Hitting the Road: Training A Cat to Enjoy the Ride
Updated: May 24
Initially, Chuck had a difficult time adjusting to riding in the truck, as he would become anxious and hyperventilate and cry. We were unsure if we would be able to help him overcome this fear. We really wanted to take him with us. We initially tried medication, but it proved impossible to get him to take it. Instead, we gradually introduced him to the truck by letting him explore it in the driveway and setting it up as if we were going on a trip, complete with his crate and litter box. Inside the crate, we placed his blanket and favorite toy and rewarded him with treats when he explored. As he grew more comfortable, we started taking short trips around the neighborhood. Although Chuck never became excited about getting into the truck, he did eventually relax and even enjoy looking out the windows and spending time with us. We always made sure he was in his crate while driving alone. However, when Mick and I were both in the car he loved to sit on the center console or on the passenger’s lap. We know, that some will criticize us for not keeping him in a crate all the time, but this is what worked best for us. He would prefer to be in his crate on curvy mountain roads. Additionally, we found that he liked it when we rubbed his ears when we were at higher elevations.
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