Traveling with Your Cat: Preparations
If you’ve read Peter Gethers’s trilogy of books on his travels with his Scottish Fold, Norman, you’ve probably harbored the fantasy of traveling the world with your cat. But unlike Norman, most cats aren’t wild about road trips and are best left at home. If you think your cat is ready for travel, you shouldn’t just jump in the car and hit the road; advance preparation will be key to your trip’s success. Here are just a few of the things you should do before you vacation with your cat:
Determine if you really should take your cat with you.
Here are a couple of questions to ask yourself before you go:
Is your cat a good traveler?
We all hate to leave our cats behind, but truly, most cats prefer it that way. Some cats are great travelers; others are definitely not. Unlike dogs, who are happiest with their people, cats are happiest in the place that they call home. If you’ve never traveled with your cat to anywhere besides the vet, I recommend a short test run before leaving on a two-week road trip. Take her along on a weekend getaway. This will provide both of you with a taste of what feline travel will be like. If she yowls herself hoarse screaming in her loudest “Call PETA I’m being tortured” voice on a short trip, you really should vacation without her. You’ll both be happier.
Will you be sightseeing and traveling in warm climates?
If you’ll be sightseeing, you may need to leave Fluffy in the car, aka the “death oven” while you do so. Even in fairly mild climates, the temperature inside a car can soar to fatal extremes in a short period of time, cooking your cat while you see the sights. Cracking open the windows offers little relief. So if you want to sightsee, leave Fluffy at home.
Even if you’re not stopping for sightseeing, you’ll probably need to stop for lunch. Drive-through is fine, but if you typically stop to have a sit-down lunch in a restaurant or diner when you’re on the road, Fluffy will probably not be able to accompany you inside, and will need to stay in the car. If it’s warm outside, this could pose a problem. So consider all of your vacation activities before you include Fluffy in your plans.
Where are you planning to stay?
Hotel rooms provide a fairly quiet sanctuary for cats (leave the do-not-disturb sign on the door so Fluffy won’t escape), but if you’re planning to stay with relatives, evaluate how secure and pleasant the environment will be for your cats. Will you be staying with family that includes a lot of young, raucous kids? If you are and Fluffy’s not used to kids, this could be extremely stressful for her, and might provide her with opportunities and incentive to escape. Are there pets in the household where you’ll be staying? This could also introduce stress and result in nasty altercations. 
Even if the family dog is the sweetest dog ever, if your cat isn’t used to dogs, she could be freaked out by the encounter. Do her a favor and leave her at home.
If you’re planning to stay at a campground or park, find out what the pet restrictions are beforehand. For example, pets are allowed in Yosemite, but they are prohibited in the lodges and cannot be left unattended. So you wouldn’t be able to leave Fluffy in the car or RV while you have lunch at the Ahwahnee or tackle the Half Dome hike. This is another instance where it’s better to leave your cat at home.
Research and Book Accommodations in Advance
If you’ll be staying in hotels or motels along your route, you should be aware that pet policies vary, as do the costs of bunking with your cat in a hotel. Sometimes, there’s simply a surcharge added. Sometimes, it’s a cleaning fee which may or may not be refundable, and may be a one-time charge or a nightly charge.
For example, my cat Skeezix and I stayed at a hotel that required a $75 non-refundable cleaning deposit. If you’re staying at a different place every night, and they all require similar deposits, a two-week trip could become prohibitively expensive. Shop around. Some places charge significantly more for cats; I’ve seen others that let cats stay free but charge for dogs.
Since policies and costs are all over the map, you can save a significant amount of money by doing your research… or by leaving Fluffy at home with a catsitter. We’ll discuss accommodations later in this series.
Tag, Chip and Bell
If you’ve been reading The Cat’s Meow for any length of time, you know how many lost pets have been reunited with their owners thanks to proper microchipping and tagging.
The best tag is one that is part of a complete pet recovery service that provides not only your current contact info, but a link to a website that also provides your pet’s medical info, out-of-area contacts, food restrictions and the like. For example, many people put their cell phone numbers on their pet’s tags — but what happens when you are traveling in remote areas with no cell coverage? If you have a tag like the Together Tag, you can provide multiple contacts to ensure that you’re reunited as quickly as possible with your lost pet.
