I love taking my cat on road trip vacations whenever possible. So far he’s done four 26 hour drives from Montreal to Florida (and back!), and many more mini road trips!
When you travel with a cat in a car, you never know what to expect. Every cat will have their quirks in the car (mine refuses to eat, drink or use the litter box) but there are a few tricks I’ve learned over the years that can help a lot car travel with a cat.
Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!
How To Travel With A Cat In A Car
I don’t want to tell you that travel with a cat in a car is going to be a breeze… It’s all about your cat and their needs. Every cat is different and will behave differently in the car – especially to travel with cats in a car long distances.
A cat may be fine for a few minutes to an hour in the car, but once you hit the 3, 4, and especially 8 hour mark – things can change, quickly! My cat was always fine on short distances, but once it became sunset and we were still in the car, he became very antsy.
There’s also a lot of different terrains you may encounter while driving with a cat. It may not be flat the whole way so you have to be prepared for bumpy and mountainous driving conditions.
Because there are so many unknowns when you travel with cats in a car long distance, you have to prepare for the worst. So here are my top tips for when you travel with a cat in a car long distance.
You might be interested in: Is It Worth Travelling With A Cat? Everything You Need To Know
1. Find A Carrier They Love (Don’t Let Them Wander Free!)
When you travel with a cat in a car, the safest place for them to be is in a car safe carrier. A free roaming cat in the car causes risks, not only for your safety but also theirs. Even the most well trained cat is risky if they’re wandering free.
The obvious risks are for the cat if you have to jam on your breaks, they’re not secure. But there’s also a risk for you if they find themselves with precarious spots, like under the pedals, or obscuring your view).
What Carrier to Choose
There are so many carriers to choose from, from large to small. Originally I had a large carrier for my cat, thinking he would appreciate the space to stretch his legs on longer journeys. But, after a few road trips, I noticed he’s really in love with his Navigator cat backpack. He actually prefers to be in the cozier space, and that I have easier access to him through the front window.
2. Get Them Used To Their Carrier Ahead Of Time
A cat’s carrier should be their safe space, at home, in the car, and at a hotel. In order for that to be the case, you want them to be used to the carrier before ever bringing them into the car in it.
To do this, leave the carrier out in the house for your cat to constantly use. At the start, I left treats inside for my cat to find. If you have enough time, I would also train your cat to be comfortable with the carrier closed… this was a huge issue for my cat. He loved his carrier, but as soon as I closed it he would freak out. He would bite through the mesh and try to escape.
You have to train them that the carrier is just as safe closed as it is open. Start closing the carrier for a few seconds at a time, then open it and give them a treat. Slowly keep the carrier door closed for longer periods of time before giving them their treat.
I would also recommend leaving closing the carrier, then leaving the room. This is good training if you have to leave your cat in the car for a few minutes and in hotel rooms. Most pet friendly hotels don’t let you leave your pet in the room roaming free, so you’d have to leave them in the carrier if you leave the room.
P.S. Where To Place The Carrier in the Car?
Depending on the size of your carrier, you’ll place it differently in the your car. Always follow the carriers instructions for set up if there are any. If not, I like to place the carrier in the back seat behind the driver. This way, the passenger can easily access my cat if he needs anything.
If you’re using a backpack, I always like buckling in the backpack straps for adding safety so it doesn’t move while driving.
P.S. Be as prepared as you can be when you travel with a cat in a car with my Cat Travel Planner. With checklists for packing, training, and researching pet friendly travel.
3. Get Them Used To Driving As Much As Possible Beforehand
The best thing you can do before you travel with cats in a car long distance is to get them used to driving as much as possible beforehand. Driving is a lot to handle for cats: there’s a lot of motion, different noises, lights …etc.
You want them to be as used to the car as much as possible before venturing on a long road trip. Getting them used to their carrier at home is one thing, bringing it into a moving vehicle is a whole other ball game.
When I first started bringing our cat in the car he would meow like crazy and rip out of his carrier. I would have to sit in the back with him to put him back inside. Eventually – he learned. I can’t stress enough that this process takes time, so if you have time before you leave, there’s nothing better you can do for your cat.
I started by taking my cat in the car as much as we could on short drives. Around the block, to the grocery store to pick up an online order…etc. Try going at different times of the day as well so they can be used to day time, and night time driving!
