What is the best way to travel with cats?

My cat has to make a 3 hour trip with me about 5 times a year - it's pretty unabearable. Any tips on how to calm her down?

Get out the car carriers a week or two before the trip. Leave it open so your cat get get used to going in in on its own time. Plan on an appropriate feeding schedule. My cats dump out roughly half hour to an hour after eating. You need to know this so you can feed them at the right time so they dump out just before you go.During the trip, if they still howl the whole way, try putting a cloth over it to block their sight. My female cat would sit there and drool. So having plenty of paper towels on hand is a good idea. Cats can go a long time w/o water or food. So in a sub 12 hr trip, don't bother with it.Taking them out for a break... let them suck it in. My reasoning is that trying to get them back in the carrier is more traumatic than any comfort you could give.For longer trips, I would go to the vet and get a mild sedative. Note, this can be very entertaining. As my cat would start to feel the influence of the sedative, it would start going crazy. Like being really hyper-active. Don't worry vet said this is normal and only lasts about 10 min.