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Cat hates car rides? How to keep a stressed cat calm while moving.

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 1 year and 9 months old | 14.4 lbs

My cat hates cars, but we're moving and he needs to be in the car for 4 hours. He has chronic URIs that are trigged by stress, and this will be stressful. How can we help keep him calm and minimize the chance that he gets sick?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

Veterinarian

Published on March 19th, 2021

Cars are quite stressful for many cats, so Dash isn't alone in this issue! However, as you mentioned, stress can definitely lead to shedding of viruses that trigger URIs. Calming pheromones, like Feliway, can be helpful when sprayed or wiped in carriers. Since Dash's stress-related situation sounds more severe, I also recommend asking your veterinarian about prescribing some medication (such as trazodone and gabapentin) for this trip. Doses can vary a bit with individual cats, so it's always important to conduct a trial run ahead of time to see if the dose seems sufficient. If the first dose doesn't alleviate enough stress, your vet may need to increase it a bit for your longer drive. Best of luck with your move!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 28th, 2017

    I would recommend trying to slowly acclimate him to a crate by leaving it out with the door open until you move and feeding him meals in the crate. You could also try a pheromone spray like Feliway to help him relax during the car ride. If he usually pants, urinates or defecates during car rides you may want to ask your veterinarian about a prescription oral sedative that could help.

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    Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 24th, 2018

    Poor Kovu! You could try Feliway or a similar pheromone spray in the carrier and in the car - some cats can have a pretty impressive response to it. Unfortunately there is no over the counter medication that I would recommend that will reliably cause sedation in a cat. You may want to ask your veterinarian about prescription sedatives for the future.

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