Cats and other pets are like people and should be restrained while traveling, so give great consideration to using cat car restraints even if only going a short distance. A sudden stop, an accident or just a cat’s curious nature can cause a potentially serious injury if the cat was allowed free range of the car. Cat car restraints can be as simple as soft-sided durable fabric carrier or sturdier hard plastic or wire carriers. Another option is to purchase cat car restraints that are of a harness type that clips to the seat belts to prevent the cat from wandering the car. A third type of cat car restraints is similar to a harness system, but the cat would be in a tray like a child’s car seat.
Obviously soft-sided carriers made of durable fabric are lighter in weight than either the hard plastic or wire carriers. These carriers generally are able to be carried as a shoulder bag and a few are approved for airline travel. You will need to know the personality of your cat to decide if this type of carrier is for you. These carriers tend to offer the least amount of ventilation so you need to make sure that you cat does not overheat. Even though made of durable fabric (usually plastic back to be water proofed), a stressed cat could shred the carrier if they tend to scratch when stressed. These types of cat car restraints are also easier to be chewed through. Regardless of the type of cat carriers you choose, your cat should be able to lie down, turn around and stand comfortably when in the carrier and your cat should be trained to easily accept being placed into and carried in a cat carrier.
Sturdier hard plastic cat carriers are a good choice and generally are also acceptable to most airlines if you ever decide to travel by air in addition to car travel. Though plastic carriers are generally lighter in weight than comparable wire mesh carriers, not all plastic carriers are foldable so will take up more room when not is use. Wire mesh carriers offer the most ventilation and visibility of the enclosure carriers. Most wire mesh carriers are collapsible. Being made of metal, these carriers are the heaviest to carry around.
To use both the cat car seat and the seat belt system, your cat will need to be used to wearing a harness and attached to a leash. A cat car seat would be able to be connected to head rest of the car and the cat would be harnessed into the car seat. From this advantage point, the cat would be able to see out the window. A seat belt system would be attached to the car’s seat belt. A seat belt system will limit the pet's range of motion but will allow them to sit or lie down while at the same time helping them feel safe and secure in the car.
It is imperative that you make sure that regardless of the type of cat carrier you choose, that you make sure it is secure in the car so that it does not tip over or bounce around the car. This will stress the cat needlessly and make them less sure about being in the cat carrier. Using cat car restraints should be a habit when traveling.