Microchipping is a back-up for tags, should your cat lose her collar. Before you leave on your trip, make sure that your contact info for your microchip is current. Microchip makers like HomeAgain make it easy; just log in to their website to update your profile.
A good bell provides an aural clue to your cat’s whereabouts when she first goes missing so you can locate her before she becomes hopelessly lost. This is especially helpful if your cat isn’t vocal or is frightened by her surroundings.
Tagging, chipping and belling your cat will reap benefits when you’re back home as well. If money is an issue, check with your local shelters; microchipping is often offered at a deep discount through local shelters and humane societies.
Request Copies of the Cat’s Medical Records
If you plan to cross state lines, you may need to have vaccination records and health certificates with you — check beforehand to see exactly what each state requires. Even if you don’t cross state lines with your cat, proof of her rabies vaccination will come in handy if she bites a stranger (not too far-fetched if your cat is stressed from travel). I bring along a vet binder, with all the cats’ medical records in plastic sleeves within the binder. This comes in handy if your cat needs to be seen by a vet during your trip.
If you don’t have copies of your cat’s vaccination records, request them at least a week before you leave.
Flying with Your Cat? Prepare Ahead.
As part of our series on pet travel, we’ll cover flying with your cat in depth. But there are a few things you’ll need to do before you fly with your cat:
- Throughly research the airline’s pet policy and charges. There is no industry standard, and they vary significantly. If you were (ugh!) planning to have your cat ride in cargo, many airlines will not permit pets in cargo during the summer months, or on legs where the temps reach certain limits.
- Reserve your seat as early as possible if your cat is flying in the cabin. Most airlines limit the number of pets allowed in the cabin on each flight, so reserve your seat — with cat — as early as possible.
- Check in with your vet before you fly. Many airlines require health certificates and vaccination records. Flying is usually not recommended for snub-nosed cats — Persians and Himalayans — because they could experience breathing difficulties, and your vet can advise you what to do. You may want to sedate your cat for the trip, but most vets recommend against it, so a quick conference with your vet can help you determine what’s best for your cat.
- Your cat carrier must meet airline regulations. If the cat is traveling with you in the cabin, there is a size constraint as well. If you have a large cat and a long flight, she might not be comfortable in a small carrier, so figure this out before you book the flight. Keep in mind that the carrier usually counts against your carry-on quota, so pack accordingly.
Buy and Test New Gear in Advance
If you’ve never traveled with your cat, you might need to buy travel gear to make the trip as comfortable as possible for your feline traveler. For example, car booster seats keep pets safely in their seats while allowing them to look at the world going by out the window.
Don’t wait until the day before you leave to buy the new gear, however. Test drive it beforehand to ensure it’s comfortable for your cat, fits your vehicle, and meets your expectations. That way, you’ll have time to exchange it, if necessary, before you hit the road.
The bottom line is, thorough evaluation and preparation are key to a successful trip with your cat. She may turn out to be a surprisingly good traveler, or she could ruin your vacation. In any event, if you do what’s best for her, it will turn out to be what’s best for you as well.
For more information on traveling with your cat, check out Catster’s Forum on Cats & Travel.
 Leave a comment here to be entered to win a spectacular prize package in Iams’ Travel Contest on The Cat’s Meow.
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I has only traveled a couple of times. Once was my flight froms Puerto Rico to my new homes in Wisconsin. The other time was in the car with Mommie to her sister’s house, when I was little. Now that I is a big girl, I can stay with my siblings when Mommie goes away (the catsitter comes to takes care of us)
There is some great advice here and shows you really need to think things out very carefully before taking a pet on a trip with you. It can be done though and is not out of the question.
woohoo!! road trip!!
Excellent tips – thank you, Skeezix and friends!
I gotta talk mom into taking me more places. So far we only go to the v-e-t or to grandma’s house.
Grate advice! We researched a lot of this last year. Having this awesome article would have saved us LOTS of time. Thanks for the great work!
