It’s a Strollerpalooza!
Welcome to Stroller Week at The Cat’s Meow!
Memorial Day officially marks the beginning of the strolling season, and to mark the occasion, we’re celebrating all week by interviewing strollin’ cats to get their perspective on the stroller phenomenon. We’ll provide a buying guide to help you select the stroller that’s right for you, and we’ll even go strolling with a special Catster celebrity! Whether you think cat strollers reside in crazy cat lady territory, or are an invaluable means by which you can bond with your cat, we promise to make you a stroller savant by next weekend.
Skeezix & Mao in a July 4th Parade
I bought a pet stroller for Skeezix a couple of years ago, and am thrilled with the purchase. Skeezix LOVES strolling. He sits quietly and attentively, watching the neighborhood go by. Mao, my cranky Siamese, was not as thrilled with strollering at first, but once he got the hang of it, he really began to enjoy it. About half the time we take both cats out together. It’s funny to watch the two of them in the cabin — I swear, they jostle for control of the “front seat” just as young children would.
Is strollering just another nutty crazy cat lady craze? Well, my perspective may be biased, but I don’t think so. It’s analogous to taking dogs for a walk. Although Skeezix is leash-trained, I don’t really “walk” him, I just hold the leash and watch as he sniffs every. blade. of. grass. It’s tortuously slow. And if there’s a dog coming at us, I risk getting scratched to death if I pick him up to protect him.
With the stroller, you determine the pace, and Fluffy gets to sit back and enjoy the ride. Skeezix feels extremely safe within the stroller and nothing fazes him: traffic, dogs or screaming kids. Most other strolling cats that we’ve talked to feel similarly secure within the cabin. Skeezix loved the stroller from the first moment we set him in it. Mao, who is resistant to anything new, was not quite as enthusiastic at first. But after one ride, even he was sold, and he now rides quietly (well, mostly quietly) with Skeezix, taking in the scenery. We even have a formerly feral cat who follows us like a dog when we take Skeezix strolling (watch the video here).
I’ve turned a lot of people on to cat strollering over the last couple of years, so I’m familiar with the questions most people have when they’re considering the purchase. Here are the most common questions I get asked:
How likely is my cat to enjoy strolling?
You never know until you try. But after talking to a number of people who have cats who don’t like strolling, stroller aversion seems to be more common among cats who are terrified of the outdoors, are uncommonly timid, or don’t like being enclosed. If your cat is leash-trained in the outdoors, she is likely to enjoy strolling. If you have multiple cats, the odds are that at least one will enjoy strolling.
Skeezix loves it when he gets to drive the stroller solo.
Where do you buy pet strollers?
If you aren’t sure whether your cat will take to strolling, I recommend buying the stroller on eBay. You can get a pet stroller that’s been used only a couple of times for a fraction of the retail price. And if it doesn’t work out, you can turn around and auction it back. Overstock.com is another good place to get a deep discount on strollers.
Most major pet retailers sell strollers, though not always in their bricks-and-mortar stores. And if they do carry them in stores, they usually only keep one or two models in stock. Some online merchants specialize in pet strollers; at least two of which offer free shipping:
- Just Pet Strollers (Click here to get a 10% discount on a stroller purchase!)
- Strollers.com
How much do pet strollers cost?
Like baby strollers, cost runs the gamut from around $60 to over $300. But you can get some pawsome deals on eBay and Overstock.com, and JustPetStrollers.com will match other retail vendors’ lowest price (with some restrictions).
How do you get your cat accustomed to strollering?
The most effective way is to put your cat’s favorite blanket, toys, and even a little nip inside. Leave it in the house where your cat has access to it, and let your cat explore it on her own.
Sometimes, we stroll off-road in the wilderness.
Once she’s acclimated to it, zip her in. Once she’s okay with that, push her around a bit inside the house in it. Depending on the cat, some people will make the outside transition gradual as well… leaving her on the porch for a bit, then in the driveway, and gradually taking her down the street. Find a quiet place to stroll, at least at first. For your first stroll, don’t go too far, and monitor the cat for stress. We try to time our strolls for points in the day when the cats are unlikely to need to use the litter box, and we pack leashes and harnesses, just in case.
What kind of stroller does Skeezix have?
We have a Jeep Rubicon pet stroller.
Would you recommend it? Would you buy the same model again?
I do recommend it highly. If I had it to do over again, I might consider the Pet Gear AT3, mainly because the Jeep has a fixed front wheel which sometimes makes it a bit difficult to maneuver. Not a big deal, but the less expensive Pet Gear stroller is probably a better buy… UNLESS you jog with the stroller. Then I think you really need the Jeep’s inflatable rubber tires (which also provide a silent ride). Over the course of this week, we’ll talk to cats who have various stroller models to give you an idea which is right for you.
What should I look for when shopping for a stroller?
That’s a great question! Check out The Cat’s Meow’s Stroller Buying Guide for everything you need to know to pick the stroller that’s purrfect for you and your cat(s). We’ll also interview six strollin’ cats to find out thare purrspectives on the stroller phenomenon, we’ll give you tips on how to pimp your ride if you have a stroller, and you’ll get to watch video footage of Skeezix strolling with Catster friend, Finn. It’s gonna be a fun week!
