Many people are faced with the need to transport an animal: someone gets a job in another city, someone goes on a long business trip - but you never know why you have to change your place of residence for a long time. It is clear that throwing a beloved cat into the trash does not raise the hand, and rarely gives an adult beast “in good hands”. So you have to urgently make inquiries about how to transport a cat on a train (and possibly on an airplane). The same question is asked by those who, for the first time, take their pet to an exhibition in another city.
Point One: Veterinary Examination
Preparing for a trip with an animal is a lengthy and even more difficult task than collecting a trip with a small child, so it is better to start it at least a month before the planned trip. Since transporting a cat on a train legally is psychologically easier than hiding it under a bench, first of all, take care of the examination by a veterinarian. If you are being observed in a private clinic, ask if it has a license to issue relevant documents. But it’s easier and cheaper to go to a state veterinary clinic or to a sanatorium (department for combating animal diseases). They are vaccinated against rabies free of charge, and transporting a cat on a train requires such vaccination. You may need to take additional tests if your doctor sees your animal for the first time. In the presence of a veterinary passport, a vaccination mark is made on a special page; if there is no passport - take a certificate of vaccination.
Point Two: Mandatory Certificate and Travel Document
Suppose you already learned how to transport a cat on a train, now you need to get permission from a veterinarian. Such a certificate is valid for only three days, so you need to take it just before departure. It will indicate which animal is being transported, their number (one permit can be issued for several cats), the age of the beast and quarantine marks. Without this certificate, even if you have other permits and travel documents, you won’t be allowed into the car - the rules for carrying cats on the train forbid this.
The fare of your animal must be paid. How much a ticket for a cat on a train costs depends on its weight together with the container (if you strictly follow the rules). But most often they pay as for 20 kg of luggage. For example, to bring a cat from St. Petersburg to Minsk costs only 112 rubles.
Point Three: Transportation Method
With animals on hand in the train there is nothing to do. Be sure to have a cage or carrying bag. Usually, cat owners have some kind of basket in which they carry cats to the same clinic. However, if you have a long way to go, it is better to assess whether the basket is suitable for travel. It is easy to carry an animal two blocks, while transporting a cat on a train is much more difficult: stress and fear can cause it to smash a not-so-safe shelter. It is better to buy a container with a side iron door and a reliable latch, not too small so that the cat is not crowded, and not too large so that it does not start rushing inside with a fright. Cloth carrying bags are not very suitable for a long journey: they are stuffy, the walls can be torn by an exhausted animal, and it will certainly not be difficult to break a lightning.
What to take with you
If you travel far, the transport of cats on the train is complicated by the need to feed them. You have to take food, bowls, a tray and wet wipes with you. Water (certainly boiled) is needed, even if you go less than a day, the cat will definitely want to drink. A good solution would be an absorbent diaper (which is placed by non-walking patients) or an oilcloth bought at a pet store. You need to lay it under the bars in the carrying. Take a harness with you: a cat can walk along the platform if the train is at the station for a long time. And if she needs to use the toilet, it is better to control the process so that she does not get into a hard-to-reach place in fear or start running around the car.
Which car is right for you?
The rules for transporting cats on a train clearly regulate where they can be carried with them, and where not. So, soft cars (increased comfort, no more than two people in a compartment) and CB will not suit you categorically. Likewise, you will not be allowed into a children's carriage - however, when purchasing tickets, this issue should be regulated by railway workers. They must make sure that you do not come across a place in the car, where just a lot of children are traveling. The basket with the cat should be located on the baggage; he, in fact, is considered luggage. However, no one has the right to forbid you to place the cage on your shelf or buy another place where the cat in the basket or on the leash will feel calmer than under the seat or on the third shelf.
If the train has a luggage carriage
Some trains have a special carriage for carrying luggage. You can hand over your cat in this car. For this, it is enough to present a document for the transportation of the animal. True, they will have to arrive at the train 60-70 minutes before departure: closer to "hour X" the goods cease to be accepted. To get your pet back, you will be given a luggage receipt; its loss is not a disaster - the cage with the cat will be returned to you according to your passport.
However, there are certain disadvantages to this method of transportation. First of all, you can load a cat only at the terminal stations, on intermediate trains the train is too short for this. But the main "ambush": your pet will be extremely uncomfortable there. In a strange environment, without the ability to warm up, without the proximity of a loved one, the stress in the animal grows like an avalanche. Moreover, no one will feed him, release him “into the pot” and put him in a basket if, for example, he catches his vomit. So it’s better to take the trouble of transporting a pet than putting him in a helpless position.
Preparing the animal for the road
You have learned all the information on how to transport a cat on a train, now you need to prepare your pet for the trip. To do this, you will have to violate her diet. About six hours before the start of the journey, you need to stop feeding her. It does not hurt to talk with the veterinarian about taking a sedative to the animals - this will make it less aggressive and help you more reliably transfer the trip. Perhaps the veterinarian will advise on vaccination designed to strengthen the immune system, which in any case will suffer from stress and forced starvation. So that the cat does not begin to get nervous even at the stage of "stuffing" into the carrier, leave it for a week in an accessible place for him. Curiosity will push the animal to study a new subject. The basket will be sniffed and examined; maybe the cat will even take it as habit to sleep in it. At least, peace of mind at the beginning of the journey (at least to the train) is provided to you.
Possible problems
Rarely, the passage of cats on the train runs smoothly. Difficulties begin with a guide. It is possible to extort money due to an alleged violation of the rules of transportation; however, in the presence of all the documents listed, it is unnecessary to pay the “flight attendant”. However, the conductor can be understood: he is afraid of dirt, noise and problems with other passengers. He can be reassured, if only about the mess - they say, if anything, you remove the cat yourself.
The following problems may arise if you come across scandalous fellow travelers. Here, you just have to calmly explain that the animal received all the permits, is not sick, and its transportation is paid. To reduce the intensity of passions, try to calm the cat so as not to annoy the neighbors with his plaintive screams.
In general, the journey will be a test for both you and your pet, at least for the first time. In the future, if transfers (for example, to exhibitions) are frequent, the cat will get used to them and react much more calmly.