Traveling with pets often causes headaches as animals become anxious and scared, leading to an unwillingness to cooperate. But one cat immediately realized the consequences of not listening to his owner in the car.
The pet parent, Mary Grippe, who posts on Reddit as u/StrangeElk, told Newsweek that she was on the way back home from a friend’s house, where she had left her cat, Cowboy, for the weekend. She tried getting the cat to go inside his carrier, but he wasn’t having it, which happens often.
“He never likes it, but this time he was really refusing, so I just gave up,” she said.
She threw in the towel, noting it was only a five-minute ride home, and let Cowboy “rawdog” the car ride home. This meant no carrier or seatbelt. He would have to learn to
However, the picture she snapped of Cowboy during that ride confirmed he immediately regretted being difficult about the carrier. With his eyes bulging, he stared at Grippe with horror. He couldn’t believe the car could be so scary when not strapped in.
StrangeElk/Reddit
Thankfully, the cat didn’t stay startled for long.
“He bounced back to his normal awesome self in no time. He wasn’t overly hating it, but he definitely let out a few looooong meows to let me know he was displeased,” Grippe said.
Grippe’s cat isn’t the only one who hates the carrier, but using one ensures their safety when traveling. The International Cat Association shared tips on how to get your cat used to the carrier, including proper introduction, preparation, and securing it in the car.
You’ll want to help create positive associations with the carrier before using it in the car. Fill it with familiar items, such as blankets and toys. This provides comfort and helps absorb any accident. Place the cat carrier in a secure location with circulation and buckle it if possible. Remain calm and soothing to reduce stress.
What Do the Comments Say?
Last week’s post to the subreddit r/cats garnered over 48,000 upvotes and 555 comments, with users sharing their thoughts on what Cowboy was likely thinking.
“Mistakes were made,” wrote one Redditor.
Another commenter posted: “Maybe there’s a reason they toss me in that box…”
A third person commented: “I tried this and my cat just full on spread out and held on the sides and still wouldn’t go in. Now I trap her with a treat. Food motivated as f***.”
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