Maybe it helps to have a traveling companion!
One more feline travel tip might be to carry water from home in a jug for your cat or be prepared to buy bottled water for them to avoid causing gastric upset leading to a myriad of unpleasant complications.
A couple things to add:
1. There is a pet airway now, that will fly your pet to a place (not in cargo) while you travel separately.
2. Any new equipment (carriers, leashes, bowls, etc.) should be opened and left out at home before the big trip for your cat to get used to. That way, he or she will be more comfortable with the new things and they won’t have that “new” smell but will smell of home.
P.S. We want a cat tent!
Those photo’s are hilariously cute!
I tend not to travel with my cats very often but I know from vet visits which ones would definitely have to stay at home.
The younger cats tend to be more accepting of travel. If it’s not just part of their natural tempermant, getting them used to travel at a young age helps.
My Toby spent more time on the road (from the time he was a tiny kitten) than any of my others so is fairly ok travel wise. The two oldest however nearly lose their voice just traveling to the vet over all the meowing.
Great tips!
I’ve never been a good traveller and there was no way mom could sneak me into a hotel without the world knowing it! I went kicking and screaming and haven’t changed a bit in 14 years. I am getting a little better but I admire kitties who like to travel! I think it is great and the advice was good too! Thanks Skeez!!!
Hugs and Purrs,
Toulouse
Gosh, our mom never packs that much stuff..
I guess she better start just in case of kitty accidents eh?
What great advice, I am not fond out of my carrier, my brother likes to watch the world go by, and has to sit by the window.
[...] Traveling with Your Cat: Preparations [...]
My boy Tristan has gone from Boston to Atlanta and back, but Galahad has never had a trip that long. That may change if I move out to Denver!
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
I’m a pretty good travelur, in the car i only go to the vet to travel. I have to stay in my carrier as Mommy is afraid something might happen to me. I cry when we first start then sit quietly like the good boy I am. But me and my fur mommy Callie traveled back and forth in our ‘rents travul trailur for five years from Quartsite AZ to Oregon. We love the little house and when mom and dad go hunting we got to go in it too. My Callie is at the bridge now and I miss her so much. But mommy got me a little brother! He was a feral little boy aboot 7 months old when he showed up at our house. It took mom all winter, but he is now my faithful companion, he stays in the house at night with us and we are best buds. I’m not lonely any more, I have someone to be close too and he is cute, he follows me all over!
What great advice! Thanks
We love to travel in our RV – it’s like our second home…on wheels! Mom’s got all our stuff in it, cat toys, food bowls, you name it – it’s fun!!!
Great tips! I did the microchipping and tags for my two for our last trip. I also fitted them with harnesses and leashes… not entirely happy with them, but I didn’t start them young enough on them!
I’ve read that Motel 6 is pretty pet friendly, which we’ll be putting to the test next week. We haven’t microchipped, but we do have harnesses and tags.
i love the camping picture! Cat/pet lovers are not crazy; we just want to share as much of our lives with them and expose them to as many experiences as possible.
While it is too late to order the tags right now [not enough time between the move and when they'd be delivered] I will certainly put them on the list of things to get when we settle in.
Even thought things can go well, I’m glad we’re making a road trip with my three elderly cats.
Those tags look cool. I think I’ll check them out. I still have two cats who need tags.
I went to South Georgia a few years ago with my family.It was an eight hour drive to get there. I rode in the back seat in my cat carrier with the air conditioner on,and my mom in my sight from the back seat. Occasionally she would un-zip my bag from the top and reach in and pet me.
It was quite an adventure!! I got to sleep outside on the screened- in back porch at night and watch the nightlife!!!
There are all kinds of critters that we don’t have around where I’m from! We stayed for a week. I was happy to get back home and see my sisters again!!
The next time I go on a road trip I want mama to remember to pack my Greenie’s,catnip and some cold water!!
Ansel travels like a complete rock star. We made three trips between California and Texas, plus several other trips for work in 2007. Here are a few pics:
Helping Dad drive…
On the way back to CA…
“Ansel Hilton”
This is great advice for my mom and dad! Thanks!
