How to Keep Pets Occupied in the Car

By eHow Cars Editor

Instructions

Step 1:
Bring a "bed" or comfortable space that your pet likes. He/she may consent to ride calmly in a basket or bin with a blanket or other accessories, sparing you a lot of headaches.
Step 2:
Bring a friend. See if two of your pets will play together in the back of the vehicle. This can work well or totally backfire, so you'll want to have a plan B.
Step 3:
Hang a "fake bird" or other toy from the roof. A cat may find it entertaining to attack a hanging fuzzy toy while you drive. Make sure this isn't too distracting to the driving process.
Step 4:
Get a "puzzle" toy, a plastic contraption that houses a crunchy treat. If your dog is a chewer, he/she might spend a long time working with this kind of toy, hunkered down safely in the back seat or on the vehicle floor.
Step 5:
Get a passenger to hold onto your animal. Some animals respond well to being in the arms of a human traveler.

Tips & Warnings

Keep the windows closed! Don't allow your pet near open windows while driving, no matter how smart they are, they can still fall out.
None of these methods are a substitute for keeping a traveling animal in a car case. No, your cat or dog may not like it, but since animals can't wear seat belts, for optimum safety, it's recommended to get your pet into a traveling cage and put it on the floor in case the driver takes any quick turns or stops.

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