Can I keep my cat in his Thundershirt for a 5-6 hour car trip? I’ve tried it on him a few times, and he seems ok with it. He sort of rolls over and becomes quite docile.
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Are you sure the cat is okay with it? A common response in cats when you put clothes on them, and they don't like it, is for them to freeze up and flop on the ground. A cat that doesn't mind the clothes will behave like normal.– KaiCommented Jun 16, 2019 at 18:56
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1 Answer
Hello and welcome to Pet Exchange :)
I have never heard of Thunder Shirt before but I looked into it.
I am not a fan of putting clothing on animals but this is for certain occasions as I understand and if it helps your pet be more relaxed and calmly learn about new things I think it is worth it. Most pet owners give very positive reviews.
Their website claims that you can leave it on for up to 10 hours, but especially with the warm weather (assuming it is summer where you are or a hot car atleast) you should be aware that temperatures over 30°C can make it very uncomfortable and too hot for the pet. They also recommend removing it every couple of hours to check it still is in a comfortable position. On a car trip you could check on your cat whenever you take a break too.
Now to the flopping over. Their Q&A says that it sure can happen and it can mean that the cat is scared. But with some training and encouraging the cat to move around can make the cat get used to it. The Q&A with lots of interesting info
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There are several questions on Pets involving the "Thundershirt" (one word, no space) product. I have one for my dog and it does a good job reducing anxiety.– JoshDMCommented Aug 6, 2019 at 18:53