Traveling with your cat is sometimes your choice and sometimes a necessity. Lots of decisions and thinking can make it a safe and non freak out event. Cats like a stable and same old routine type of life. When you have to go away, then you have to decide what is best suited to your cats well being. What is easy for you, is not necessarily what is best for your cat.
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Have a secure cat carrier, soft or hard. Soft is nice because it offers some give and is easy to hold in your arms, when your cat is frightened. It works very nicely in car travel. Hard is good for commercial travel, because it protects your cat from bumps and rough handling.
With either cat carrier take an old T-shirt that you have worn, that has your bodys scent on it and put it in the carrier. A favorite small blanket or something that will fit in the carrier, is also a good idea. It will help to calm the cat.
Remember that while you know what is going on, your cat is surrounded by new noises, scents, and people it does not know. It will also sense your nervousness of getting there on time and checking in.
Take your cat in for a check up with the vet. Make sure all shots are up to date and that you carry the paper work to prove it, in case there is a problem while traveling.
Make sure your city/ county registrations are up to date. That the harness or collar has them attached. A tag with your name, address and phone number is a good idea, in case the cat should get loose. Marker pen this information and your destination information inside the cat carrier.
Take along small plastic bowls/tubs. Recycled little sour cream containers work nicely.
Your cat probably will not eat or drink until you get to your destination, but you should be prepared in case you run into unexpected problems such as flight delays or car problems. Take along a back up supply of dry food in a ziplock bag and a small bottle of water. With flights you can dump the water out before going through clearance and refill it on the other side at a water fountain.
One very important thing to have on hand is those great wipe its, just put some in a ziplock bag. Do the same thing with a few paper towels and then you can deal with most messes. that can occur.
It is a good idea not to feed your cat for several hours before leaving home, because this helps the nevervous cat, not to throw up. Please remember that cats can develop serious medical problems, if they are forced to go too long without water or food.
Be sure to check with your host or hotel before hand to make sure your cat is welcome.
When you arrive at your destination, secure the cat in your room and let it get use to the new space on its on terms. Leave the carrier open and available for its sense of security. Give it water and food right away. Put its litter box in place and put the cat in it, so that it knows it is available. It will probably hop right out, but it will know where it is. Spend at least a few minutes in your room, so that you get your scent on things to make things more familiar.
When traveling by car, it is a good idea to find a spot for the litter box and the cat to have easy access to it. Especially, if you are going to be driving for long hours.
We cover our back seat with plastic garbage bags and then cover that with an old sheet. We put the litter box on top and the carrier next to it. It is seldom used, but when it is needed it is there. We carry a scooper and recyled grocery bags for a quick clean up. The scoopable/ lumping type litter works nicely. Be CAT Preparation sure to pack some extra for freshness, on your return trip. A can of room fresher spray is also a good idea for the car and your room.
Be sure to secure the carrier between something, so that it does not roll over during curves or sudden stops.
Proper preparation before a trip can make all the difference between a pleasant trip and one that you would just as soon forget about. Remember - if your cat travels with you, you know it is safe and well cared for.
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are India's premier management institutes. IIM, not to mention is the deity to CAT aspirants. Last year one is added to the list i.e IIM Shillong which increases the probability of getting into IIM, af course if number of aspirants remain the same; but still this number is very bleak. So what matters the most in this world of competition is how you prepare for this tough and 'smart' exam, yes, smart is the key word because the person who prepares smartly is the winner of this game as there is a famous adage: Don't work hard work smart. So overall I will be discussing about some smart techniques for killing this meow (CAT).
What you need to firstly do is to see where you stand currently i.e what are your strengths and weaknesses, and you can do this by taking one or two mock tests. Never fear if you find that you are weak nearly in every area because converting your weakness to your strength doesn't need more time, it needs smart time. After deciphering your strengths and weaknesses, it's time either to collect the reading material or to join a coaching classes. Many students ask why do we need coaching classes; well then the answer to this question is: coaching institutes will organize your study habit; off course they aren't alchemist who will turn you into gold. But if you are a working official and think that you are a good manager in organising your study time then nothing is better than that.Therefore, organized study is the first main key point to this smart journey of preparation; after all you are going to become a manager so everything should be organized and managed.
Second key point is 'Stick to the Rules'; though the irony is CAT never does but by not sticking to the rules they are checking whether you does. So; make a time table of your study plan and keep it in your pocket or paste it on your notice board of office or home. Time table of every aspirant will be different so keep in mind your weaknesses while making the itinerary. Give more time to your weaknesses and practice as much as you can. Main problem with many students is that they organize their studies for few days, and after that they procrastinate the assigned targets or don't give the required time to their studies. But perseverance and patience are the two traits which every aspirant should have as CAT will check your patience by giving you a whole together a different paper; so you should maintain your calmness and don't get flummoxed.
Third point is to keep track of your performance and your mistakes. After all you are preparing to improve and if you are not tracking your performance then how will you get to know whether you are improving in your weak areas or not. Never repeat your mistakes. Keep your mind fit by eating healthy food and by reading some good novels and newspapers. Good is a subjective term but here what I imply is read those novels or articles in newspapers which you hate reading in normal circumstances; CAT is not good in giving your favorite RC passages. After all for ESLs (English as a Second Language) reading is the strongest tool to hone its English skills.
Lastly, never think that your aim is to clear written exam. You are not preparing for getting a call, you are preparing for getting into IIMs, so participate in GD sessions and keep yourself updated with current affairs. If you haven't join any coaching institute then you can join any public forum online or offline for practicing GD and Interview sessions.
At the end I will summarize my rules:
a) Know your strengths and weaknesses.
b) Organize your studies.
c) Keep track of your performance and mistakes.
d) Read healthy.
e) Keep preparing for GD & Interview.
As it is not in my scope to give you each and every aspect of preparation but I have tried to write some of the key points which I have noticed in every IIM student. So, don't just toil, have some smart oil.