Meet Rosie & Cheeto: 5000 Mile Veterans of the Open Road
Today, as part of our series on traveling with your cat, I’m interviewing Kimberly, better known as “Rosie and Cheeto’s Mom.”
Rosie and Cheeto are road trip veterans, having logged over 5000 miles crisscrossing the United States. I caught up with Kim to find out more about her experiences and get her tips on traveling with cats.
Karen: How far have you traveled with your cats?
Kim: Rosie and Cheeto have journeyed all across the United States. They’ve navigated trips from Miami-to-Michigan-to-San Francisco and most recently, the trip from San Francisco to Chicago. All in all Rosie and Cheeto have traveled more than 5,000 miles in the car.
Karen: Have they always been good about traveling in the car?
Kim: The cats aren’t too keen on road trips – especially Rosie.
Karen: How do you deal with it?
Kim: The first 20 minutes are typically spent screaming.
Karen: Does screaming at the cats help?
Kim: Oh no no no it’s not me who’s screaming, it’s Rosie and Cheeto. I usually turn on music and pretend that they are singing with me. They prefer the open road (highway) to city driving because there is less stop and go.
I don’t let them out of their PTU (Prisoner Transportation Units) unless I am traveling with another person. When I let them out of their carriers, Cheeto hides underneath the passenger’s seat with his booty sticking out. 
Rosie, on the other hand, needs to be touching me all times. I refer to her as my fifth appendage.
Karen: Do you reserve hotels beforehand?
Kim: During road trips I prefer not to reserve hotel rooms in advance.
Karen: How do you find pet-friendly accommodations?
Kim: I typically just go up and ask if they are pet-friendly.
A couple of inexpensive motels that are pet-friendly include: Red Roof Inn (no extra fee), Motel 6 (no extra fee) Best Western and Candlewood Suites.
Karen: Do you ever just sneak the cats in even if pets are prohibited?
Kim: I confess, on occasion I have snuck them into the hotel with me (wink).
Karen: When Rosie and Cheeto stay at hotels with you, do they have a hard time adjusting to the new surroundings?
Kim: Rosie and Cheeto are always excited to get out of the car after a long day of driving. After using the litter box they typically hide underneath the bed or behind a chair.
Before I let them out of their cages I always do an inspection of the hotel room. I also make it a point to look at the box spring of the bed to make sure there isn’t an opening where they can sneak in. I learned early on that Cheeto likes to hide in the box spring and will do everything he can to avoid getting back into his carrier.
It’s also very important to put the “do not disturb” sign on the door. The last thing you want is a maid opening the door for the cats to run out of the room.
Karen: How did you prep your parents for the drive from San Francisco to Michigan? Did they know what they were getting into?
Kim: Fortunately my mom drove to San Francisco with me so she knew what to expect. I made sure my parent’s car was equipped with a disposable litter box, food, water, blankets and paper towels (just in case).
Karen: Do you have a litter box set up in the car? Do the cats let you know when they’ve got “to go”?
Kim: Yes, I make sure the cats have a litter box in the car. You can purchase disposable litter boxes at most pet stores. The cats don’t really let you know when they have to go, but you sure can smell it once they do! Knock on wood they have yet to have a litter box mishap in the car.
Karen: Can you drive as long as you like with the cats in the car, or do they have a limit to have far they’re willing to go in a day?
Kim: They aren’t too picky about the amount of driving we do, but I try not to overwhelm them. To make it easy on them, and me, I try to get at least seven hours of rest in a hotel room.
Karen: Were you able to enjoy the trip and see the sights, or were you limited in what you could do with two cats in tow?
Kim: Unfortunately, I’ve found that traveling with cats limits what you can and cannot do on road trips. Although some may disagree, I don’t like to leave my cats alone in the car for any period of time.
Karen: Ever let them drive?
Kim: No, I’ve seen what happened with Toonces. I will however let them snoopervise from the passenger’s seat.
Karen: Any travel tips you’d like to share?
Kim: Be careful when traveling with cats not to let them interfere with the driver for any reason. They can cause havoc if cats get below the driver’s seat.
When traveling alone I prefer to keep the cats inside their carriers. They typically scream and yell for the first 20 minutes but eventually calm down.
Road trips are not the time to test out new harnesses or walking devices. I tried out a harness with Rosie in a restaurant parking lot and forgot there was a breakaway safety collar. Fortunately she ran directly to my dad, but it could have been a HUGE disaster!
Karen: I’m glad it turned out alright! I’ve read horror stories of cats getting loose at rest stops, and the families (unbelievably) continuing the trip without them.
Thanks for the tips, Kim, and give Rosie and Cheeto some headbonks from me and Skeezix!
For more information on traveling with your cat, check out Catster’s Forum on Cats & Travel.
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When I travel, I sit between Mom and Dad and wear my harness. Sometimes I like to look out the window, but Mom always holds on to my leash so I don’t disturb Dad by trying to look out his side window while he’s driving.
That is good advice about the box spring mattress! I hid inside one of those and they almost did not get me out in time to make it to the airport!
