Traveling with a cat: car, plane and border

Written from the sources below on 4 October 2026.

Most cats would rather stay home. But a move, a long holiday or a visit across the border can mean hours in a carrier. Traveling with a cat goes better when the carrier already feels safe, the papers are ready, and you have a plan for food, water and the litter box. The advice below comes from International Cat Care and the ASPCA. The border rules come from the Canadian and US governments.

Rules change. Check the official pages linked at the bottom before every trip.

Before you go: vet, ID and papers

• Give your cat ID. The ASPCA says to microchip your pet and to use a collar and tag with your name and phone number.
• Carry your cat's rabies vaccination records. The ASPCA also says to check whether your trip needs a health certificate (a certificate of veterinary inspection).
• For a flight, the ASPCA says to book a vet checkup, bring vaccinations up to date, and get a health certificate dated within 10 days of departure.
• If your cat has been sick or very anxious on past trips, International Cat Care says to ask your vet about medicine that may help.

Pick a carrier that is easy to clean

International Cat Care recommends a strong carrier that is easy to clean if your cat pees, poops or throws up on the way. A solid plastic carrier with quick-release clips, a secure door and a removable top does all of that, and the top lifts off at the vet.

• Skip cardboard and thin, light plastic boxes. They are fine for a short trip, but not strong enough for a long one, especially once they get wet.
• Fabric and wicker carriers are hard to clean after an accident.
• Line the carrier with absorbent pads and bring spare bedding that smells like home.
• Two cats travel better in two carriers. International Cat Care says this gives better air flow, more room and less chance of overheating.

Get your cat used to the carrier first

For most cats the carrier means a vet visit, so they don't like it. International Cat Care says to start well before the trip. Feed treats inside it, put familiar bedding inside, and leave the door open so your cat can wander in and out. On travel day the carrier is then something your cat already knows. The charity also mentions synthetic cat pheromones to help reduce anxiety.

In the car

• Never let your cat loose in the car. International Cat Care warns that a loose cat can distract the driver, and can escape if a door or window opens.
• Secure the carrier where it won't move if you brake hard but still gets air: in the footwell behind a front seat, or belted onto the back seat.
• Not in the trunk. Air flow there is poor and a cat can overheat. Take care in the back of a hatchback too.
• Never leave your cat alone in a parked car (ASPCA). A car heats up fast. International Cat Care says parking in the shade with the windows open is not enough. Someone should stay with the cat.
• Pack a travel kit. The ASPCA's list: food, water, bowls, a leash, waste supplies, medicine and first aid supplies.

Food, water and a travel litter box

• Food: International Cat Care says to hold back food for about four to five hours before you leave, in case your cat gets sick on the way.
• Water: offer it right up until you leave, and again on the way if you can. Bowls that clip onto the carrier let you top up water without opening the door.
• Litter box: in a large crate you may be able to fit a small litter tray, but International Cat Care says your cat is unlikely to use it while you are moving. So the absorbent pads and spare bedding do most of the work.
• Pack a small tray, a bag of the litter your cat already uses, a scoop and bags. You will want them at a hotel or the first night in a new place.

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Flying with a cat

Each airline sets its own rules for cats, including whether a cat can ride in the cabin. International Cat Care says most airlines carry cats in a temperature-controlled, pressurized part of the hold rather than the cabin. Ask your airline before you book, and ask which carrier it accepts.

• Book a direct flight when you can (ASPCA and International Cat Care). It cuts the time your cat spends waiting in heat or cold.
• For the hold, the ASPCA says to use a USDA-approved shipping crate big enough for your cat to stand, sit and turn around, with bedding to soak up accidents.
• Label the crate with "Live Animal" stickers, your contact details and a photo of your cat (ASPCA).
• Freeze a small dish of water the night before, so it doesn't spill when the crate is loaded (ASPCA).
• Tell every airline employee you meet, on the ground and in the air, that you are traveling with a pet (ASPCA).

Crossing the border

Into Canada: the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says a cat under three months old can come in without restrictions. A cat three months or older needs a veterinary certificate in English or French that clearly identifies it and shows one of these:

• the cat is currently vaccinated against rabies
• the cat comes from a country Canada recognizes as free of rabies and lived there for the six months before entry
• a rabies antibody blood test (RNATT) showing at least 0.5 IU/ml, taken at least 30 days after a rabies vaccination.

If the papers are missing, an inspector can order you to have your cat vaccinated against rabies at your own cost, within a set time.

Into the United States: the USDA says it has no animal health requirements for bringing a pet cat into the US. It points travelers to the CDC and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which may have their own rules, and says each state sets its own rules for animals moving in. Check with the state you are going to.

From the US to another country: the USDA says to contact a USDA-accredited vet as soon as you decide to travel. The country you are going to sets the rules, and they can change at any time, so check them before every trip. A health certificate cannot be issued after your cat has left.

When you get there

International Cat Care says to put your cat in one secure, comfortable room when you arrive, so it can't slip out. Set up the litter tray, water and bed in that room first. If you have moved home, it says to keep your cat indoors for at least two to three weeks, and to make sure it can be identified, for example with a microchip.

Staying in a hotel or rental? Ask whether it takes cats before you book. Then read Pet disaster planning, because a cat that travels well is also easier to move in an emergency.