BASKETS
Cats should ALWAYS travel in some sort of container, preferably a proper cat basket. Loose cats in cars are dangerous and can escape at the end of a journey, loose cats in the vets can cause mayhem, and insurance companies will take a dim view of problems caused by a cat which should have been in a basket.

Types of basket
- plastic covered wire baskets or plastic carriers are the best, always check that the lid is secure
- lightweight cardboard or corrugated plastic cat carriers are cheap and can be easily disposed of if soiled or after an infectious disease
- in an emergency, a zip fastening material bag can be used, but close the zip completely, or the cat will open it easily (as long as the journey is short, the cat will not suffocate)
- wicker baskets are popular but tend to have insecure doors (only one fastener so the cat can squeeze out of the corners) and are difficult to clean
Do not be tempted to enlarge air holes – if a cat can get a paw through he will soon try to make the hole bigger and escape.
Newspaper is the best liner; it does not have to be cleaned if soiled, just disposed. It is unnecessary to fill the carrier with many cushions and blankets, as this can be uncomfortable for the cat.
Cats can be difficult to put into carriers. Try doing so on a table – the cat loses confidence. Also try putting the cat in backwards (tail end first) – the cat does not realise what you are doing in time to retaliate. Tranquillisers should not be necessary.
Hide the carrier until it is needed if you can, as cats soon realise what it is for, and will run off at the sight of it being taken out.

CATTERIES
Choose a cattery on the basis of recommendations from other cat owners.
Have a look round first – all good catteries will be happy to show you round (make an appointment first though). The cattery should be clean and well organised.
Good catteries should always ask to see a vaccination certificate, so make sure your cat’s is always up-to-date.
The best catteries are fully booked long before the holiday season starts, so book as early as possible.

MOVING HOUSE
This is a stressful and confusing time for cats. During the day of the move, it is wise to put the cat in the cattery, as they will be less upset by the commotion.
Very short distance moves are difficult as the cat will know the area and try to get to the old home. It may help to put the cat in the cattery for 2-3 weeks before taking him to his new home. Another theory is to take the cat on a tortuous confusing journey which will make the cat think he has travelled a long way.
Once the move has taken place, the cat has to learn a new territory. Some people recommend keeping the cat indoors for 2 weeks but this can be difficult and stressful in an outdoor cat (and confuse his toilet training), so many cats are allowed out on the first day. Let him out before his feeding time - hunger will stop him going too far - and getting his dinner on return will reassure him. Put a litter tray outside near the back door so he does not have to search far.
There will almost certainly be fights until he establishes his place in the local cat society, so watch for any wounds which may need treatment.

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