I hid inside a box spring the first time I went on a trip, too. I was very scared that first night but later learned to love (mostly) the excitement and adventure of staying in motel rooms.
And the most important tip – never leave a cat or dog in a parked car for any length of time in the summer months – the heat can kill in just a few minutes time!
Wow! Impressive that the kitties adapt or maybe the hoomans have? We SCREAM and whine when we got 5 blocks to the Vet… we sounds like someone is pulling our whiskers out of our face. MOL!
Thanks fur the story,
*headbutts*
Madi and Abi
Kritter Kommunity. Pet Enclosures
http://krittersthattwitter.com
Good article. Always remember to make sure your pet is secure before opening car doors!! You don’t want them to get out on their own, especially in a strange place!
What a great article! My sister had a cat that loved to visit grandma on the weekends. People are really amazed to see a cat riding in a car. But I agree there are more precautions to take.
Oooooh…Dibbles and Pippa do NOT want to take a road trip any time soon!
We don’t like road trips cuz it means V E T. My sweetie popsicle Rosie and of course Cheeto too are very brave to do so much travelling. My Rosie regularly gets her jetpack out to visit me too. She is an international air traveller.
Eric (Rosie’s hubby)
When we drove from Louisiana to Georgia we also had to stay in our PTUs the whole trip. Mrs. B did not mind at all and Madness only screamed for about one hour. But Bubbles basically screamed the whole way (10 hours!). But we all made it OK and in the end it all worked out.
It was interesting to read about the traveling adventures of Kim, Cheeto & Rosie. Kim seems to have a ton of experience with this and does a really good job in thinking of her cats too. I hope they have MANY miles of travel to go in their futures. MOL!
We have traveled From Texas to Seattle and three years later from Seattle to Oklahoma, close to 2000 miles each way! We had one cat and a dog going up and one cat and two dogs coming back. We left the cat carrier open and she would get out and look around then go back in her carrier. The boys made sure she was in her carrier as soon as we dropped off the frreeway and the door closed. We did discover eight to 10 hours driving was more than enough for the humans and that gave the pets plenty of rest time!
We’re not very brave about car rides. We usually sing the entire way, though the only time we go in the car is when we go to the vet. We start out in the carrier, but Mom quickly lets us out for pets and reassurance. Don’t worry, she’s not driving! She sits in the back seat with us.
road trip! wow rosie and cheeto are brave
I like to sing on car rides. Merrrrrooooowwww!
[...] This post was Twitted by kcole – Real-url.org [...]
We kitties don’t like to go in the car. We just go to the vet and holler all the way. But we doggies LOVE to get in the car and go somewhere, anywhere. Buddy gets the middle of the back seat so he doesn’t miss anything. (He thinks he’s a back seat driver.)
I wonder if anyone has tried one of those barriers you see in police cars in a station wagon for kitty comfort?
“Does screaming at the cats help?”
LMAO!
Generally screaming at a cat who is in a car frightened and meowing only makes them want to top you in volume. lol Not recommended XP
Great article!
Great tips from seasoned travelers. We have been quiet so far on short rides. But who would continue on a trip and leave part of the family behind??
I’m also a road trip veteran – I’ve driven with my pawrents from New Jersey, down to Florida, then to Texas, and back to Florida. Who knows what other state we will live next? My mom got some really useful tips from this article, and she’ll check into the disposable litter boxes next time.
I also usually have free range around the car, since my Mom and Dad don’t put me in a PTU. I really enjoy seeing what’s out there at night – it’s a lot less hectic and I have better vision because I’m a cat. And like Libby, I also like leading car ride sing alongs, MOL.
Oh yeah, we almost furgot about der recent (well, sorta recent) move to Chicago! Da longest drive we ever hadda do was almost 5 hours to Vulcan, Michigan…da yoopee der hey. We yelled almost da whole way der and made mom put earplugs in.
Rosie and Cheeto, you are some brave kitties! My Opus would love to travel but his buddy Sylar says “no thank you!”
Thanks for the great interview and travel tips. We’ll be making a cross country trip in the not too distant future and knowing what hotels are pet friendly will help.
Well I haven’t traveled that much, but my journey to my furever home was a bit of a long one. And then there was the journey to Grandmeowms that one year. I am thankful for all these tips….if Meowm makes me travel again, she can put these to use!
One time when we were traveling with mom, all we did was Meow constantly, she was so irratated she let us out, what a mistake that was.
[...] Meet Rosie & Cheeto: 5000 Mile Veterans of the Open Road [...]
Great tips, and I agree never scream or yell at an upset cat.
That is a great interview!
Rosie & Cheeto got some great adventures!
[...] Meet Rosie & Cheeto: 5000 Mile Veterans of the Open Road [...]
I’m astounded that any cat lover would advise against leaving a cat in a car for any period of time. NEVER leave a cat in a car, PERIOD. It can be life-threatening.
And for kitty calm-down in a can, try Feliway spray on the bedding of the carriers. I had to prepare some of my cats for international air travel, and they didn’t utter a peep on the 100-mile-plus journey to the airport, the check-in, or the pickup after their flight, so I’m told. Feliway was all we needed to keep them serene.
