Camping with cats or even hiking with cats is slowly becoming more and more popular. And why not? Just like dogs, cats are wild animals that actually belong in the wild and not on the sofa. However, as cats have not been accustomed (domesticated) to humans for as long as dogs and are naturally shyer, a few precautions must be taken to ensure that outings are relaxed for humans and animals alike.

My starting point

In general

Before the negative voices start ranting about "cruelty to animals" and "how can you do this to animals", remember that cats are creatures of the forest and not of the city. We would never take them into a big city and prefer to spend time in nature ourselves. 

The Cats

Since May, I've been a proud dad of two beautiful ginger cats. Yuri and Lutz couldn't be more different. Lutz is more of a cuddly cat and lazes around in the middle of the room. He is initially very reserved around strangers and watches from a distance. Yuri, on the other hand, is a born Adventure Cat. Intrepid, courageous, curious and sometimes a little too gullible.

The Van 

In February I have found a quite good and cheap VW T4 bus with long wheelbase for my photo-adventures . At that time, cats were still out of the question. Nevertheless Ausbau In February I have found a quite good and cheap VW T4 bus with long wheelbase for my photo-adventures . At that time, cats were still out of the question. Nevertheless, from the outset we attached great importance to flexibility and comfort. Fortunately, this has paid off so far. 

Personally, I think that a VW T4 is already borderline for 2 cats. At least if you're going camping for several days. I wouldn't want to do real van life with 2 cats and 2 people in it either. A larger panel van would be better. Please remember that in the wild, cats have a huge territory that they walk every day. A certain amount of exercise is therefore important.

Gear

If you want to go on a road trip with your cats, you should have or consider the following things:

• Transport box* - Your pets should not be allowed to walk around the vehicle unsecured while you are driving. They also need a safe place to retreat to.
• Blankets* - cats like it cozy and warm.
• Transport bag- or Backpack* for excursions - you can find out why below.
• Collar* with contact information in case they do escape.
• Cat harness* because it is simply better for the animal, especially with a lead. It also warms them up a little when it gets colder.
• Leash* - We each had a short leash and a double cross-country leash.
• wet food*- Do your pet a favor and give them a decent wet food with a high meat content. Not only will they feel better, you'll also have them for longer and save a lot on medical costs. Dry food usually contains far too much grain and sugar. 
• bowls* - for food and water
• Litter box* - It has to go somewhere. You can see our solution below.
• Vaccination, worming, chipping – Be sure to discuss your plans with your vet. She/he will be able to tell you what you may need to consider regarding your pet's health.

The preparation - settling in at home

Cats are creatures of habit and often find it difficult to cope with change. That's why it's helpful to start training as early as possible. We started training about 2 months before the first road trip, when they were 4-5 months old. Patience is the magic word here.

I knew that I couldn't let the cats run around freely when I was out and about in the forest. On the one hand to protect the wild animals, but also to protect the cats themselves. 

Deshalb haben wir sehr früh schon kleine Katzengeschirre gekauft und diese täglich ca. 30 Minuten in der Wohnung angezogen. Lutz in particular thought this was really stupid at the beginning and just let himself fall on the floor. Playing with his favorite fishing rod* helped a lot. Yuri was only a little more wobbly than usual for the first few minutes. After that, he accepted the harness. 

After a few weeks of harness training, we started using the leashes at home. In the beginning, I recommend a very thin, light and not too long leash for the apartment. Always let the cat decide where to go. Make sure that there is no tension on the lead and trot after your cat. Rewarding and praising also helped a lot. 

When Yuri & Lutz had a bit more confidence, I let them jump onto various platforms in the apartment with a lead and harness. Treats were incentive enough. Once you have the feeling that cat, human and equipment are a good team, you can move on. Don't rush yourselves or the cat during this process. Patience is your most powerful ally here. We also had to learn this first In addition, training together also strengthens the bond with your cat immensely.

