How To Prepare Your Cat When You Travel

Cats might have a reputation for being solitary and independent. But being left alone for more than a day can be upsetting for them. If you’re leaving home on a work trip or a holiday, you’ll want a plan to keep your cat happy and comfortable.

With help from Rover’s resident cat behaviour expert, Dr Mikel Delgado, we review how to choose the kind of care your cat needs, plus what you can do to prepare them for it.

Choose the Right Kind of Cat Care

What kind of care should you choose for your feline friend? Delgado says there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Different situations and different cats require different kinds of care. Depending on your trip and your kitty, you might choose house-sitting, drop-in visits at your home, or boarding.

House sitter

A house sitter will come to your home and stay there while you are away. This is a good choice if you’ll be gone for a long period, but it can be the most expensive type of care, and costs vary depending on where you live, ranging from £31 to £55 per night on Rover.

Delgado says keeping your cat in their home territory is almost always the best option because it’s the least disruptive. “Cats are very much creatures of habit and routine, but even more so, they are primarily attached to their territory,” she explains.

A house sitter can also be a good choice if your cat has a canine sibling.

Drop-in visits

With drop-in visits, a sitter will come to your home daily for generally 30 to 60 minutes. This can be done once daily or multiple times a day. Drop-in visits are typically the most affordable option for care, costing between £15 and £25 per visit on Rover.

Single drop-ins are a good choice for a quick check-in for meals, litter tray scooping, and play. They’re especially handy for short trips, cats who are comfortable being alone, and cats who prefer minimal contact with unfamiliar people.

Multiple drop-in visits are ideal for cats who need more social time or special care, like medication administration.

Cattery

While most cats are most comfortable in their own home, some cats are just fine being around other cats in a social boarding cattery. This can cost between £30 and £45 per night.

For some cats with special medical needs, a cattery may be the best and safest option, Delgado says. “If your cat must stay somewhere besides your home, try to bring them with as many familiar items that smell of home with them,” she advises.

Bringing their favourite bedding, litter trays, scratching options, and toys will help them feel more secure and safe. Catteries are regulated under the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Animal Activities Licence, which are enforced by the local council.

How To Prepare a Cat for Boarding

Cat boarding probably shouldn’t be your first option. But if you’re going to consider it, you should take the following steps to ensure they have the most settled time possible.

1. Choose a cattery you trust and visit the premises

Do your research when looking for a good boarding facility. Check that the facility enforces vaccine rules, maintains clean kennels, and employs skilled staff.

According to the Animal Welfare Regulations 2018, a cattery can’t accept a cat without seeing records confirming they’ve had vaccinations against feline panleukopenia, feline parvovirus, a.k.a. infectious enteritis (FIE/FPV), and feline respiratory viruses, or cat flu (FHV and FCV).

A reputable cattery should request to see vaccination records or a vet certificate confirming the results of a recent titre test confirming immunity at least 1-2 weeks before check-in.

You can also ask to see their Animal Activities Licence (AAL). This will have a star rating (from one to five) that shows how far above requirements the cattery operates.

Having an AAL confirms that the cattery offers separate, insulated chalets, sneeze barriers, and heated sleeping quarters. A four- or five-star cattery will offer larger accommodations, vertical climbing shelves, and staff with a Level 2 or 3 Ofqual-regulated animal care qualification, such as a City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate of Technical Competence in Pet Sitting or an iPET Network Level 3 Award in Feline First Aid.

Consider taking your cat in for a pre-trip visit to try to familiarise them with the surroundings.

2. Pack your cat’s supplies

In addition to necessities like your cat’s food and medications, bring treats, toys, and a familiar blanket in the carrier to give them comfort and a sense of home. You can also leave your cat with things that smell like you—such as some worn clothing.

3. Write instructions for the cattery

Don’t forget to write clear instructions for your cat’s feeding and litter tray routine, and for any medication schedule, if applicable.

Your cat will have been microchipped under The Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023 if they’re over 20 weeks old. They’ll also be registered in an approved database such as Petlog or Identibase. Make sure you provide the sitter with the microchip number and the database provider.

This allows the cat to be easily identified in your absence in case of an emergency, or to be marked as lost if they’re a cat who likes to roam outdoors but doesn’t return.

How To Prepare a Cat for Drop-in Visits

Someone just swinging by? You still have some bits to think about.

1. Book care early

It’s a good idea to reserve your time as soon as you know your trip dates, since sitters can book up quickly, especially during the winter festivities, Bank Holidays, half-term, school holidays, and busy summer months. Do a meet-and-greet prior to the trip.

2. Prepare your house

Gather food, treats, favourite toys, catnip, and brushes in a central location, such as a basket, so the sitter can easily find them.

3. Set climate control

Check the weather forecast for the days you will be gone and adjust the thermostat accordingly. If the forecast is for hot weather, set up a cool retreat room with the blinds closed. If it’s forecast to be cold, set up cosy beds for kitty to snooze in.

4. Cat-proof the house

Remove access to outdoor spaces and make sure doors can’t close on your cat and trap them. Close off rooms that could pose risks. Put tempting or poisonous plants, like lilies, in a safe space out of kitty’s reach. Unplug electronics.

5. Set feeders/fountains/litter tray cycles

If you have an automatic feeder, water fountain, or self-cleaning litter tray, be sure to fill and set them to operate according to your cat’s needs.

