Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.
Going on vacation is more complicated when your cat comes with you. Most rental properties only allow dogs, and fewer hotels with pet-friendly policies allow cats. Campsites are more dog-friendly, but if your cat likes to travel with you, you can find cat-friendly accommodation if you look hard enough.
Cat Restrictions
It may seem strange that property managers consider cats to be more destructive than dogs, but dogs are less likely to make a mess because they don’t use a litter box. They also don’t like scratching furniture, which is probably the main reason cats are excluded. Olga is not a traveling cat and does not enjoy leaving the house, even for a walk around the backyard.
I would love to take him on vacation, but I don’t want him to be miserable, and I don’t think he would enjoy a trip to the beach or the mountains. I don’t know many cats who are happy travelers, but I have several friends who take their cats camping. Their cats are more adventurous than Olga’s and are not shy around unfamiliar people.
Olga and the Great Outdoors
If she was locked in a tent, Olga would have anxiety and probably scratch her way out. He’s never had one, but he hates closed doors and knows how to open them, as long as they’re unlocked. He can’t accompany me on most hiking trails, especially the ones where dogs are allowed, because he’s not used to being on a leash or used to being in the wilderness.
Some cats are better suited for traveling than others, and if you want to take your cat on vacation, it’s best to train them and get them used to traveling in a carrier. Training a cat to walk on a leash takes more patience than training a dog, but it is possible. Cats are not eager to please people and do not have a long history of working alongside people like dogs.
Training Cats
Although they have an enhanced sense of smell and can detect diseases in humans, cats are not as well trained as dogs, which is one reason why you don’t see them searching for dead bodies, drugs, or explosives. They’re not stubborn or unteachable, but most people can’t devote several hours a day to teaching cats advanced commands and tricks.
Training your cat will help you handle them when on vacation, but some personalities are better suited to travel. Shy cats don’t make happy travelers, but outgoing cats who love interacting with strange people and animals are ideal. My Siamese cat is a better traveler than Olga, and a few years ago, I took her to the beach.
I had to give him an IV injection to treat his kidney disease, and I didn’t want to leave him at home and rely on someone else to treat him. He was happy to join me and the family at the beach house and he seemed happy. Olga would rather stay at home and have one of my friends take care of her, and that’s fine with me. Sometimes, cats like Olga need a vacation from us.
This article is part of a series by Christopher and Olga.