Eventually, my cat got used to it and now immediately falls asleep as soon as we get in the car.
Read Also: How To Prepare A Cat For Travel: Training Tips & More
4. Make Their Carrier Feel Comfortable & Cozy
I know, it’s a lot about the carrier so far, bit this is their tiny home on wheels so it’s very important! You want their carrier to feel like home as much as possible, not a barren cold carrier they’re stuck in for several hours.
There are a few ways to make your cat feel more comfortable in their carrier to travel with cats long distances.
In the large carrier, I put his bed and a blanket inside so he has a warm place to sleep. I even put a scratcher in there if he wants to use it- although I never saw him even look at it. You can add a toy or two if you want as well.
If you see your cat is overwhelmed (or gets nauseous) in the car, you can also put a blanket on top of the carrier. This will make the space feel even cozier and warmer. They also won’t be able to see outside or any light reflections.
Pro Tip: I did have a poop incident in one of his backpacks, so now I always line the bottom of the carrier with pee pee pads… but more on cat bathrooms breaks in a bit!
5. Essentials To Keep Your Cat Calm While Driving
If your cat is still uncomfortable driving, you may want to get them something to calm their nerves a bit.
I’ve used a spray that mimics cat pheromones to calm him down. Spray this in their carrier 15 minutes before you leave and it lasts between 4 to 5 hours. Heads up: people are nervous that the spray can make the driver sleepy, we haven’t noticed any issues with it. I also make sure to spray his carrier outside the car and leave it settle before putting it back.
Another option when going on a road trip with cats is to buy calming treats. These are even better in my mind (if you can get your cat to eat them!). I like giving them to my cat before I even indicate that we’re leaving. This way, he’s calm by the time I take out his harness and carrier.
If your cat needs something stronger, you can also speak to your vet about getting some medication to travel with a cat in a car.
6. Be Prepared: Cats Can Hold In Their Pee… But Accidents Happen
You can try to get your cat to use their litter before leaving, but you most likely won’t be successful. And you shouldn’t really worry, cats can hold their pee for up to 24 to 48 hours (more realistically, they shouldn’t hold it for more than 12 hours.
Of course, accidents do happen, especially if your cat is nervous (and I’m not just talking about pee!). When in stressful, new situations, expect pee, poop, and even vomit.
With his in mind, plan for the worst. As I mentioned, after a poop incident one summer I now line my cats carrier with absorbent pee pee pads. That way, if my cat has an accident while driving, it’s an easy clean up. It’s also good to have in case your cat gets nauseous and throws up.
You can still plan to offer your cat their litter box at every stop, but more likely than not they won’t use it, as least my guy refuses… more on travel cat litter boxes soon!
7. Buy Cat Travel Litter Boxes & Use Your Normal Litter…
A big question when travelling with a cat in the car is what to do about the litter box? It’s not like a dog that you can let out to pee on the grass.
Buy a smaller litter box that you can close. There are small cat travel litter boxes, or you can just buy a small plastic container with a cover (what I did). This way, you can easily cover it up and not worry about it spilling it in the car. Or if your cat does use it on the road trip, you can close it up and not have to worry about smelling it!
Another cat road trip tip for the litter box is to use the same litter you’re using at home! And there are a few reasons for this… If you buy a travel litter that comes with litter, it’s usually not quality litter that’s provided, it can be dustier and won’t mask the smell as well.
But the main reason is that your cat isn’t used to it. They’re already being introduced to so many new environments and changes, this isn’t the time to change their litter. You want to keep as many things as constant as you can. Using the same litter is one of the best ways to do that. Your cat is already used to it, you know they like it, why would you change it?
I even went as far as taking some old litter instead of a completely new bag (don’t worry I cleaned it out first!). But this way it already even smelled like him and he knew it was his!
8. What About Your Bathroom Breaks?
When you travel with a cat in a car, your needs often get overlooked. But they really shouldn’t. Just like you you need to think about your cats bathroom breaks, you also have to think about your own. But unlike cats, we as humans can’t (and shouldn’t) be holding in our pee.
Depending on if you’re driving with anyone else when you travel with a cat in car, you may have to leave your cat alone in the car for a few minutes while you take car of business. When you leave your cat in the car, make sure their carrier is closed, or they are attached to a leash. You don’t want to open the door to find them running out!
