Motion sickness in cats is very common, especially for cats that only ride in cars a couple times per year. Motion sickness occurs in cats when they suffer from built up stress and anxiety while they are in a moving vehicle. A lot of times, cats will display motion sickness because they associate riding in a car with making a trip to the vet. The key to helping a cat with motion sickness is noticing the signs.
Motion sickness in cats symptoms
There are a wide range of symptoms that your cat can display if they are experiencing motion sickness. These symptoms include crying, meowing, shaking, excess saliva, throwing up, and diarrhea.
From personal experience, the most common symptoms for cats suffering from motion sickness are vomiting and diarrhea.
What can you give your cat for motion sickness?
There are plenty of options of things you can give your cat for motions sickness. Below are the most common.
Cat kennel
This should be the first thing you try. Cats are very small, and even the slightest of turns can throw your cat around the car. Putting your cat in a kennel will help him/her stay stable during the trip. It is a good idea to have your cat spend some time in the kennel at home before you put them inside of it in the car.
Toys
Another easy solution is to provide your cat with some of his/her favorite toys. The toys will help keep your cat’s mind off of the road, and the toy will bring a sense of familiarity and comfort.
Familiar scent
A great way to keep your cat calm in the car is to give them something that smells familiar to them. It can be a towel that smells like their bed, or even an article of your clothing that smells like you. This will help keep your cat comforted during the drive.
Calming spray
Another great solution I have found for motion sickness in cats is a calming spray. You can get some from Amazon for less than $20. There are also similar products like a calming collar. There are even some cat calming supplements that you can give your cat. We have also heard of people giving their cat some catnip before a long drive. If you plan on doing this, I recommend testing catnip out on your cat beforehand to make sure they don’t have an adverse reaction.
Medication
Lastly, there are multiple options for medication you can give your cat to heal their motion sickness. I have found that medicine is best for when you have to take your cat on a drive that is an hour or longer.
Can you give a cat Dramamine?
Yes, you can give your cat Dramamine. However, their dosage is a lot smaller than the dosage for a human. You should only give your cat 12.5 mg or less. Dramamine usually comes in tablets that are 50 mg, so you would have to split the table into fourths. While you can give your cat regular Dramamine, I recommend giving your cat Dramamine for Cats. You can purchase it on Chewy for 8.99.
