What can I do to make the crate feel familiar?

Place a blanket your pet has slept on inside the crate so their own scent is on it, and add a worn item of your clothing for your scent. Airpets transfers the same blanket into the airline crate on travel day so the smell carries through. Familiar bedding is consistently the most effective comfort item — more so than toys or treats, which aren’t permitted in the crate anyway.