Bringing your cat to new places is a great way to not only satisfy their curious nature but also accustom them to more travel. It can be difficult to find places that cater to cats as much as they do to dogs and other pets.
So that brings the question, what are some fun locations you can visit with your cat?
1. Camping
Though it can be difficult to accustom your cat to camping, it can be enriching. Whether you’re “glamping” or a more traditional camper with a tent and sleeping bag, this is an experience both you and your cat will be sure to remember.
I would suggest starting at an established campground that allows pets. They are normally located close to the rest of society and offer facilities to use for convenience. This way, if an emergency comes up, you are nearby pet hospitals or stores if you need them.
The best way to ease your cat into this, in my opinion, is by camping in your own backyard. You’re close to home, so if you or your cat change your mind, you won’t have to travel far to get home, and packing will be a breeze.
Doing this a few weeks or months before your trip, once a week perhaps, is a great way to get them used to the activity. Thankfully cats are pretty okay with being inside cozier places like tents for longer periods of time, unlike other pets.
I’ll be writing a more in-depth article on camping with your cat, which I’ll link here and on the main blog. Be sure to check back often for when that gets posted!
2. Pet Conventions
Do you own or run a local pet business? Perhaps a small pet retailer or groomers? Then pet conventions are something to consider visiting!
Pet Conventions/Expos are some of the neatest places to visit with your cat. Many pet business owners worldwide congregate at these events to show new products and have a good time with other pet lovers. Each state usually has its own events and schedules, but some of the most popular ones (in the United States) are:
One of the best reasons to visit these events is all the neat products on the showcase. Many times they have stuff on display that’s not even available at your normal pet stores yet. Depending on what it is, you may get the chance to try/sample some of these out!
Again, if you can’t make it to these bigger expos, nearly every state in the country has its own pet events going on throughout the year. Just Google “pet events/expo/fair near me,” and you’ll be sure to find plenty of opportunities to get out there with your cat.
Note: Many of these expos are open only to pet business owners and shop vendors. Be sure to do your research and confirm the one you’re interested in attending is open to the public.
3. Hiking
If spending a weekend camping with your cat is too much of a leap, hiking is a fantastic alternative. The great part is that even if your cat isn’t harness trained, a cat backpack is a great if not better alternative.
As I said above, my favorite way to hike with my cat is using a travel backpack. Styx loves sitting comfortably in ours while getting to see all the scenery that nature has to offer. You can see what I recommend for travel backpacks here.
Like with camping, starting small is key here. We started with a small nature trail that is about a 10-minute drive from where we live. The trail itself is only about a 15-minute walk each way, so it was perfect for introducing our cat to the concept.
Though we’ve moved on to bigger and longer hikes, we still make time to walk the shorter trail a few times a month. Especially at the time of writing during this pandemic. We all need some nature and quiet during these strange times.
There are hiking trails within driving distance in nearly every state. A quick Google search will set you in the right direction.
4. Local Pet Shops
If you love pets and want to support your local businesses, visiting these pet shops is a fantastic way to do so while getting out of the house for a little.
Most pet shops require that you have your cat in their carrier during your visit, and even if they don’t, it’s probably smart to do so. More often than not, there will be other, bigger pets browsing with their owners as well. Best to be safe!
These are great to visit because of the variety of products they have compared to other retail pet supply stores. They’re more likely to stock goods from other local businesses, like organic homemade pet foods and treats. Your cat may even be able to sample one at the register!
Sadly, we don’t have too many of these where I live. The closest one is about a half-hour drive away. Regardless, we love to visit with our cat every once in a great while when we’re in town. Catching up with the owner and other regular customers is always a delight.
5. Renaissance Faire
One of my personal favorites. I’m a huge geek for the fantasy niche like Harry Potter or Game of Thrones, so it’s only natural that I would recommend this!
Most of the large Ren Faires don’t allow cats and only allow dogs whose owners purchase a separate day pass for them. Luckily, we have smaller, more localized renaissance faires that come around annually who are open to friendly and well-trained pets. You’ll have to track down what is available in your local area and ask the organizers what their pet policies are.
If your local faire allows cats, it’s a perfect excuse to dress yours up if your cat tolerates it!
Our cat isn’t too fond of overly large crowds, so we haven’t brought her to one of them yet. But we’ve seen older and more accustomed cats that visit these faires do just fine.
6. Pet-Friendly Hotel
This pairs perfectly with several other options on the list. Pet-friendly hotels are a great way to introduce traveling to your cat while also providing a new open area for them to explore.
The great thing about these hotel chains is that the employees are usually animal lovers themselves. We’ve had a few housekeepers go out of their way to give our pets little things here and there to enhance their experience, such as treats and even a little bit of supervised playtime (though I’m sure that was partly self-enjoyment, haha.)
We’ve had the best experience at the Red Roof Inn since pets stay for free, and they even apply a discount to your overall stay if you bring yours!
Some hotels focus on pets as their main attraction or at least a significant part of it. Some provide luxuries such as new pet beds, care baskets filled with food and toys, and even coupons to use at local pet stores.
If you’re looking for more in-depth information on pet hotels such as pricing, specific hotel chains, and accommodations, check out this detailed article I wrote on the subject.
7. The Park
If your cat is particularly adventurous, visiting your local park could be a good idea. I would only recommend this if your cat is harness-trained and doesn’t have a history of bolting when the opportunity presents itself.
