If you think holiday travel is stressful, try adding a yowling cat or heavy panting dog to the mix. Whether you are driving over the river and through the woods or leaving on a jet plane with your beloved furry child, these five items can make the trip easier for everyone involved.

Calming Chews by Pet Naturals of Vermont - petnaturalsofvermont.com
These chews really work. They do not sedate your pet; they just take the edge off. Give the first chew approximately one hour before leaving the house. This is usually enough. The dose can be doubled for a particularly nervous bundle of furry love.

Travel Calm by Earthheartinc. - earthheartinc.com
This lavender-centric spray helps keep dogs calm. Simply spray into your hands and rub it onto the dog's ears or belly. It can also be sprayed into a carrier, onto a blanket, etc. While it is not safe to apply directly to cats, it can still be sprayed into a carrier or around where the cat will be traveling (on the seat of a car, under the seat on an airplane, etc.).The two-ounce bottle is perfect for traveling.

Homeopet Travel Anxiety - homeopet.com
This homeopathic formula is given orally to provide relief from motion sickness. It also relieves nausea, drooling and pacing that often occurs during car travel.

Puppy Training Pads (any brand)
There are few things worse than being stuck on a plane or in a car next to a cat or dog that has just peed in their carrier. By simply lining the bottom of the carrier or crate with a puppy training pad, accidents can be quickly and easily cleaned up. Always carry a few extras with you.

Dehydrated or Freeze-dried food
Top quality nutrition is always a must for our furry children. Traveling is no excuse to feed dry food or a diet that is not carefully planned out. Thankfully, there are a number of top quality dried foods (processed as to not lose nutrition) made from ingredients fit for human consumption. And dried foods are lightweight; perfect for mobility. Simply add water and POOF - you have created a nutritionally complete, species appropriate meal for your pet.

Try one of the following - Artisan by Grandma Lucy's; The Honest Kitchen; Stella & Chewy's or Instinct by Nature's Variety. Make sure you introduce the food several weeks before traveling. F.Y.I. - these foods are great for everyday feeding.

Happy Thanksgiving and Safe Travels!

Jodi Ziskin, our Traveling with Pets Editor, is a Holistic Wellness Consultant for Animal Companions, specializing in nutrition and proactive health. She is a Certified Pet Nutrition Consultant who also holds a Master of Science degree in Holistic
Nutrition. Through her company Holistic Jodi, LLC, Jodi makes house calls throughout South Florida, helping cats, dogs, birds and rabbits be as healthy and happy as possible.

She and her husband Zach live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with their two cats, Obi and Emma.

Please feel free to contact Jodi at holisticjodi[at]gmail.com or visit http://www.healthypetcoach.com/