Relocation Preparation: Training Pets to Love Their Travel Crates

Pet Transport Is a Process: Crate Training Cats

Big parts of a pet move -- completing the vet paperwork and booking the flight -- are certainly important, but it's easy to overlook another essential element: the travel crate. Not only do you need to pick the right size and airline-approved model, you need to help your pet learn to see it as a safe and normal place to be so that, on travel day, stress is kept to a minimal level.

Sound impossible? We've had many clients whose pets started out unacquainted and downright suspicious when it came to the travel crate, but by the day of departure they were happy as could be. Getting from skeptical to relaxed does take some time, but with step-by-step actions and a bit of patience, you won't believe what's possible.

Take a look at these crate-training tips for cats (and here are some quite similar tips for crate training dogs, too) as well as this move snapshot of Karma and Reiki's pet crate journey. Finally, see the pictures below for a good illustration. Using toys and treats seems to be working for this kitty; maybe that could work for you, too.

As always, please contact PetRelocation if you have any questions about an upcoming pet move!