How to Travel with your Cat in a campervan | Vanlife with a Cat
We have two cats, Tia is 9 years old and Skye turned 3 this year! Before covid, we loved to travel, however we were unable to take them with us. Since then, we started to plan how we could bring them along on our next big adventure. Van life with cats was something we didn’t think was possible, but after trial and error we figured out what worked best for us and in this article we will share our experience.
If you’re planning to take your cat from the UK to the EU, we’ve written a detailed guide on our experience and what to expect.
TIA
SKYE
The challenge is that cats become stressed with change and we wanted to ensure that we could travel with them in a way that kept them comfortable. We had trialled a few tester runs in a van with the cats before we bought our van to test the waters. In 2020, we bought a van to convert and now have adventures on the road together. This is a Q&A of the questions we had when we first started exploring the option of travelling with our cats in the van and perhaps what we wish we had known sooner which may have made things a bit easier!
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR CAT USED TO THE VAN?
We found that Tia and Skye associated their cat carriers and the car with the vets which was a stressful experience. We found that the way to overcome this is to make small trips in your car. This will help them to understand that going in the car does not always mean they will be visiting the vet. Give them plenty of reassurance and treats in this space so there is positive reinforcement.
After some time, they should be comfortable with short journeys and you can then slowly travel for longer trips. We did a week trip in a van as a trial run to see how they would get on and were surprised at how quickly they adapted to their new ‘territory’. Whenever we drive now in our van they have spots they go to, Tia sits under the passenger seat and Skye usually sits on the box seat where they mostly sleep.
Tip: Take your cat for small journeys in the car and they will eventually get used to it
WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE MY CAT FEEL SAFE?
Cats need their safe place to get away from danger if they need to. We have got two cat beds that we put on the front seats during the day so they have privacy and a safe place. Skye likes to sleep on the bed with us during the day and at night whereas Tia prefers to sleep in the front of the van in her bed. If there are people outside they are more curious than scared and usually sit looking out the window attracting a lot of attention sometimes!
Tip: Give them a safe place to escape from any dangers
HOW CAN I LET MY CAT GO OUTSIDE WITHOUT ESCAPING?
Two years before we moved into the van we started to harness train them both. Tia is older than Skye and found it very difficult with the idea of having a harness around her body. Cats naturally feel that they have are being restrained and it can take a while for them to realise they can still move whilst wearing a harness. We found plenty of advice on this and Supakit have some online training classes to help you get started. There were many different styles of harnesses and ones that had two straps going over the neck and stomach really frustrated Tia and she was not happy! When we discovered the Supakit it made such a difference putting the harness on, making it quicker and easier.
Tip: Harness train from as early as possible. If you can start from a kitten then this will make it a lot easier!
HOW TO MAKE SURE MY CAT CAN STAY COOL IN SUMMER?
This was a priority when building the van, making sure that the cats would be comfortable and be able to stay cool in warmer temperatures. We installed a Maxx air fan which extracts and blows air and a roof window that when you open it creates a nice breeze. The van is well insulated which means that it is able to maintain temperatures better than vehicles without it. A cool mat is also a good idea for really hot days. During the heatwave, the cats loved wet towels which surprised us as they aren’t usually keen on getting wet. Cats are very good at regulating their temperature, they will sleep through the heat but it is important to make sure they are ok and comfortable.
WHERE TO PUT THE LITTER BOX IN THE VAN?
Another essential design feature when we built our van was the placement of the litter box. We wanted it contained to avoid mess. The litter box is built into a box seat which has a lid that makes it easy for us to clean it out and a cat flap for them to enter and exit. We clean out the cat litter most days to keep it from smelling in the van. You can also buy cat litter freshener which helps neutralise the smell. They don’t go to the toilet outside, only inside their litter tray in the van.
HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CAT STAYS WARM IN WINTER?
I dream of the day I’ll find them asleep cuddled together, but their relationship hasn’t got to that level yet (I’ll keep dreaming)! The van has a diesel heater fitted, so when we feel in the cold we make sure to turn it on and warm us all up. Their cat beds have cushions that keep them warm and sometimes at night or in the mornings they will snuggle with us under the duvet.
WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AS CAT VANLIFE ESSENTIALS?