When I first started out driving with a cat, I didn’t leave him alone for a second. We were two people driving, so my partner and I took turns going to the bathroom and staying with the cat. We tried to optimize our time so if my partner was at the car filling up gas, I would go to the bathroom and then we would swap. When my partner was in the bathroom I would take this time to offer food and water to the cat. This way, it never felt like we were ever waiting for the other person.
By the end of the trip, my cat was more used to staying in the car by himself so now I was able to leave him alone briefly. If you’re alone driving with a cat, try to train them ahead of time to be okay in the car alone for short periods of time.
9. How To Keep A Cat In The Car Hydrated!
If you’re packing water for yourself, make sure you have extra for your cat along with a bowl to pour it into (I use a collapsible bowl for this). But don’t be surprised if you’re cat isn’t interested. My cat didn’t want to drink water during the drive at all. Whenever I offered it to him he was too interested in what was happening outside.
It’s okay if they don’t drink during the day, but make sure they drink enough at night. Dehydration in cats is a real thing.
So to make sure my cat stayed hydrated on my road trip I bought chicken in water from Purebites. You can also buy wet food to give them when you arrive at your destination to make sure they’re getting enough water. P.S. Wet food also makes a great nutritious reward at the end of a day of driving!
10. Pack A Quick Access Bag With Your Cats Necessities
You want to pack a quick access bag for your cat. This bag will keep everything you may need for your cat while you’re driving that, you guessed it, you can easily access. You can either keep it in the front with you or have it accessible in the back seat.
It should carry all your cats necessities and what you’ll either need in the car or at rest stops. I packed a small bag of treats (two kinds for a nice variety!), food, his harness and leash, collapsible bowl, Feliway calming spray, and a toy. You should also keep any medication that your cat has here as well as his proof of vaccination.
P.S. I’ve made a full travel cat packing list in my printable cat travel planner.
11. Don’t Just Ignore Your Cat For 8+ Hours!
This may sound obvious, but depending on your cat, they may just sleep in the car the whole drive so they can be easy to forget about. I noticed that towards the end of the day, my cat did get lonely though. He would start meowing and pace in his carrier.
Along with food and water offering at every stop, I also made sure to give him a lot of attention. Head scratches, and good pets. But he was often too distracted by what was happening outside to even care about me.
So, instead, while on the road I would open up the carrier when he was calm and just stick my hand in to pet him every once in a while. He really appreciated this to know that we were still there and give him a bit of human touch. Normally he doesn’t go this many hours without sitting on my lap.
12. Don’t Go Too Long Without Stopping With A Cat In The Car
Even if your cat doesn’t get out of the car when you stop, or you noticed they still don’t drink water, it’s still important to take a break (for you and for them!). You don’t want to go too long in the car without stopping and giving them at least the option to get out.
I would plan to stop max every 3 hours but also listen to your cats needs. If they’re getting restless, stop earlier for them. Give them water, food, and maybe even offer them the litter box.
My cat never wanted to go out in the end, he felt safest in the carrier in the car. So I did stop taking him out and offering him water by the end of the trip – I knew he didn’t want it. But I would still visit him in the backseat and give him some much deserved pets!
13. The Best Places To Stop On Long Drives
Depending on where you travel with your cat in the car, there may be different rest stop options. Classic road trip stops are at gas stations for me or restaurants if I need for.
But when traveling with my cat, the quick road side rest stops I found were the best. Not only were they the quickest (and usually the cleaning) but they also sometimes had large grassy areas with picnic tables.
Because you’re not in a busy parking lot with a lot of commotion, I would take my cat out to the grass on his leash and harness. It’s a good spot to set up a bathroom break for your cat and offer water and food outside the car.
The only downside is I noticed some of these didn’t always have gas station to fill up at. So you’ll still have to make another stop for that.
Crossing Borders With a Cat: Check What You Need
I’ve crossed the Canada United States border four times with my cat and each time I have a very unique experience. The border attendants either don’t care about my cat or are very curious! But you have to be prepared for either scenario.
I checked in advance what my cat needs for crossing into the United States and he doesn’t need anything, but they do mention is can vary from state to state. It is recommended that he have his rabies vaccine.
