Zoey: Traveling Cat

Over the course of the last year, I've used this blog to chronicle some of my feelings and experiences regarding the health of my furry BFF. From her mysterious weight loss and diagnosis to how her battle with cancer has helped me process thoughts on my own cancer history, I'd like to take a moment to discuss a lighter topic that several people have asked about recently in regards to our little family of three: Traveling with a cat.

Davis, California.

One memory of my childhood was the day we took the family cat, Whiskers, to the vet for her yearly checkup and shots. On the way home, we pulled up to use the credit union drive through window. Whiskers peered out from my lap as my brother, sister, and I begged our mom to ask the teller for a kitty treat. The jar of dog biscuits was in full view for us to see through the glass and we thought that, of course, they'd have cat treats too. Nope. The teller had never encountered a kitty at the drive-up window before that day.

I'm all packed, Karen! Let's go!

While I admit that traveling with a cat isn't common, sometimes it's a necessity. Zoey joined our family shortly after Matt and I married eight years ago. At the time, we lived in one of the suburbs of Oklahoma City. A few months later, Matt was laid off from his job and we moved north to Alaska. It was a five day drive to Seattle and then we flew to Fairbanks from there. One value that I learned being raised with Whiskers is that when I adopt a pet, she becomes part of the family. That means she gets regular checkups, vaccinations, and of course, hops in the car with us when we move across the country.

Day 5 of Zoey's first move, somewhere outside of Sacramento.

Now I know better than to claim I'm an expert on traveling with cats. We all know that they're complex, often unpredictable creatures who change their mind at random: "I love this toy!!!" to "WTF is that? Why is it in my face right now?" I'm also convinced that I have the most chill, peaceful kitty in the whole world. When we adopted her, she was the cat who barely lifted her head when we visited the rescue, looking mildly annoyed at us for interrupting her nap.

It looks a little like this.

Obviously, the following information is anecdotal and may only work for Zoey, but it may give you some ideas if you're thinking of traveling with your cat for fun or because you decide to drag your poor unsuspecting friend up to Alaska with you. A letter from Zoey during our second move, from Alaska to California, can be found here.

Start small.

When we first learned that we were moving, I took Zoey on a lot of local trips with me. She ran errands once a week for a month, then Matt and I took her on an hour drive into the city with us. This is how you learn your individual travel styles. She peed once and puked another. Some cats meow the whole time (not Zoey, thank God!) and it's better to learn this in a short trip across town than on a summertime tour of your favorite national parks.

Sometimes she likes to snuggle, but mostly she stays in the carrier.

Pack things that smell like home.

This includes a favorite blanket or bed, some toys, and the scratching post. I've often wondered whether bringing the bulky post is necessary, but then I find she uses it each time so it's worth it. It's better than her using the couch in our hotel room for her daily manicure.


Withhold food the morning we're going somewhere.

It's not punishment, it's so my sweet kitty doesn't toss her cookies all over the place or have to bathe in excrement until I reach the destination. But it's always good to be prepared for this type of accident so I bring some towels and wipes and hope I don't need them.


Limit travel time.

Meaning: get there as soon as possible. I think of the ticking clock on my kitty's bladder. If I do end up having to be on the road more than four or five hours at once, I offer up the litter box. When we moved, we did this when we stopped for lunch in the afternoon.

Camouflage kitty. Whitehorse, Yukon.

When we arrive, we set up her things and leave her to explore. After I learn how she reacts the first day, I try to establish a routine based off of that.

Zoey spends about an hour sniffing the room before settling down. She hits the litter box, grabs a nibble or two, and then tries to make up the snooze time she missed while being thrown around inside the carrier all day. Since she's not the type to get scared and meow a lot, it's okay leaving her in the room to unwind and nap. Some hotels insist we keep her in the carrier the whole time, but since she doesn't shed excessively or climb draperies, we tend to smile and nod our way through that part of check-in.

Give kitty extra love.

I take advantage of the close quarters and give Zoey a little extra attention. Besides, she's in a new place and it's scary. She's allowed in the bed with me (we keep the door closed at night at home), she gets brushed more frequently, and we spend a lot of our evenings snuggled up together. If Zoey is really lucky, our room has two beds. She really, really loves having her own queen size bed.

Queen Zoey

Right now, Zoey is at the point where we could leave her alone at home again. Her eating and weight have stabilized, but since she's so easygoing, I don't mind bringing her along. I don't have to worry about her while I'm away. Honestly, the biggest hassle I've encountered is finding a place that accepts pets. Zoey's next trip will be a few days at a state park yurt in southern Oregon, I'm excited to see how she reacts to it.

Have you traveled with your cat? Care to share a success or horror story?