Preparation phase 2 - settling in the van

First of all, this is where I made the biggest mistake at the beginning. After just a few weeks with a harness and lead, we took them to our large meadow and opened all the doors in the van straight away. I wouldn't recommend that. 

Everything went well for the first few minutes, but then something frightened Lutz, he got off the lead and fled a good 300 meters into the nearest bush. That was an absolutely stressful situation for both of us. However, this event also brought us closer together and we are now inseparable.

We then proceeded as follows. Once a day we packed Yuri & Lutz into the transport box and went into the van that was parked outside the door. I then let them run around freely in the closed vehicle for about 30-45 minutes. Lutz in particular had to be praised a lot at the beginning and motivated with treats to look out of the windows. He was already very intimidated. Yuri, on the other hand, was busy running around on the dashboard and watching every passer-by. 

Later, we also fed the cats in the van. After about 2-3 weeks of almost daily training, they got used to the new noises and smells. Even Lutz got used to the dashboard and the window.

First road trip with cats 

The first road trip could start. Our plan was to spend a week exploring Thuringia and Bavaria. Especially at the beginning, I didn't want to expect the four of us to travel long distances by car. So I planned a round trip with a maximum drive of 4 hours per day.

The first hour of our first stage was understandably very restless at first. They were both meowing and didn't know what was going on. But we already knew this from other trips to the vet or to the meadow. Later, however, they realized that everything was fine and slept peacefully.

It is advisable not to give your cat any food or water before the first ride. Especially if your cat has a sensitive stomach. We actually always took a short break every 2 hours and offered some water in the bowl. But they never touched it. We always gave them some water with their wet food so that they didn't get dehydrated.

Litter box and camping

All the food and water has to disappear from the body at some point. If your cat is an outdoor cat, congratulations, we are a little envious of you. Our two tomcats are not and are very fixated on digging, especially when doing their business.

Of course, we didn't have room for a "normal" litter tray in the van. So I had to come up with something. The only free space in the Buzzz was the space between our seats. 

As luck would have it, I found this beautiful garbage can**, which fitted exactly in between. In addition, I have attached a small Cat flap*.

But it was rarely used. We usually just opened the lid at the top when we needed to. They both got in and out again. Once it was probably very urgent for both of them and they made themselves "comfortable" together.

Thanks to the high walls of the garbage can, we rarely had problems with the cat litter in the van. When we did the big business, we always put the poo straight into a bag and disposed of it in the bin as quickly as possible. By the way, a match helps against the acute odor.

Hiking with cats

Since our two cats are not yet really leash-safe, we have tested various carrying options for walks or short visits. Our favorite is this animal backpack*. On the road trip the two cats fitted in perfectly and felt right at home. Even now, they immediately jump into the rucksack when it's open in the apartment. They simply love this retreat.

One alternative are these Chestbags*. However, these are more suitable for calmer cats or require a little more training. In future, I would like to switch to this method for walks, as the rucksack naturally takes up a lot of space for my own (photo) luggage. With the bag, you could comfortably carry your cat and your own rucksack for a few kilometers.

Conclusion - Camping with Cats

At least for three of the four of us, camping with cats was a really nice and unusual experience. Lutz also got used to his new home after a few days. But after the road trip he was visibly delighted to be back home in his kingdom.

People also look at you differently when pedestrians or other campers spot two cats in the van or other hikers looked in our rucksack. But the reactions were all positive. And why not? After all, cats belong in the wild and should have the same rights as dogs. If you respect the animal's character and preferences and take a few precautions, nothing should stand in the way of a camping trip with cats. You can also follow Yuri & Lutz's adventures here on Instagram.

I hope this article has given you a little courage to go out with your cat and experience lots of adventures. I`m sure that most cats will thank you for it. Especially if they live in a big city. If you have any other tips for camping with cats, please leave a comment. 

Last Update on 21/11/2023 by Alex