How to Camp With Cats
Photos by Shalee Wanders
It’s pretty common to see friendly dogs happily running around camp, wagging their tails and swimming in lakes. Cats, on the other hand, are not so common. Camping with cats often garners confused and intrigued looks, along with a lot of questions.
As a Four Wheel Camper owner who packs her rig with three cats for nearly every adventure, I’m here to say that cats make great camping companions! Sure, they are a little more delicate than dogs, but training a cat to camp is easier than many people initially believe. Here are my biggest tips if you’re interested in bringing your furry feline along on adventures:
Biggest Tips for Camping With Cats:
1. Consistency is Key
Just like training any animal, you must be consistent. If you only put your cat in the car a few times/year, chances are they are never going to enjoy it. If you truly want to train your cat to hike, camp, and enjoy the outdoors, consistently take them on walks and car rides. If your cat is older and has only ever left the house for vet appointments, it’s likely going to be a bit harder to train them to travel. If your cat is a year or younger, training them to enjoy the car and camping is totally doable with a routine. Even if you aren’t always heading out to go camping, take them with you around town for store runs or to the coffee drive thru. Those little outings are a big help when training your cat to enjoy car rides!
The best time to start training your cat to camp would be around 6 months old. If you can start them when they are young, traveling in cars and camping will be all they’ve ever known. The main reason people believe cats don’t like to travel is because they are creatures of habit. Get in the habit of taking them in the car young, and they’ll likely enjoy it for life!
2. Avoid Wide Open Spaces
Taking your cat camping in the open desert of Moab might not be the best first adventure. Cats prefer places where they feel like they can hide, aka forests. When introducing your cat to camping, start with places they will be the most comfortable. Over time, once they become accustomed to camping, it will be easier for them to enjoy other, more open spaces.
3. Go Where Other People Aren’t
Whether training your cat on a walk or taking them camping, less is more. Kittens won’t mind a lot of commotion, but older cats do best when in a quiet, calm environment. It’s also important to avoid things that could easily spook them, and crowded areas typically have loud noises, dogs, and other factors that are more likely to make it difficult for your cat to relax.
The same goes with camping. We avoid bringing the cats if we know we will be staying in an organized campground with other campers close by. Instead, we research dispersed camping options in national forests or on BLM land. This is so the cats can relax and roam around camp in a safer, quieter environment. We also don’t have to worry about them crashing into someone else’s camp over the smell of tuna fish sandwiches (yup, that’s happened!) or an unleashed dog. As much as we love dogs, I think we can all agree that cats and dogs who don’t know each other typically don’t mix well! And organized campgrounds have a lot of dogs.
4. Buy the Essentials
You’ll need to buy a few important items to start camping with your cat. Here are my biggest recommendations:
- Harness & Leash: This is a must, as you should never let your cat off leash unless you trust them completely.
- Tractive Collar: Tractive is a GPS tracking collar that can pinpoint your cats exact location, as well as set off a sound or light if you are having trouble locating them. It only works when you have cell phone service, so if you plan to camp out of coverage you’ll also need the next item.
- Tile Tracker: It’s less accurate than the Tractive, but works via bluetooth when camping in remote areas with no service.
- Pine litter – no one wants to mess around with smelly litter when camping with cats! In general, our cats prefer to go outside when camping, but we still keep a litter box in the truck camper for nights. You’ll never want to travel with cheap litter that gets smelly quick. It won’t take long for your whole pop up camper to smell like dirty litter – yuck! I love to use either pine litter, Fresh Step Febreze Multi-Cat, or Catalyst Soft Wood Cat Litter.
- Mesh tent – if you don’t necessarily want your cat roaming around camp, these mesh tents are a great way to allow your cat to enjoy the outdoors, while keeping them safe and contained.
5. Establish a Recall
If your cat does eventually end up camping without a leash, you’ll want to establish a recall to call them back to camp whenever needed. For us, we use the clicking of a wet can of cat food. The cats hear the noise and come running, which we mainly do near sunset when it’s time to put them in the camper for the night. They know that the click is associated with their favorite food, and that gets them running back to camp quickly!
6. Figure Out Your Rig Setup
When I bought the Project M in 2021, it was entirely with the cats in mind! At the time we had two cats who traveled with us regularly, and we had been car/tent camping with them for years before upgrading to the truck camper. Once the Project M was installed, I had it custom-built to add in things like a hidden litter box, sleeping platform, etc. I also loved the way the truck camper had the ability to keep the tailgate attached as I knew we’d all appreciate the big open back and additional seating on the tailgate.
The litter box is the most difficult part to integrate into a camping setup. If you can work on adding a hidden litterbox into a cupboard with a cat door, I’d highly recommend it. If you have a regular litter box, we used this top-entry one in the Project M for the first year before we built it out. It does take up a bit of space, but keeps the mess well contained so litter doesn’t get flung around the camper.
7. Make Camp Rules
It is important to establish some rules to keep your cat as safe as possible while camping. For example, here are some of the rules we follow for our three cats:
- Not allowed out after dark – there are just too many predators at night for us to feel safe with them being out. Plus, it’s harder to keep track of them around camp!
- They all wear collars or harnesses – Tortilla is grey, meaning he blends in with just about everything. He doesn’t go outside without his teal vest, making it much easier to keep an eye on him and know his whereabouts at all time.
- Access to the camper is always open – For the cats, the truck camper is their safe space. If they do get spooked by a passing car or person, we always ensure they have access to the camper. They are never forced to be outside and only come out when they want.
8. Assess Their Personality
It might be the case where your cat is just not made for camping, and that’s okay. All three of our cats like to camp, but they still each have very distinct personalities.
Maverick – Loves to be included on any adventure. He loves hiking, camping, exploring, and even joins us on an occasional backpacking trip and has climbed a few mountains. He’s always been the curious one, which typically makes a great adventure cat!
Aspen – Loves watching birds from the tailgate of the Project M and roaming around camp. Aspen hates hiking, so we typically leave him at home or in the camper if we are heading out on a hike. Big fan of cabins and king-sized beds in hotel rooms. Does not enjoy being put in the car, but relaxes once he realizes we aren’t going to the vet.
Tortilla – Youngest of the crew who joined our family this year. Loves to come on any adventure but doesn’t have the best recall. Smart enough to stay close to camp but couldn’t be trusted off leash on a hike. Requires a bit more attention and training, he’s just happy to be included!
Frequently Asked Questions About Camping With Cats
Do you worry about predators?
It would be foolish to say we’re never worried about predators at camp. But our cats are happiest when they are alone on an adventure and exploring. It gives them the mental stimulation they need to live their happiest life, and we love that. As humans, we take risks every day to live lives that make us happy. If we left our cats at home, I’d feel like we weren’t giving them the best life we could. We live near Yellowstone in the most diverse ecosystem in the lower 48 and have just about every predator imaginable – wolves, grizzly bears, coyotes, etc. Cats are incredibly smart creatures and their instinct is much better than us as humans.
What about birds?
Actually, no! None of the cats have ever killed a bird while camping. They are easily distracted by birds, chipmunks and squirrels, but the only things they actually kill are mice and grasshoppers.
What is the best age to start training a cat to camp?
I would say 5-12 months is the best age to train a cat to camp, hike, or travel. You don’t want to take them out when they are too young or small, but also don’t want to wait too long!
Do the cats ride in the truck or the camper when traveling?
Both! Aspen prefers to ride in the camper, while Tortilla and Maverick prefer to ride in the cab. On long road trips, we place them in the camper every few hours so they have access to the litter box if needed.