Great tips here. My past kitties did not like to leave the house for any reason. Certainly did not like the carrier. I now have a 7 month old that I adopted a few months ago. She is different. She actually loves the carrier and will just go in on her own when I tap the box. She doesn’t mind the trip to the vet or going to visit the neighbors. I doubt however I will ever actually take her to a hotel or anything, maybe just a family members home.
These are great tips. Thanks!
So much new info – Í especially didn’t know about snub nosed cats. Mine’s a mixed breed; how can I tell if he might have breathing difficulties on the flight? Gosh, more questions for my vet!
The cat tent looks adorable! I like the tips you gave as well.
All of my catZ are indoors only, but they have all worn soft break-away collars from day one, with their rabies and ID tags attached. A few years ago I had them all micro-chipped, because accidents can happen, and I want to make every effort to safeguard all of my family members any way I can.
Another thing I find useful is training my catZ to walk with a harness leash. If we have to make a quick visit to the vet’s office, it’s easy to use either a crate or a leash, without getting anyone all outta-whack. Plus, I enjoy the attention we get when people see and react to us!
Our pets depend on us to take care of them – be responsible!
Roadtrips rock! So fun!
Great tips! Right now, I won’t be traveling much with my cat. She’s only a kitten… I don’t have that much patience lol! She will have to travel soon though when I move to my apartment.. but that is only about 2 hours =P
I have traveled to Wisconsin with my Persian cat twice. I won’t let him fly on a plane with me due to his peke faced nose and appearance. He would probably have breathing problems in an airplane, so I take him on the road instead with me when I travel.
Some really good points. Especially the bell, my Ellie has a very quiet meow and is very easily interested in new surroundings.
Really some excellent info and advice. I have taken one of my cats on long car rides but never flown with him. It’s hard to predict how “Fluffy” might react to a new traveling experience, even if he/she has travelled before. The more one knows ahead of time, the better prepared one can be.
Good Gully!!! I jus’ found out thet we can enter each of ten cuntests! So I decided to cum bac und tell u a few uder tings bout me and my fur mommy Callie truveling wid r parents from Oregon to Arizona twice a yur fur five yurs! Callie absalulutly luved thet little house, in da winters we wus in AZ , den we cum back to OR in da late spring. Mom und dad wuld git the truvel tralur redy -purparing to take us wus simple cuse Mom left sum toys in the tralur so Callie watched und made sure mom didn’t furget our litter box und any new toys ur stuff we got whule we wus in AZ fur the winter. Da last trip we made wus differnt, see we had dis big tralur house in Oregon we lived in during the summer. So da last yure we went to AZ pur usual in Sept. Den mom wus ready to retire so we sold da old traler hous in AZ und loaded the travul tralur fur a last trip to OR. Hey dis wus jus’ aftur Christmus, it wus warm in AZ, but dey told us it wuld get colder on d way dis time! Whoa! We travuled fur two days und dey had to have da heter on cause it did get cold. Da last day we stopped sumplace und Dad and Mom got us out with are harnesses on, he’s big, he carried us both us out da door. Den he set us boff down in sum white stuff dat wus so so cold und we sunk to are bellies. Whoa – he lauffed and said, it’s snow kids!! Wull guess who didn’t move – yeay me! Cal is so brave she actully took a big step und sunk agin. Lng story shorter he icked us up and put us in da little house und off we go agin! Dat night we wus back at our big tralur in Oregon and dur wus some of the white stuff there too! Callie got to liken it – she said hey Boo, look you don’t have to dig a hole!!!! She wus right! Me bein’ a kid still, ‘boot five i wus, liked to run fst and skid in it pushin it with my big feet! Ha fun! Dat wus da end of our travelin to AZ, Seems that mom had gotten old enuff to retire. So we lived in Oregon fur good then. We wus two happy kids because it didn’t get so hot up dar and we had lots more ruum to roam. We wasn’t suposed to cros da road, but we did sumtimes. But we larned to stay on are own two acres. Den one year dey got da tralur ready agin! Dat’s anodur story!!! So lon now, Boo Boy, Sees ya