How to travel by bike with a cat

In case you missed it, in November we found a kitten with a broken leg by the side of the road, and Sjena has become a part of our travelling team!

I’m certainly not an expert on travelling with an animal, but I wanted to share some of the insights and things we have learnt along the way, especially whilst it is still fresh.

I want to start with an important point. A pet is a responsibility. Whether on the road or at home, your companion requires your consideration for its welfare. Many pet owners feel guilty about leaving their pet at home whilst they go away on holiday – but perhaps that is the best thing for your cat. Only you will know.

To choose to travel with your cat is, at the end of the day, your choice and not his. He would not choose a life on a bicycle if left entirely to his own devices. But that point aside, with a little empathy for the cat, some thought and forward planning, there is no reason you can’t travel with your furry friend.

I have focused on bike travel because that is what we are doing, but a lot of the information is relevant to any kind of travel.

I will be covering the following topics and you can use the links to navigate to the different posts (once I have posted them all!):

• Why would you travel with your cat?
• Common concerns
• What equipment do you need?
• Practicalities of travelling with your cat

Why would you travel with your cat?

It adds a lot of laughter to your day

Sjena’s antics are a never-ending display of hilarity, from playing Fetch like a dog to playing hide and seek; stalking us, jumping, rolling and doing somersaults as she chases shoelaces, toys, or her own reflection. Or just staying still:

“I am a stuffed cat…!”

They remind you to be Present

Your cat isn’t dreaming of home or wishes something were different. Your cat is relaxed or playful or stressed – right now and is living this moment with all its heart and soul.

Recognising this reminds you of it yourself, and helps to understand your cat better. Sjena very quickly learnt to make herself at home wherever she finds herself – and we help her to do that by setting out her bed, water and food bowl as a priority.

It invites you to observe

This could be said of animal stewardship in general, but when your environment is constantly changing you have to be even more aware of your companion. You notice a variety of behaviours that you might not whilst living a “normal” life and it allows you to forge a deeper connection with your companion.

Learn to see the world from a cat’s perspective

From what is scary to what is fun, watching Sjena grow and interact with the world has been a fascinating experience. At 3 months old, she is the most interactive cat I have ever had! Interestingly she wasn’t remotely interested in humans when we first crossed paths – she had clearly had little to no contact with them – so she all but ignored us. As she learned that interacting with us caused things to happen more quickly for her (like food appearing) she began to pay more attention, learning the signs and sounds that we were using to attract her attention, and even giving us signs and sounds of her own in return. Now she is very focused on us (and us on her) and between us we communicate in a mixture of cat-human.

Talking of cat perspectives, I feel like Sjena’s rucksack must feel like a teleporting machine to her (if she could understand the concept). She goes in, the doors close behind her and when they open again she finds herself in completely new surroundings. This leads to my next point:

Watch your cat grow in confidence

Whilst some might argue that travelling is stressful for a cat, if you introduce them to the idea carefully and respectfully there is no reason why they can’t get used to it. Obviously for us this was much easier because Sjena was only about five weeks old when we met her. She has spent more of her short life “travelling” than “at home”, but we are very careful to do things at her pace and allow her to escape from overly-stressful situations.

You will meet more people

This is especially true if you are travelling by bike with your cat! A cat on a lead (or on a bike if she is visible) is a novelty and people will want to stop to talk and ask questions. Sjena has led us to many an adventure and to new friends in the last couple of months.

Save on a cattery or housesitters

Many people have to put their cat into kennels or find someone to look after them whilst they go away. Travelling with your cat gives you more freedom, and may even end up cheaper (depending on how long you are going for).

Have you travelled with your cat? How did you travel and what were your reasons?

Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Are you worried about travelling with your cat? In the next post I will be addressing some common concerns!