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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?

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?

Updated On March 19th, 2021

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

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Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

Veterinarian

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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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