A Complete Guide to Traveling with Cats

Whether you need to move with your cat cross country or are looking to train your furry sidekick as an adventure companion, there are some important steps to take to get them acquainted for the road.

Traveling with cats can be fun and enjoyable, but cats do require more training than dogs to feel safe in the car. Our two cats, Maverick and Aspen, were born in Michigan, have lived in South Carolina and Wyoming, and have made it coast to coast covering thousands of miles on multiple road trips.

Here's what we've learned along the way:

1. Consistency, Consistency, Consistency

Cats are creatures of habit and you cannot attempt to take them in the car once a month and expect to train them. The process (and trust) takes time. Maverick and Aspen began riding in cars before they were 8 weeks old when I was fostering them. When they were kittens and really developing their senses, we had them in the car weekly.

To this day, we take them on trips quite often. Aspen gets very nervous on car rides if he has not been out in a while, which goes to show how essential consistency is for cats.

2. Start Close to Home

Before tossing your cat into the back of your car and driving cross country, it’s best to get them comfortable being in a vehicle. For many cats, the only time they are in the car is to go to the vet. It's as simple as describing it as Pavlov Theory. The cats start associating the car with the vet, which is often unpleasant and therefore creates a negative reaction.

Start taking them on short car rides and giving them positive reinforcements after. Try only giving them treats during or after a car ride while you are training them. Bring a crate, their cat bed, or something familiar from home to make them feel more comfortable.

3. Pack The Car With Cats in Mind

We have a large plush crate that holds their litter box, food, and water on long trips. We leave the flap to the crate open and give the cats free roam. I understand not everyone agrees to let their cats roam in the car, but we treat them like dogs and they prefer to not be trapped in the crate.

We always lay all the back seats down to make the crate fit and it is easier for them to move about in the back. They prefer to be on the passenger's lap or sit on top of the crate in the back.

Here are the road trip essentials we bring every time:

Large Collapsable Car Carrier: https://amzn.to/3Edcc8x

Collapsable Litter Box & Water Bowl: https://amzn.to/3xLFjxp

Wet Cat Food (in tin cans, non-pate, for easy clean up): https://amzn.to/31rE9Lr

Pet Blanket: https://amzn.to/3oflknn

Bluetooth Tracking Collar (Tile is the best one we've used): https://amzn.to/31lJOm3

Cat Collar: https://amzn.to/32JTCXG

Name Tag: https://amzn.to/31ox9yE

Cat Treats: https://amzn.to/3ppUYPf

Retractable Leash: https://amzn.to/3dty18h

4. Avoid Heavy Crowds & Busy Truck Stops

Similar to my piece on hiking with cats, traveling with cats should avoid hectic situations. The last thing you want to do is introduce your cat to travel and the outdoors where a lot is going on: loud noises, dogs, people, etc. If you need a break on the road, take them somewhere quiet. A park or wooded area is always a great spot.

5. Start in Wooded Areas – Don’t Take Them to an Open Space

If you want to take them outside on adventures, know that cats aren’t fond of feeling exposed, such as in an open grassy backyard or open field. Most cats feel protected by things such as trees, bushes, or rocks. If you are just beginning to travel with your cat, slowly introduce them to the outdoor setting in the most comfortable way. Wherever you take them, check the area to make sure there aren't holes, caves, or gaps that they could easily run into.

6. Start Them On a Leash

We've been traveling with cats for over three years now. Before you let your cat loose anywhere, you should be confident that they won’t run off.

It’s never easy to let them off-leash. We were nervous the first few times we did it, but the knew to stay close to us. Today, we can take them camping and let them loose around the site without a problem. It’s a building process.

7. Know Your Cats Personality

Some cats simply don’t enjoy traveling Even our two cats travel in totally opposite ways. Maverick begs to be taken on every trip and glares at us with disdain if he sees us packing and his crate isn’t included. He’ll jump out of the car in an empty supermarket parking lots during a blizzard to run around for fun.

Aspen, on the other hand, is our diva. He likes car camping, enjoys plush hotel mattresses, and only likes to frolic and come on walks occasionally.

Both cats do better traveling than most, but that doesn’t mean they enjoy the same thing. Cats have personalities just like we do.