Our van Moose is crowded. We travel with a 3 year old Black Lab named Daisy, an 8 month old German Shepherd named Toby (he’s gonna be huge!), and cats Jack, Cole, Alex, and finally Bubbles, who found us in a Texas forest recently.
The well-being of our pets is a big consideration in the decisions we make on the road. This post gets into some of the Pros and Cons and other considerations of traveling with pets.
Why so many animals? You know, we ask ourselves that question fairly often. We have a relatively small RV, so when people learn about our traveling zoo, they often look at us like we’re crazy. Heck, we look at each other like we’re crazy!
Before we made the switch to full-time RV life, we lived on a 16 acre farm. We had one dog, Daisy, and five cats. We expected the cats would adjust well to RV life as we’d lived in the forest all their lives and they had all been regular hikers and adventurers. And, really, how can you choose your favorite kids?
How did they make the adjustment? Our first several months we went out for a month at a time and then returned to our base. It didn’t take long for the purr-babies to get used to Moose being their home and I had trained them for twice a day feedings, so they were accustomed to coming in at night. The biggest adjustment for the cats was actual drive days. Over time they’ve come to take it in stride, but we helped them by making sure each cat had a comfortable cubby space to retreat to. Now when they see we’re packing up, they just find their respective spots and settle in for naps. When we get to our camp site, we just open the door and let everyone pour out of the van. The dogs sniff around and the cats do a bit of exploring before they all head back inside to continue their naps.
How do pets affect your travel? The biggest way our travel is affected is deciding on camping locations. We look for areas that are pet friendly, have space so the critters can be outside exploring without risk of being spooked by traffic and people, away from busy roads, etc. Our preferred spot is public lands that are a bit remote, so in the western states it’s pretty easy to find places that fit. We have a catio (two 4′ large dog collapsible crates) attached to the side of our van, so if we happen to be in a place where we don’t feel comfortable letting the kitties roam free, we have a safe place where they can be outside in the fresh air and be near us if we’re outside.
Is there room for everyone? One of the keys of traveling with pets, cats especially, is making sure everyone has a place. On drive days, the dogs are with me in the Jeep, buckled into their spots in the back. The kitties ride in Moose with Calvin and each has their own space. When we’re parked we have at least five spots (besides the bed, which is the favorite) for kitties to curl up, some near windows so they can look outside or nap, some in dark cubbies. We have a 7’ long couch which can hold two humans, two dogs and a cat with moderate comfort. With our cats, a lap is the same as a bed.
The other space consideration is all the stuff that comes with pets – food, dishes, leashes, toys, meds, litter box, etc. Bags of food and cat litter are stored under the floor. We have a shelf dedicated to pourable food containers, dishes, treats, etc. Near the front door is the pet cubby that holds the litter box, pet health items, like flea treatments, first aid, etc, leashes and toys. On top of the pet cubby is a cushion that is a favorite sunny napping spot in the front window. Vaccination and vet papers are kept in an envelope near their meds.
How do you keep everyone safe? Honest answer, we can’t always. We lost our beautiful Persian, Louie, in Arizona where he got out before dark and was eaten by a predator. Another rescue cat that we had on our farm decided to not come back after an extended stay in our hometown. Friends in the area keep an eye out for her, but she was feral when she came to us and apparently chose the wild life. She’s been fixed and she’s a great hunter, so she’s keeping their property rodent free. Our tabby Jack was missing for two weeks, after wandering away from camp. For a kitty who hates putting on his harness, he practically dove into it when we got him back. Now he never gets far from home!
Traveling with pets is not without risk. Outdoor cats especially are at risk because of predators and just the independent nature of cats. If they are outside, we always leave a window open so they can get in, they know where home is, they wear harnesses with our phone number, they get fed morning and evening so they are trained to stay close to home, and I have recent pictures of all of them in case I need to make a missing pet sign. Above all we want our pets to have full, healthy and happy lives for as long as they are in our care.
What do you do about vet care? The good news is there are veterinarians everywhere. Before we hit the road we made sure everyone was up on their shots and we had flea and tick meds on hand. There have been a couple times when we needed to see a vet as we travel. Once was for an abscess that required antibiotics, and another time was for a stubborn upper respiratory infection, also requiring antibiotics. Both times we were able to schedule an appointment within a day or two and get the help they needed for under $200. For routine illnesses or injuries, we tend to them ourselves. I keep a pet first aid kit on board, and some standard OTC and naturopathic remedies for routine things.
Are there downsides of traveling with pets? I think the downsides of traveling with pets are similar to the downsides of traveling with young kids, it’s just an added layer of detail or consideration, but you don’t leave the kids behind, you just adjust your travel method. Would it be simpler to travel without pets, or even with fewer pets? You bet. We wouldn’t have the expense, the occasional messes, the disagreements, but we’d also miss out on the funny and tender moments.
What are the upsides of traveling with pets? There’s not enough space in this blog to answer that question. We fell in love with a friend’s foster puppy and adopted him, or he adopted us, so now Daisy has a play companion. Toby is about 8 months old and he’s been a delightful addition. We can’t take a walk without at least one cat coming with, normally Cole, who thinks he’s a dog. Cole does great on a leash, and we’ve taken all the cats on multi-mile walks with us and they’ve done fine.. Jack is as sweet as can be and is a master head-bonker and snuggler. Alex is a wild child who loves stalking and pouncing on her cat siblings. Little Bubbles is a love and has been an absolute joy since she found us.
The best things about traveling with pets are the unconditional love that pours out of them, they are happiest when they are with us no matter what we’re doing, and the lessons they teach us to stay in the moment, enjoy where you are and who you are with, and never stop exploring. Every day we have to take a walk, chase a ball, go for a swim, play and snuggle. Who wouldn’t want to do that?
We have kayaks now and can’t wait to train the dogs and cats to paddle with us. I’m sure Cole will make a great kayak kitty.