I have never been anywhere except to the vet. Does that suck or what?
When I was a kid, we did a Minnesota to California drive with two adults, two children, and three cats. We eventually figured out the only way to make two of the three calm down was to put them both in a carrier together and put a blanket over it. They’d curl up and sleep. The third was a great traveler unless the other two were yowling and making her anxious.
As I’m the only one with video proof, I’ll post comments for entering the contest. It’s in my video book titled V*E*T Visit.
I hate to travel!! I especially hate the confinement… from the day mama got bloodied bringing me home in a box she’s known I do NOT like being in something so small. I cry just a little less when let loose in the car, but it makes mama nervous because she worries something might happen to me.
I’m a very reserved feline normally, but when I have to travel, I become super affectionate! I rub and purr and love on mama like crazy!!! But she knows it’s just because I want to go home!!
I hope it’s ok for me to just put this same post as the comment on each of the Cat’s Meow posts that are eligible for entry. ^~~^
Grumbly purrs,
Zilla
Like people, some cats are more adventurous and adaptable than others. I think baby steps are good.. Thanks for the tips from Rosie and Cheeto!
For those of you adventuresome cats, your parents can easily search for accommodations that welcome cats at http://www.GoPetFriendly.com. They can even map out your road trip, locate the pet-friendly hotels, and print your driving directions! Have fun on your travels!
[...] Meet Rosie & Cheeto: 5000 Mile Veterans of the Open Road [...]
I had no idea that some motels/hotels allowed certain pets without any extra fee. I may consider practice car rides with my cats so they can travel with me in the future. I miss them so when I have to leave them!
Wow, you cats have logged a lot of miles! We just started our travel adventures – in an RV!!!
My sisfur gracie is not as seasoned as I am a traveler, but I can match Rosie and Cheeto’s travels. So far I’ve made two round trips from Austin TX to New Orleans, one roundtrip from Austin TX to Chicago, a one way trip from Austin TX to Chicago, a one way trip from Chicago to Seattle, and then between the last summer and this one we added one round trip between Seattle and Austin TX. Honestly, we’ve lost count of the miles we traveled by car.
Now that we’ve moved to Seattle permanently, mom says that our traveling days have come to an end for the time being, unless dad somehow manages to change his mind and find a job on the East Coast… But that’s only a maybe some years in the future.
As for leaving cats in the car alone… Our mom didn’t use to, but it made me on edge not to have any time alone for hours and hours on end. So now what she will do is (and take note of the bolded IFs) if it’s pleasant (not too hot, not too cold) on the outside and if it’s not sprinkling, mom and dad will leave us in the car for a few minutes while they are gassing up the car and need to use the facilities, with the sunroof open a sliver so the air can circulate but without providing us with a sizable escape hatch. When they can do that, they will typically take shifts as follows: dad gasses up the car right outside while mom uses the facilities and gets a snack or two. When mom returns, she will stretch her legs right outside the car while it’s dad’s turn to use the facilities.
We like this setup because it gives us a chance to spend some time alone (which cats do need, sometimes), but mom and dad are never too far from us, and the sunroof provides us with fresh and cool air. I can sit on the front seat and pretend like I’m driving, do things like drink some water, and sometimes I’ve even used the litterbox (I don’t do it when mom and dad are in the car, because I really like my privacy). Gracie pretty much feels the same way.
My last trip with JJ and Jack I had a van and made a large ‘cage’ for them from those wire storage cube things. Worked well. Plus harnesses and the works. I slept in the van with them each night.
we did a roadtrip to LA with our cat awhile ago. He did not come out from under the hotel bed nor ate for 3 days. We cut the trip short and came home early. Poor guy. Now at the end of the month we have another LA trip with a different cat. Hope all goes well.
5,000 miles? I’m worried about the 500 trip we’re taking. It’s comforting to know cats can cope.
Gah! I can only imagine that moment of panic as Rosie broke away. Eep! Thank goodness that all came out well.
I <3 Rosie and Cheeto! Hoo knew dey wuz so wurldly!
Mai sistur, Luna, refused to drink oar use the litterbox on the furst leg uv their move from NY to SD, so she spent the whole first nite in the hotel drinking and turning the clumpy litter into one giant boulder, and in between, guarding the door standing liek a meerkat.
Teh next day in teh car she slept all day.
Most of our travels with cats have been when we moved or when taking them to the vet.
I like to sit on mom’s lap and look out the window.
I don’t know if I am brave enough to take my cat on a travel trip. LOL She would probably do fine. She likes her carrier and doesn’t mind the trip to the vet either.
Interesting interview, but you have to be very careful if you are going to let the cats out of their carriers in the car. It can be very dangerous if they get under the driver’s seat or feet.
I only wish my two were this comfortable in the car!
The only travel I get is to the vet.
My used to love car travel but isn’t too fond of it right now…
Awww… those cats have quite the characters =P
My cat parents stop frequently at rest stops on the road and give me an opportunity to use my litter box in the back hatch of their car whenever they take a break. I’m happiest when it is mealtime and time for a roadside picnic when we travel!