Whether you are thinking of bringing your cat to do vanlife full time, or to join you on an extended roadtrip vacation, or to simply drive across country, you will find great tips in this article on how to make it an unforgettable experience for both you and your kitty. You can travel in a van, camper, RV, bus, skoolie, or even a car – all information below applies (when traveling in a car though, be very cautious of extreme temperatures and don’t leave your pet unattended). We travelled with our kitty Axel in a converted Mercedes Sprinter van. He loved van adventures and hiking and made every trip so special!
There is a common misconception that cats are not as adventurous as dogs. It is true to the extent that most cats are uncomfortable when taken outside of their normal environment and it takes time for them to adjust. But they are so curious, observant and smart, that once they get over their fears, they love it! And you will feel so happy watching them discovering this new world!
Axel was adopted from West Los Angeles shelter and grew up as an indoor kitty. He always liked spending time on the balcony or patio and never roamed around in streets. The most of wilderness he ever saw was a squirrel that was flirting with him for a few days from the telephone pole above our balcony and a few days later it turned out he had fleas and was itching like crazy!
At 13 years old Axel completely reinvented himself from a senior indoor scaredy cat to an adventure kitty. He hiked, loved to explore and had a completely different personality when he is in the woods – it’s like nature healed him! He became confident, calm, curious, healthy, fit, observant and caring. It went against everything everyone told us (including the vet) that Axel was too old for this, that cats don’t hike, don’t like leashes, don’t travel well, etc. And if we can turn an older overweight scaredy kitty to vanlife and hiking, you can definitely train your kitty 🙂
As you are starting out, you have to learn to be flexible with your schedule and be prepared to have good days and bad days. But the payoff is amazing – you have your sweet kitty traveling with you and don’t have to worry about leaving him or her with someone else.
Adventure training and preparation
Preparation is important. Do not skip this step or your cat will be stressed and miserable and so will you. Chances are your kitty will eventually adjust but it is also quite possible you might have to turn around and leave him or her with family or friends.
We started training Axel about six months before our trip. The length of training could vary, depending on the personality of your kitty.
Leash training is important even if your cat is used to being outside. Putting him or her on a leash will help tremendously in all situations. Be patient. Most cats will not like the leash at first. We put a harness on Axel every day for a few minutes and let him get comfortable with the idea. And of course, we gave him lots of hugs and treats for encouragement
Then we added a leash and started doing small walks at home, in the back yard, around the house. We took him to the nearby quiet park and tried to avoid children and other pets.Once comfortable, take your cat on a few hour trip. Then a day tip. After that you are ready for an overnight trip in your camper. We chose to go to nearby state parks with less crowds.
Most veterinarians recommend traveling with a pet in a carrier or kennel. But when we tried that with Axel, he absolutely hated it and cried non-stop. He wanted to be a free man! We eventually let him just walk around and pick a safe and comfortable place in the vehicle, and then we put his favorite blanket there (for Axel is it space under the table when our benches and table setup is converted into a bed).
What to bring with you on a trip
Treats – they do wonders! This is number one on our list. These are favorite Axel’s treats. Also Axel’s snack pack is the best for hiking!
Favorite blanket or pet bed – put it in a safe place in the camper that your kitty chose for traveling.
Favorite food and toys – they will make your kitty feel more comfortable. We love this amazing cat toy and this mouse. We use no grain food and Axel loves these two brands: Wellness and I and love and you. We also cook homemade meals for Axel and add this Sea Meal mineral and vitamin blend to give him more nutrition.
Essential oils or flea powder – for natural protection against fleas, ticks, and other bugs. Don’t use anything with harsh chemicals.
Organic pumpkin and olive oil – fantastic natural remedies to add to food in case your kitty is constipated (which happens with stressed by road or older animals). Make sure it’s pure pumpkin with no extra ingredients. We add 1-2 tablespoons of pumpkin into his food or a few drops of virgin olive oil.
Powdered organic cranberry – if you kitty has ever had urine blockage issues, bring some powdered organic cranberry. It’s such a great remedy! You can add it to food or water if you are noticing infrequent or unusual bathroom behavior.
