Hey all.

We've had Timber about 7 months now, and he is a year old. Once a month or so we visit my parents who live on a farm. It's about an hour and 20 minute car journey and Timber generally is happy with the journey in his cat box on the back seats. He does occasionally meow at us for attention though.

We were wondering if its possible to train a cat to either just sit on the back seats or to just wear a harness in the car. He loves visiting the farm and my parents cats, it's much better than putting him in a cattery or getting a friend to fee him while we are away!

Any advice or suggestions would be most welcome. =]

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i have never heard of anyone putting a cat in the car with out a cat box but if he is really good and you want to try the harness then i would suggest buying one and keeping it on him in the house for him to get used to it before you put him in the car with it, if he could get used to the harness then i would suggest you also buy a seatbelt for the harness so he cant run around the car, but i wouldnt just put him in the car just incase he hates it and really freaks out, good luck with it

I wouldn't recommend it from a safety point of view. I can't see a cat sitting in the back seat, sitting still, with a seat belt on.

A pet carrier is the safest method, on the back seat, with the seat belt across the carrier

I might be wrong, but I THINK dogs legally have to be secured in the car when travelling, so I would imagine the same would apply for a cat. I think I've seen harnesses for cars available though.

I would just worry what would happen if you were to crash - we've all seen the very graphic adverts of a child not wearing a seatbelt...

me and my husband have taken our cat in the car. however not using a seatbelt buckle on them. I myself have sat in the back with the cat holding the cat while on the harness and lead. I let him move somewhat but not enough that he desrupts my husbands driving. The only time we put the cat in his box is when its vet time. He tends to be nervous then so its more secure that way as hes a strong cat.

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My Furbabies
Socks
Sophie
Gorgous R.I.P.

Whenever we do take him in the car we put a blanket down by my feet and he settles down there. However we do only drive for 3 mins to the vets

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Mummy to;

Sooty 9.6.1996 - 28.04.2011 Rest in peace my love!
Storm (Sueragdandy Phantom) 28.02.2010
Benji (Kassaro Benjamin Franklyn) 08.03.2011

I dont know what the legal requirement is but common sense tells me it would not be wise to have a cat loose in a car,whether on a harness or not.Cats are more prone to unpredictable behaviour,than a dog is,and I would hate to be the driver of a car that had a "freaked out" cat scrabbling around the car.If you feel your cat would be better with space why not invest in a crate specifically for the car where your cat has both space and open views.

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There's this product with great reviews. Safety Belt for Cats: great bargain at zooplus

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We have found that it has been the best method for us. Sooty gets way too distressed in his box, we have tried training for years, using every method in the book to get him to feel more safe and relaxed in his box, but he is a stubborn cat!

As it is literally about 150 yards with a speed limit of 20, and he settles down by my feet immediately, we have found it to be the best for him. He is old and doesn't need the stress of being stuck in a box which he obviously hates, his heart rate goes up and his breathing becomes laboured. It is so much more kinder to him to sleep by my feet for thos efew yards.

And before you ask, he weighs in at about 9 pounds so is way too heavy for me to carry down the road!

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Mummy to;

Sooty 9.6.1996 - 28.04.2011 Rest in peace my love!
Storm (Sueragdandy Phantom) 28.02.2010
Benji (Kassaro Benjamin Franklyn) 08.03.2011

Not quite the situation I was referring to.It was "traveling "with a loose cat in a car,which I would not consider to be a safe thing to do.

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