6. Write instructions for your sitter

Clearly explain feeding habits and where to find food, litter trays, and other supplies. Ask your sitter to stick to your usual schedule, which helps minimise your cat’s stress. For special care, like medications, leave precise instructions. Specify how often you want updates, whether it’s daily photos or occasional check-ins.

7. Make an emergency plan

Create a list of emergency phone numbers. This includes your regular vet, an emergency animal hospital like Vets Now, and a contact who isn’t travelling with you. A microchip is another important and legally required safety and emergency tool. Add the 15-digit microchip number and pet database name (Petlog or Identibase, for example) to the plan.

How To Prepare Your Cat for a House Sitter

Here’s how to get your home ready for a house sitter so your cat has a safe, comfortable time.

• Go for a vet check before you travel. Health precautions aren’t just for foreign travel. If your cat has any health issues, you need to know about them before you set off. Make sure your vet sees your cat and gives you the go-ahead for safe travel.
• Packing. In addition to a secure carrier, if your cat will be in the car for more than an hour or two, pack a travel litter tray, food and water with bowls, and familiar items like toys or a blanket. Portable, foldable litter boxes offer a convenient space for your cat. You’ll also want an escape-proof cat harness and a lead.
• Safety. By law, your cat must always be secured in the car so they can’t distract or injure you while you’re driving. Cats Protection recommends a sturdy, well-ventilated carrier that’s the right size for them to move around if they wish. (They can never be loose in the cabin, no matter how sternly they look at you, and the carrier should be strapped to the rear seat.)
• Anxiety relief. Spray the carrier with calming pheromones, like Feliway, to help relieve travel anxiety.
• Break up the journey. Plan breaks in advance – preferably every two to four hours on longer trips – but try to avoid travelling for more than four hours in a single day, and be sure to let them out in a room where they’ll spend the night. Avoid leaving your cat unattended in the car, especially in hot weather, and keep the car interior at a comfortable temperature.
• Pet taxis. Some taxi companies and Ubers are happy for you to bring a pet. But check when you’re booking, and be aware that they may charge extra. Your cat will need to stay in the carrier during the ride.

Travelling by train or bus

National Rail lets every passenger bring two pets on a train for free.

Buses allow pets at the driver’s discretion. It might depend on how busy the bus is and whether other animals are already on board. However, long-distance carriers like National Express or Megabus don’t allow non-assistance animals on board.

Just make sure your cat is in a secure carrier throughout the whole trip, even if (especially if) strangers want to shower them with attention. You can throw a blanket over the carrier (with a gap for adequate airflow) to prevent overstimulation from all the strange smells, sights, people, and animals. If possible, try travelling outside of peak hours and find a quiet seat.

If You’re Planning to Take Your Cat Abroad

Cats Protection advises that even though travelling abroad with a cat is legal, considering your cat’s welfare is vital. Long travel times and new environments make it more likely that they’ll get distressed or lost. They suggest not taking your cat abroad for a holiday. However, they do have guidance around times when foreign travel is necessary – for example, if you’re moving to another country to live.

But once you take stock of just how much paperwork and regulations are involved, you may think twice about taking your cat with you, anyway. Since Brexit, the rules on proving vaccination status have become more stringent. And you have to protect your cat from illness, anxiety, and escape on what for them (and, often, for most humans, too) is a stressful journey.

It’s important to check whether the company you’re travelling with accepts cats or requires proof that your pet is fit to travel. If you’re travelling by plane, your cat will need to travel in the cargo hold. Cats travelling by Eurotunnel or by sea will have different arrangements, so speak to the carrier company. They’ll have clear guidance on transporting animals.

Vaccinations

To prevent avoidable illnesses and transmission of exotic diseases to other animals back home, speak to your vet before travelling to see if you need any location-specific vaccinations. Having had no exposure to the illnesses at your destination, pets from the UK are even more vulnerable than local pets and strays to the possible infections there.

These might include:

• Babesia
• Ehrlichia
• Heartworm

Your cat must also be vaccinated against rabies before they can travel. The wait depends on the type of vaccine your cat gets, but allow for at least 21 days after the first vaccination or the last dose of the first vaccination course. If they’re already vaccinated, check whether they need a booster. No wait is needed after a booster if there’s been no break in immunisation status.

Microchip details

Be sure to contact your microchip database provider and update your cat’s microchip information with contact details for the country you’re visiting or moving to. You can do this via Petlog’s website or by calling 01296 336579 or 01296 737600 for lost pets.

Their records will not automatically update after quarantine, so taking this step is vital to protect them from quarantine or euthanasia at your destination if they become lost, you can’t be traced, and legal entry into the country can’t be confirmed.

Post-Brexit travel arrangements

Although a pet passport used to be acceptable when the UK was a member of the European Union, even EU-issued pet passports are now no longer acceptable documents for people living in England, Scotland, or Wales. (Northern Ireland residents can still use a pet passport.) Your pet may be refused entry into the EU if you try to use a pet passport.

Instead, you’ll need to get an animal health certificate. These are valid for 10 days before you enter the EU (so you’ll need to have the certificate issued within 10 days of your travel). Once you enter the EU, it’s valid for another 6 months if you’re planning to travel between EU member states. This 6-month validity also applies to returning home to the UK.

Returning to Great Britain

Make sure you use an approved route or company, like Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, to return to Britain and that the approved routes match up with your travel dates, as they can change. Some routes only operate at certain times of year. Cats travelling to Northern Ireland won’t need an approved travel route.

You can check your intended route on the Government’s website here.

What you’ll need to bring