Traveling With a Cat in the Van or Camper

Choose a comfortable cat carrier for long road trips.

Cats are not likely to enjoy driving cross country even half as much as you do, which can make traveling with a cat in the van or camper a nightmare if you don't prepare thoroughly for the adventure. If you take time to ready your cat for travel in its carrier and proactively anticipate and plan for cat-related travel concerns, you will be rewarded with a relatively mellow and compliant feline road companion.

Things You'll Need

• Cat carrier
• Cat treats
• Vaccination papers
• Identification collar
• Cat dish
• Cat food

Instructions

1. Set your cat carrier out in the living room weeks before your trip. Put treats inside the carrier each day to lure your cat inside. Let your cat spend incrementally longer periods locked in the crate each day.

2. Take your cat on "test runs" by putting it in its carrier, strapping it into the back seat of your van or camper, and driving around town. Help your cat get used to road travel by increasing the length of your practice trips each time.

3. Place your cat's vaccination papers in your glove box. Put your cat's identification tag around its neck. Put a cat dish and cat food in an easily accessible location in your car.

4. Ask your veterinarian to recommend reputable emergency pet clinics along your travel route. Write down the address and phone number of each of these clinics and store the information in your glove box.

5. Stick to your normal feeding schedule while on the road using the dish and food you brought along in the car. Slide the food into the carrier and relock the door while your cat eats, instead of letting it roam free in the van or camper.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not let your cat out of its carrier to use the bathroom. Wait until you reach your destination for the day and let your cat use the litter box inside the hotel room or at your stationary camper site. If you are staying in hotels, be sure to call ahead to verify that pets are allowed. Place your cat's favorite, small toy inside the carrier while you travel to comfort and amuse your pet on the road.

• While it may be tempting to sedate your cat for a long trip in a van or camper, do not do so without consent from your veterinarian; sedation can cause cats to overheat in their carrier, which can be fatal.

References

• Paw Nation; Cat Travel - 5 Things to Know Before Going on the Road or in the Air; Josh Loposer; 2010
• Trip Originator: Traveling With Cats