Skeezix taking a break during strolling with his best friend and fellow Catster, Finn.
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And if you’re a stroller cat be sure to check out the Super Strollers group on Catster!
Hello Skeezy, We really enjoyed your stroller video and may look into getting Bosco a stroller of his own. He’d like one, we’re pretty sure, and it will protect him from nasty fleas and barking dogs! Have a great Memorial Day Holiday!!! Your good pal, Bosco.
We just started getting used to our Kritter Kondos from http://kritterkommunity.com…..I am going to try and talk Mommy into a Stroller next….baby steps.
Kritter Kondo
http://krittersthattwitter.com
What a great idea!
We loved strollering, but haven’t been in a long time because of mommy’s work demands. But her work is easing up and we have made mommy pawmise to get us back out there very soon!! We love to spend the time with her. Gimme likes to watch out the front, and I like to watch out the back. That way I can talk to mommy, and I coach her for her 3 Day Walk!
Hi Skeezix ,Great topic here, So many different types of Strollers ., My Stroller has a detatchable carrier (very handy for my needs as I can go Strolling and it doubles up as a cat Carrier too ) Its got side pockets, Rear vent / view pull down cover, top removable cover so I can see out the top or have the view shielded in hot sunny weather .Ive been Strolling in most places, On canal boat, Airport, In Europe , Strolled into Cafes, hotels,Forests, Beach, countryside etc. The frame folds down very easily , for loading into the car.I love my StrollerId be lost without it now.There is a pic of it on my page Purrs Alfie
Great article, and we appreciate the link to our site, JustPetStrollers.com. We really appreciate people like you sharing their pet stroller experiences and helping others learn about how their pets adjusted to and enjoy being strolled.
Would you mind if we quoted some of your article, borrowed your pix, and linked to this blog post?
Thanks,
Augie
My motto is “Live to Stroll, Stroll to Live”.
Thanks to Super Stroller Skeezix the Cat for Meowing about Strolling!!
There is an Italian Pet Stroller on the market for $421.99!! (if you get it on sale) The EGR Italy STS – Sport Trike Stroller with Pet Carrier. Mommy said I have to get a job if I want that stroller.
My wish is that the Pet Gear AT3 came in PINK!
Purrrrs,
Super Stroller RA
I bought my kitties a pink stroller durning the winter and have been wheeling them around in the house. I am so happy the weather is good and now we can try outdoors. I think they are going to love it!
We’re Super Strollers too. Mom got one because I am a tripod and she thought that I might like to be able to get out of the house once in a while. She got the 30 lb. stroller just in case another kitty decided they would like to ride along. Shadow thought it was neat too and she and I will go out together. Snoopur uses it to take naps in when we are not strolling and has gone out for a ride once or twice herself. Brofur Bear thought he might take a spin but cried and yowled so bad she had to take him home. Our stroller is aqua blue and sits low so that we have a “kitties-eye-view”. Mom decided on that type so that I could get in and out easier.
You’re never too old to stroll! I’m 15 and I love my stroller. My sisfur Ashley is 7 and hates hers with a passion. So who knows? You might like it and you might not, but give it a try!
Another good place to pick one up cheaper is Tuesday Morning (who has some on sale right now). We got ours from ABC distributing online very cheaply, and they are surprisingly well made and fold up for storage. We also got our outside kitty cubes from there, too.
Hi – Super Strollers Luke and Tully here. We took to our stroller right away – Mom bought us a Kittywalk SUV because she wanted a detachable carrier, plus she wanted something that could go off-road. She’s planning to pack up the stroller and take us camping this summer in the RV – how cool is that?
Hi Skeezix,
Just wanted everycat to know that it was great strollering with you. I also want everycat to know that you rode in your stroller with the top down!! You were wearing your harness and leash but still – you had the top down and stayed in the stroller – pretty amazing but not recommended for the new strollerin’ cats. Purrs, Finn
we love our stroller! we were all leery at first, but now we stroll like champs. mom leaves it out so it also doubles as hiding caves! we have a double decker. i (KILLER) ride in the top, morti and lydia have the bottom. got ours off ebay for $50 and it doubles as 2 large carriers!
Mystroller is from the Drs. Foster & Smith catalog )www.drsfostersmith.com). It’s the Dura-Ruff Ultralite Cat Stroller and it’s on sale right now for $69.99 (freight charge is extra). I love it. It’s just the right size for me, has a handy carrying basket underneath for snacks for mom and me, it fits in the back of the car without having to fold it up, and it’s orange, which is good with my coloring. 4 paws up for this cool ride. Purrs, Finn
This sounds like it could be fun. Being from Australia I’ve never heard of strollers for cats before. Come to think of yes I have my mate Arnold has one. Can you get them in Australia?
OMC! OMC!!! Strollers are the single greatest thing! I LOVE them!!!
Ours came as a gift from Arnold P., and I am addicted to it! Mom just pulls it out of hiding, and I come running. I LOVE strolling! If anyone hasn’t tried it; tell your humans it’s the greatest thing ever. Really and truly. (Thanks again Arnie!)