It’s a little upsetting that there’s no such thing as a cat park, but I can understand why. Mingling with other cats they’ve never met before is already difficult enough. Imagine them trying to socialize with handfuls at the same time.
Thankfully, a normal park is good enough. Just grab your carrier and harness, find a relatively peaceful spot in the park (preferably with no other pets!), and see how your cat responds. Allow them to come out of their own carrier; no force or persuasion is needed. The goal here is not to let your cat associate this park experience with something negative.
Depending on your cat’s personality, curiosity should get the best of them eventually, and they’ll come out. Other times it may take several trips before they peer their little heads out. Start slow with 15 minutes here and 20 minutes there per day. Consistency is key!
Also, don’t be disappointed if your cat doesn’t ever take to hanging out at the park. Cats can be fickle creatures at times, and the best we can do is work with their preferences and make them comfortable.
8. Road Trip
Going on a road trip is an exciting experience, especially for the first time. For more experienced road trippers, bringing your cat along can bring further enjoyment.
This is way easier if you have an RV outfitted to make your cat feel at home. Here is a post all about how to travel with your cat in an RV.
You can also accomplish this in a normal vehicle with regular pit stops and/or staying at a pet-friendly hotel, as I went over above. Just be aware that you’ll need to get your cat used to using a portable or disposable litter box since they most likely won’t do their business out in the open like a dog would.
I don’t think I know any cat that enjoys being in a car for the long-term, so your mileage may vary if you’re sporting a normal vehicle and have your cat in their carrier. Even our cat, who doesn’t mind the car too much, tends to get antsy after some time. It’s all about the destination and not the journey with her, it seems.
9. Locally-Owned Bookstore
For all you bookworms and cat-lovers out there, a local bookstore could be a hidden opportunity to take your cat to a new area. Now it should be obvious that your average chain bookstores such as Barnes & Nobles aren’t gonna let you stroll in with any animal, so you’re gonna have to look for something smaller scale.
There’s a bookstore owned by an elderly couple in our town that allows friendly and trained pets in the store about one day per month. Cats are the most common, but there are also dogs and even more exotic pets like birds and ferrets. It’s a fun time all around.
The best part about these places is socializing with other pet owners. You’d be surprised by the number of things you can learn from them, such as food and accessory recommendations, solutions to common pet issues, and even other locations to bring your pets to.
This might be kind of difficult to find, but what better aesthetic is there than being surrounded by books, a cup of your favorite coffee, and your purring feline napping beside you? You can’t beat it.
10. Your Neighborhood
This is another favorite of mine. Our cat loves to stare out our front window for hours, so we bought her a travel backpack so that she could join us on our daily afternoon walks around the neighborhood.
One of the best things about this is how much the neighborhood kids love seeing Styx. She essentially gets her fill of pets and attention every time we go out and run into them.
This is just like how some cats get their enrichment by looking out the window for hours at a time, except with changing scenery and the bonus of bonding with their owners a bit.
Remember, not all cats have the tolerance or personality for this type of activity, so don’t be discouraged if yours doesn’t. Your cat is bound to enjoy at least one of the things on this list. It’ll just take some experimentation.
11. Your Backyard
If all else fails, your backyard is just as good as any other place to introduce some variety to your cat’s routine. The backyard is great because you know what to expect, and there won’t be other pets around to spook your kitty. On the plus side, you are close to home in case anything comes up.
Grab their harness and leash and allow them to wander and explore with your supervision. If your cat were like ours, not much would happen at first. She was already stimulated enough by all the new smells and sounds that outside had to provide, so don’t be disappointed if your cat is similar! All progress is progress nonetheless.
Some people even go as far as giving their cats access to the backyard anytime via a catio (cat patio). They’re basically just pet crates placed outside and connected to a dog/cat door and furnished with some toys and seating to keep them entertained.
You can go as large or small as you want with your catio. I’ve gotten some great ideas from here and plan on writing a post about my experience in the future once that’s done.
12. Home
I know it’s anti-climactic to have home as the last on the list, but it’s really true. If we’re honest here, the majority of cats are challenging to travel with.
I’m lucky to have been blessed with a feline that loves being outside and around other people. She’s never given too much fuss about traveling, and I swear she gets cabin fever if stuck in the house too long. Even with all of those advantages, our cat isn’t in the mood to go anywhere.
Get creative with the time your cat spends at home. Perhaps allow them to spend some time in a room they aren’t familiar with or even outfit it with props and toys to get their curiosity flowing.
Our cat is very particular with toys but LOVES trash for some reason, especially the paper and crinkly variety. Now and again, we’ll fill up a room with balled up paper, crinkly discarded plastic, and even some streamers and just let her go nuts. The cleanup is a little tedious, but it’s worth it considering how much enjoyment she gets.
Conclusion
When we first got our cat, it was complicated thinking of new places to take her. We wanted to expose her to many different environments and experiences. However, it wasn’t as easy as when we got our dogs for the first time, where you could take them practically anywhere.
Thankfully, after some research, it was surprising to find how many opportunities there were for cats.
So there we have it; a dozen fun places to take your cat! I’m grateful for the opportunity to introduce new ideas to help you enrich your cat further during your travels.
Illustration by @_cacheart
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