburn says.
Your vet may prescribe your cat a sedative that you can give shortly before the trip, or they may recommend waiting to see if your cat begins to become stressed while traveling before giving them anything.
"Whenever signs of stress are manifesting, when in doubt, a bit of sedation is always recommended to avoid any potential stress/fear," Blackburn says.
Risks and Downsides
While the goal of sedating your cat is to make them drowsy so they can relax, there are some risks to be aware of, Blackburn notes.
"Sedatives by their nature cause drowsiness and sleepiness," she says. This is generally the desired effect but can be problematic if the sedative's effect is too profound or if a patient has pre-existing breathing problems, like smush face cat breeds. In these patients, careful discussions with a vet and pretravel trial sedations should be considered to fine-tune the desired effect and avoid unwanted complications.
Regardless of your cat's breed and health history, you'll want to test the sedative before traveling to be aware of the real-time effects it will have on your cat.
Alternatives to Sedation
If sedating your cat is not something your vet recommends, you're unable to visit your cat's vet before traveling to get a prescription sedative, or you aren't comfortable sedating your cat, there are alternatives to sedatives that may still help your cat stay calm during travel.
You can also consider calming supplements, Blackburn says. These are typically herb or protein-based, not drug-based, and can provide a safe alternative to sedatives. Such supplements are not very potent but should still be discussed with your vet, as many herbs can interact with medications and can sometimes cause stomach upset.
Pheremones and desensitization training may also work for your particular cat. At the very least, you can always select a quieter route to your destiation, which can make a big difference in your cat's stress levels.
Be sure to discuss what options might be best for your cat before you head out on the road, or to the airport, even. Plan your travel in advance whenever possible, get your cat accustomed to spending time in their carrier, and take trial runs in the car and with giving any sedatives that may be prescribed.1 The more comfortable your cat is traveling, the easier and less stressful the trip will be for everyone.