Brush – it is great to brush off some dust and loose hair and to give your kitty a nice massage
While on the road
Try to do all driving during daylight, at least in the beginning. At night some cats get worried, anxious, and scared of lights on the road. Also, it’s good to make a stop every two hours or so. This will give your kitty a chance to use a bathroom, stretch his legs, drink water or just simply hang out for a few minutes. We plan ahead pit stops and find cute little hiking trails for Axel. We also do short stops for sightseeing and to check out cool local arts and crafts while Axel gets to take a break from us and stay in the van by himself as a very proud king of the house.
We love to hike, explore nature and do sightseeing, and unfortunately, can’t take Axel to all places with us. If we need to leave him in the van for a while, we park in the shade, put all window coverings on and make sure the vent is open. We have insulated our van really well and generally it will stay cool for hours. When it is too hot or sunny, do not leave your kitty unattended for a long period of time.
Watch your kitty’s behavior with going to the bathroom. Now that Axel has adjusted to traveling in a van, he never complains when we drive. Occasionally we see him start walking around and meawing, and that means he needs a stop to use a bathroom. We stop for 5-10 minutes and let him do his business. It’s pretty cute that he is so vocal about wanting a “bathroom break”! Most kitties will unlikely be as vocal so try to take a break every couple of hours to give them a chance to rest and use a bathroom.
Give them 1-2 hours to digest the food before driving, at least in the beginning (now we give Axel about an hour and he is fine to go). This will reduce the risk of him getting nauseous or throwing up. So for example, in the morning you might not be able to hit the road right away. We usually use this time to have coffee and breakfast or do quick errands. So we actually have a morning routine for Axel – he pees, poops, and eats, we chill for an hour and then get on the road. This way he will be a comfy and happy kitty all day and won’t get cranky.
Hiking tips
As we mentioned before, leash and cat backpack are essential. We look for dog-friendly trails on All Trails app but usually go with lightly trafficked trails – that way we don’t run into too many dogs and people on trails. Axel gets shy and sometimes scared, especially of larger dogs. Again, this will really depend on your cat and how comfortable he or she feels around people and other animals. Axel has never interacted with dogs, and we are slowly getting him to meet smaller dogs and be comfortable around them but we know it will take time.
After the hike it’s good to wipe feet with damp towel and also inspect your kitty for ticks or bugs. We also like to use slightly damp towel to go over his body and face to cool him off if it was a hot day. He loves it!
For flea and bug protection please try to avoid things with harsh chemicals as they can cause allergies and bad reactions. We use herbal wipe-on essential oils to repel bugs and fleas and it works so well! Also, we use natural cleaner and essential oils to clean the van, and it keeps most bugs and even critters away. Our favorites are lavender, peppermint and tea tree. Lavender is completely safe for pets and for peppermint and tea tree use small quantities only.
Other general tips
Initially, it will take a bit of time getting used to being in a small space. You will definitely get to to know your kitty on a whole new level, so up close and personal. Axel has always been respectful, and we are lucky we didn’t have to discipline him too much, he doesn’t walk on counters, pillows or our head at night. Most cats are nocturnal and they like to sometimes party at night so implementing some rules helps tremendously.
We noticed that when Axel is really misbehaving and stubborn, it means either:
1) he is hungry – and we check when was the last time we fed him and how much. Maybe it’s time to feed again or give a little snack; or
2) he is constipated – we give him some pumpkin and/or add a couple of drops of olive oil into his food; or
3) he is anxious or nervous about something – we give him cuddles and brush him, lay down with him, take him on a little walk, play with favorite toy, and give him his favorite treats.
We always check kitty’s nose – it is supposed to be wet and cold.
Always remember to give him or her water. If he or she is not a big fan of water, add extra water to his food and also you can use little funnels to force feed him water.
Give your kitty space. It’s ideal if there is a designated space for your kitty in the van – that way if he needs to take a break from you, he can go to his safe space.
Overall, it’s good to have a routine on how you start the day and how you end it.
Give your adventure kitty lots of love and cuddles and encourage them to try new things. Every morning I give stretches and hugs to Axel. And every night he sleeps next to me in the same place.
We are so excited for you to take your furry family member on adventures. It will really enrich your kitty’s life And you will discover so much more through their eyes and experiences!
Here’s another van camper and traveling-related post you might enjoy!
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