My cat is vaccinated with all his outdoor vaccines so I always travel with his most up to date vaccination booklet from the vet as proof (and they have asked for that before).
Depending on where you’re going, just be sure to check the requirements in advance.
What To Do When You Arrive At Your Destination
Once you arrive at your destination with you cat, be sure to give let loads of rewards for being good in the car. It’s all about positive reinforcement! Give them loads of pets, cuddles, treats, and play time (p.s. play time is especially important to let them release some of that pent up energy!).
If you’re staying in a hotel with your cat, you might also be interested in my tips for staying in a pet friendly hotel.
The ultimate cat travel planner!
My digital cat travel planner template has everything you need to travel with your cat: research pet-friendly places, cat packing lists and checklist. You can print it out or use it digitally on your phone, tablet, or computer.
Quick Links – What You’ll Need To Travel With A Cat
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Last update on 2025-06-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pamela Schuman
Thursday 7th of September 2023
I am traveling from Washington to Indiana with four cats and I’m not sure how they’re going to do my one cat I drove from Indiana to Washington with when she was five weeks old that was it that was a breeze but she’s over a year now and the others are younger so I’m hoping my trip goes great. I’m thinking at least five days for overnights. What do you think?
Meghan
Friday 22nd of September 2023
Hi Pamela,
I hope your trip goes great too! It seems like you've planned a decent amount of time for the drive to allow for stops and shorter driving days if you need it. Take it one day at a time and see how your cats are doing, if you can try to take them in some short car rides before you head out on the big trip!
Good luck, happy cat travels :D
Anna F
Saturday 19th of August 2023
Hello Meghan! 🐾
Enjoyed reading your helpful and practiced tips. I’m moving 1800 miles away at the end of Sept. Having tons of anxiety over driving or flying with my fur baby Templeton. 😻 He’s older and like most cats, doesn’t love car rides. 😾 Do you have any advice/articles on which is better - flying or driving? I’m sure it’s cat and owner dependent. The Vet said it’s going to be stressful either way, so get it over with quickly and fly with him. I go back and forth. I’ll need Valium! 😹
Meghan
Friday 22nd of September 2023
Oh no!! I'm sorry to hear that you're stressed about traveling with your fur baby but I totally get your stress.
I've actually never flown with my cat so I can't say from experience which is better. I would listen to your vet and get it over with if they don't like either!
Hope it goes well, best of luck!
Tree
Sunday 23rd of July 2023
Awesome article, great tips. I also read the article about hotels tips with cats. We're driving cross country with 2 cats and a new to them dog. These cats have never moved with us before. They will have each other to comfort each other. Lots of great tips and the links were very helpful!
Meghan
Thursday 27th of July 2023
Thanks! Hope your cat and doggie travels go well!
Patty M
Monday 3rd of July 2023
I'm contemplating a trip of approximately 1700 miles, traveling alone with my 2 cats. Really not sure I can do this. What is the most important thing you can advise me of.
Meghan
Tuesday 4th of July 2023
Hi Patty!
It really all depends on your cats, my best advice is to get them used to the car as much as possible and start taking them with you any time you can before your trip! I would also say not to push it on the driving days as well. Start with shorter days and then if they're doing alright you can start adding time. Our cat was perfect for around 7 hours in the car and then by the 8 hour mark we noticed we would start getting antsy. So when we drove back home from Florida (about 1600 miles!) we made sure to never pass the 8 hour mark in the car.
Happy cat travels! Let me know if you have any other questions!
Kate
Monday 27th of February 2023
My Fuzzy beast, a 6 pound Ragdoll took to it as easily as my Alaskan Malamute x GSD, even sleeping in the back seat together, taking bathroom breaks in loose sandy soil. She approached new hotels with the same brief interest we all had, looked for the dog’s bed so she knew where she was sleeping that night if she wished … bugger all the dog. It wasn’t my magic touch though- I had a tuxedo who sat in the back window and moaned like he was going to vomit.
Meghan
Monday 27th of February 2023
That's adorable! I like to think you still took some part in making it easy for your ragdoll to take to travel easier :D Just shows you how can really depend on the cat though sometimes! I hope it gets easier with your lil Tuxedo kitty!