Hello Fellow Bengal Owners: I'm curious to know if any of you allow your Bengal to roam free when taking him or her someplace in the car? For example, if or when you take your cat to the vet, do you take it in a carrying case/cage or do you allow the cat to go free for the drive to the location and then put him or her in the carrying case/cage? If any of you do in fact allow your Bengal to roam free inside the car while driving, how does the cat behave? I'm asking this question because when I took my cat to the vet a couple of weeks ago, it was a heavy duty case of continuous meowing and crying and basically trying to claw his way out of the carrying case in which I had him in for the drive.

Our cats always go into a crate or a soft side carrier when we go in the car. As much as they dislike it, it's safer for them should anything happen while we're driving.

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Dallas, TX USA
Diesel - snow Bengal born 09/01/2013 adopted Feb 2014
Tuck, Chloe, Buddy, Lewis & Tia - rescue kitties
Clyde, Bleu & Coal - Great Danes

I would strongly recommend against letting him out and free roaming, or even someone else holding. I know this is common in some countries but it is actually really dangerous. Cats are unpredicatable when scared and so could seriously distract you or get in your way. They would also be seriously injured in a crash. You wouldn't unstrap a small child in the car because they cried, same should apply to a cat.

I know of dogs that have been killed in a car crash because they have gone through the windscreen. I also know owners to be cautioned by the police in the UK for travelling with cats loose.

I would take measures to get them used to a carrier. I see this as essential in pet ownership. If you needed to take your cat to the vets because they were ill, you would have to safely confine it for travel. A sick cat is unpredicatable and scared. So it is essential they are used to being confined for all car travel or they will get even more stressed if you ever have to use a box. Plus it can be dangerous to have a loose cat transported from car to vet...

Leave the carrier out so they can get used to it. Take them for 5-10 minute drives then give them a treat or reward....

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Lollo

Good to hear and thanks for your input and feedback. Much appreciated and good to know as well.

My cat hates it too and wet himself in the carrier. I tried the seatbelt for cats you can buy which keeps them on the back seat. It buckles into their walking harness. My boy hated that as well and howled away. I have yet to try again. My cat likes the carrier but just hates when I lock it and pick it up with him in it. He seems to hate the car movement too. I should try it again to get him accustomed to it. Good luck!

I don't care how much my cat cries, he's in the carrier. Too dangerous if he gets under my feet and interferes with the gas or brake pedals. If you had someone with you and you had him on a harness and leash, maybe that would be fine for a short trip down the street, but the safest place is in a carrier. You want to protect you and your kitty!

Never ever would I travel with an uncrated cat (or dog for that matter).
Mine aren't fond of being in them and complain loudly, but too bad.

Recently there was a horrific accident here where someone who was transporting some rescues was hit by a truck. The driver and passenger were killed. The cats survived as they were in cat carriers. The dogs, who were in a trailer had mixed results. You may think you have everything under control, but you can't control other peoples actions. It's better to be safe than sorry.

I have a bigger crate for my two- a smallish dog crate- so they can both travel together. I cover most of it when they are travelling so they can only see out of the front and not the sides. That means they can see me/my housemate as we go along. Pixel hasn't had to travel much but generally falls asleep and gets on with it. Widget, who has been back and forwards to the vets more often than Pixel absolutely HATES travelling. He cries the whole time. I just keep talking to him and trying to keep things as calm as possible for him.
He's a very vocal cat at the best of times, but he really ramps it up when in the car.

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Katrina

Owned by:

I have two Bengal kitties and I never put them in crates when I travel any distance no matter if it's 20 minutes or 8 hours. They are excellent at riding in the car and either sit in my lap or hang out in the back seat. Either way they have been taught that they are not allowed to get anywhere near my feet or they will get severely scolded. I stopped putting them in crates because they both panic when they are confined to the point of hurting themselves. You should definitely give them a chance to ride free. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how they act. They are very well behaved.

Ashley