Traveling With a Cat.

People have asked me if it's difficult traveling with a cat.

The answer is yes and no.

In some respects, cats travel well: They don't need to be 'let out' to do their business. Cats are good at holding it...better than a human. Cat boxes work well. I put Aleksandra's in the bathroom so when she does kick some litter out, it can be easily swept up. I also use some wet/dry kitty wipes. These are good for minor messes in the carrier or wherever. I've only used them a couple times and they smell swell.

I keep her in a pet carrier, that has a hatch on top so I can pet and otherwise console her (or give her a treat). I don't want her roaming around the car freely. I'm afraid she'll get down by the pedals at an inconvenient time. She mostly sleeps and occasionally takes a drink/snack break.

Her usual routine once she is released in the motel room is to scout the place out, and visit her kitty box once it's "all clear" in the room. After that, she'll plump her butt on the bed and watch TV.

When I check in to places, I always notify them I have a pet (usually a $10-20 fee...sometimes for the stay and sometimes per night). Cats are usually cheaper by $5. (In all cases the fee is far less than having a human companion) I have even managed to get rooms where they have a NO PET policy. This happens when its a Mop & Pop place where the manager is the owner---and female. Gals tend to adore cats and give them a break. In addition, it is rare for people to travel with a cat. Even other guests are surprised to see a lil kitteh. The park attendants at the entrance booths like to see a kitty too. I have gotten a lot of good unsolicited advice from folks, just because I have a cat co-pilot. There are a lot of "cat people" around, and all of them are nice people.

Cats are also very quiet, unlike those folks who travel with those damn yip-yip lapdogs. Ugh.

Cats don't complain about where you are going, how much money you are spending, or give driving instructions. Cats could care less if you visit the "boring" places. If they wonder at all, it would be something like, "Does Badlands dirt make good kitty litter to poop in?" They also don't ask if you are lost.

Now, there is a downside as well. Cats don't really like to be confined in a cage, even when all is well. Just the other day, Aleksandra decided she didn't want to go in her carrier and decided to escape my grasp. We had a bit of a tiff over that, but she lost. She's been kinda peeved at me since. She'll cuddle and sleep next to me all night, but in the morning, she'll be under the bed. This morning she came out as her food bowl was empty. Not a big deal as I am staying here for a couple days. She can pout to her hearts content.

When we leave, it will be a different story.

Another downside is what to do when you are on the road, yet out of the car at meal time or other stop. I am very careful not to come back to a cooked kitty. You really have to watch the temperature and ventilation. I keep the air conditioning cranked up, so the car is actually rather cool or even cold. This allows a longer time than you might expect for extravehicular activities. This could be a limiting factor, but I haven't even gotten close to a crisis. I also keep the sunroof open and in very hot areas I crack the windows a bit, too. I am sure the dark window tinting minimizes the 'green house effect' as well. I find that I am ready to hit the road again after an hour or so, anyway.

Did I mention cats like venison?