HARNESS
We tried out several different harnesses and Tia really didn’t like the ones that clipped under the stomach and around their neck. After some research we found the Supakit harness which is the best harness for cats we’ve found as it secured by one clip and is really easy to put on and take off. Both Tia and Skye both don’t make a fuss whilst wearing it and they are great quality.
LEAD
A retractable lead is an easy way to allow your cat to go out and explore at their own pace and allow them to wander a little further than a normal length lead. You can get cat specific leads that don’t retract as fast as dog leads, Supakit sell a cat-friendly retractable lead.
BRUSH
Make sure to regularly brush your cat to reduce the amount of hair that covers your van seats, bed, floor, clothes, etc!
TREATS
Find your cats favourite treat and make sure you have plenty with you in the van in an easy to reach place.
TRACKER
Tractive GPS tracker was the best we could find on the market. The product is lightweight and comfortable fit on their collars and out of the way. The trackers are easy to use and you are able to track their move with an app on your phone. Each tracker has a detachable battery that lasts up to 7 days before needing a charge and the rubber collar clip is secure and comfortable. We use safety quick release collars but the GPS tracker has a safety release just in case the cats get stuck. Their recent model is an all in one unit specifically designed for cats.
TOYS
Your cat will be having plenty of adventures and stimulation but they still need playtime and attention. Our cats favourite toy is a rope that they love to chase.
CLICKER
This is a new addition to our van but we have started to clicker train them to do commands and hope this will improve our bond with our cats even more (will keep you posted!)
SECURITY CAMERA
Having the security camera gives us piece of mind if we leave the van, as we can listen to noises in the van and it detects any movement.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE FOOD AND WATER IN THE VAN?
We feed our cats in the morning and this food usually lasts them for the day. Next to their food bowl we used to fill a water bowl but this became difficult whilst driving as we would sometimes forget to put it away. Tia is obsessed with taps and running water and we found this water fountain as a great alternative that filters the water and gives them a constant flow of water. In the summer months we would also have a bowl of water out in case the electrics failed.
HOW DO YOU STOP YOUR CAT FROM DESTROYING YOUR VAN INTERIOR?
Skye goes into a frenzy when there is a fly in the van and she can’t settle until she catches it. This is something we can’t always control and they love to chase each other in the mornings and evenings. Cats need to scratch and stretch, they would use the arm rests to do this and one of them is pretty much destroyed. The van was designed with their scratch post as the table leg and this has worked really well. We bought some sisal rope that we wrapped around the table leg, this has been easy to replace when the rope becomes worn.
HOW DO YOU STOP YOUR CAT FROM ESCAPING?
We don’t let the cats roam freely outside on their own. Tia used to be an outdoor cat and Skye has always been an indoor cat. They both go outside for walks on their harnesses, however we are not comfortable with them roaming outside freely, if they are unable to make their way back to the van. We are hoping that clicker training will give a better experience whilst out on walks together. The tractive GPS trackers allow us to track their movements, if the van is broken into and they escape we can detect their location which gives us piece of mind. We normally have the doors closed most of the time when we are not outside and there have been a few occasions where one of them has jumped outside for a wander.
HOW EASY IS IT TO TRAVEL WITH A CAT TO ANOTHER COUNTRY?
We recently travelled to Ireland to obtain an EU pet passport got the cats so that we could save money for future trips to Europe. It now required that leaving the UK your pet must have an Animal Health Certificate, you will need to get this first and if you are able to get an EU pet passport from Ireland or another European country it is definitely worthwhile. You can read a more detailed guide on travelling with your cat to the EU here.
DO YOU LEAVE YOUR CATS ALONE IN THE VAN?
When we first moved into the van we only left them alone in the van for short periods of time, when we went to the food shop etc. As they have each other for company we would monitor them on our security camera to see if they would settle.
They spend most of the day sleeping in the van, we only leave them alone in the van for short periods of time and make sure they have everything they need to be comfortable if we are out exploring. Having the security camera gives us piece of mind as we can listen to noises in the van and it detects any movement.
Exploring with your cat in a van is possible and we hope we have given you some ideas on how to make it happen for you and your cat. Remember to be patient with harness training but the rewards are definitely worth it!
