Adventure Cat Gear
RV Cats | Camping Cats | Travel Cats
Shadow is a semi-feral, medium-haired cat adopted from volunteers in Northern Atlanta. He travels full-time with me via tent camping, RVing, and Airbnbs. So far, he has been to a dozen or so states and has lived with me in two countries.
If you think traveling with cats sounds too hard, Shadow is dead-set on convincing you otherwise. Subscribe to his newsletter on Substack and check out his adventures on social media platforms below!
We get a lot of questions regarding Shadow’s travel gear, so we’ve put together a full list of what we’re currently using, so you can see if they work well for you too.
NOTE: Some of the items are Amazon Affiliate links. I recommend them because I own them and like them. I hope you do too. If I upgraded from an item but still recommend it, I left it on the list.
On the Road
Our vet recommended tranquilizing Shadow for the first trip from Georgia to Nevada. He did not like the tranquilizers and chose to behave instead of taking them, so we didn’t need them past the first two days. The tranquilizers did not knock him out. They just made him a little snoozy. Talk to your vet to see if this is an option, at least for the start of your trip. Here are additional things we need for travel days:
- Pet Carrier: I chose a backpack carrier so that Shadow is always part of my escape plan. In the case of an emergency that requires me to bail from camp or the RV, he can escape to safety on my back.
- Harness and leash: This was a gift from a lady at the first campground we ever visited, but we love it and plan to buy more from this brand. Whatever brand you choose, ensure it is padded for maximum comfort.
- Felliway spray: This was recommended by the vet to help Shadow stay calm on travel days. Remember, it’s not a miracle drug. But, it did help when we needed it. I rarely use it now.
- Tile Tracker: This is a Bluetooth tracker meant for finding keys, but it has worked better for us than GPS trackers we paid hundreds for. Keep in mind that Shadow is an indoor-only cat and does not venture far when he does get out. Check out this article for details on how and why we use Tile.
At Camp | In the Hotel
Whether we travel by tent, Airbnb, or RV, Shadow’s indoor setup uses the same gear:
- Closed Litterbox: I actually don’t recommend this one, but it’s the one we currently have.
- Litter: We tried most major brands and only use this one, even though it’s pricier than some others.
- Probiotics: Shadow has a sensitive tummy, so this keeps his number twos solid and reduces tummy upset. That also means it’s a less smelly litterbox than it would be without it. These also last forever. You might only need to buy one or two per year, despite daily use.
- Probiotics Option 2: Shadow preferred the taste of this one, but it doesn’t work nearly as well as the one above. If you have a picky eater, you might need to try this one.