Should You Drive or Fly with Your Cat This Holiday Season
The holiday season is known for being one of the busiest times of the year. All of the festivities and get-togethers that come along with it mean one thing: holiday travel. Traveling during this time has its drawbacks, like busy airports with crowds, lost suitcases, long car rides and sitting in traffic. Of course, the positives, like getting to spend time with your loved ones and enjoy the holidays together, make it worthwhile.Holiday celebrations just wouldn’t be the same if your cat wasn’t along for the ride. After all, your cat is a member of the family. When travel is on the schedule, however, bringing your cat along can become a little more complicated. What’s the best way to travel with a cat? Typically, your options are flying with a cat or driving cross country with your cat.Read on to find out everything you need to know about whether you should drive or fly with your furry friend this holiday season. And, brush up on tips on how to travel with cats so you can focus less on holiday stress and more on enjoying the season.
Consider Key Factors
There’s no one universal answer to whether driving cross country with a cat or flying with a cat is a better option. The right solution depends on your individual situation. The best way to make this important decision about holiday travel is to do your research beforehand and consider all of the most important factors that influence traveling with your pet. Here are some essential ones to think about:
Cat Breed
While it’s probably not the first thing that comes to mind when making travel plans, the breed of your furry friend can actually impact whether you should drive cross country or fly with your cat. Pets who have flat faces have unique breathing challenges that make flying dangerous. If you have cat breeds like Himalyans, Scottish Folds, Persians, Exotic Rexes and British Shorthairs, driving cross country with cats is much safer than flying. 
Age
Our senior feline friends need extra consideration when booking their travel plans. Flying with a cat is often very stressful, and this stress is typically too much for older cats to handle. That means that driving is a better option when you have an older pet. Being in a car also gives you more flexibility to soothe and tend to your senior cat’s needs as you travel.
Health
One of the most important factors to take into account when deciding whether driving cross country or flying with cats is better is your pet’s overall health. For the same reason that flying isn’t right for senior cats, it’s not a good fit for felines with health conditions. The stress can worsen your fur baby’s condition and aggravate symptoms. It’s also harder to give your cat any medical attention they might need when you’re on a plane. If you’re driving cross country, you can easily stop to give your cat their medicine, calm them down or take them to a vet along the way to have them checked out.If you have any concerns about your pet’s health, the best way to determine if flying with your cat is safe is to consult your vet. Your vet can recommend the ideal travel method for your cat. Many airlines actually require vets to clear your pet for travel before buying a ticket anyways.
Travel Preferences
Another important consideration when deciding how to travel with a cat is what their individual preferences are. For example, if your cat gets anxious in crowded areas and uncomfortable in confined spaces, flying with cats might not be a good option. Dealing with the airport and staying in a carrier during the entire flight would be very stressful. Alternatively, if your cat hates car rides and spends car trips throwing up or yowling very loudly, driving cross country with cats is probably not ideal. At the end of the day, the best travel method is the one your cat will be most comfortable with.
Tips on How to Travel With a Cat
Once you’ve decided on whether you’ll be driving cross country with cats or flying with your cat, you can prepare for the journey ahead. A great way to get ready for your trip is to brush up on tips on how to travel with a cat. Here are a few to get you started:
- Prepare a Carrier— The cat carrier you bring with you is going to be your pet’s safe space while you travel, so make sure it’s one your fur baby is comfortable in. If you’re buying a new carrier, have your cat try it out a few times before the trip to get used to it. If you’re flying with your cat, make sure the carrier complies with the guidelines set by the airline.
- Skip Breakfast— On the day of your trip, it’s best to avoid feeding your cat breakfast. Whether you’ll be driving cross country or flying with cats, the travel can upset their digestive system and quickly lead to a messy situation. Feed your cat once you’ve reached your destination.
- Bring Litter— One item you definitely don’t want to forget when traveling with a cat is litter. No matter where you’re going or how you’re getting there, you’ll need a kitty clean-up solution to rely on this holiday season. Choose Skoon cat litter for a simple and convenient option. Skoon’s cardboard litter box is disposable and biodegradable, making it an excellent choice for travel. Best of all, Skoon litter is all-natural and odor-free, so you won’t have to worry about toxic chemicals or unpleasant litter box smells during your celebrations.
Rely on Skoon this holiday season for the best kitty clean-up solution on the market!Sources:https://bluecollarpettransport.com/drive-fly-pet-across-country/https://www.petsthattravel.com/flying-with-cats-in-cabin/https://be.chewy.com/6-tips-for-traveling-with-a-cat-this-holiday-season/https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/road-trips-and-car-travel-with-your-cat
