The ultimate guide on how to camp with a cat for 2023

Do you love cats? I mean, who doesn’t love these furry little cuddly creatures? And if you love them, that means you definitely own them as pets. These furry little creatures make a great household pet, but we aren’t here for that now. The question that arises now is that “Can they go out in the wild with their owners and camp?” and how to camp with a cat?

Usually, it depends on the cat if you own a street cat then they will definitely be able to camp with you since they are adapted to such an outside lifestyle. However, if you own a Persian cat, Sphynx cat, Ragdoll cat, or any sort of cat that is used to the indoor lifestyle, then it might be slightly hard for you to take it camping. Therefore, without any worry, let us help you with taking your Perfect little friend to camp.

First, make sure your cat is used to being outdoors. Try taking him for a short walk before you go camping to get his bearings. Secondly, be sure to keep your cat well-fed and hydrated while you’re away.

If you are more interested in learning to camp with dogs, we suggest you read our comprehensive article on A complete guide for car camping with dogs 2022

Why camp with a cat?

Camping with a cat can provide many benefits for both you and your feline friend. Moreover, camping with a cat can be a fun and exciting experience. They are intelligent animals that enjoy being around people, and they make great travel companions. Cats are experts at hunting and camping, so they can help keep you safe while you’re out in the wild. They’re also great companions who love being around people, so camp with a cat and enjoy all the benefits that come with being close to a pet!

Here are a few reasons why campers should consider bringing a cat along on their next adventure:

• Cats love to explore new surroundings. They will be excited to explore the new environment that you will be camping in, and they will make sure to check out all the different corners and nooks.
• Cats are good travelers. They are calm and collected, which makes them great companions for long car rides or plane rides. You won’t have to worry about them getting restless or bored during your travels.
• Cats are independent creatures, but they enjoy spending time with people as well.

Checklist for essential items for cats

7 steps of How to camp with a cat

Step 1. How to prepare your cat for camping:

You definitely cannot just take a cat out for camping out in the wild randomly without any warning or signs. This is a huge mistake that some pet owners do and can cause massive problems later on for both the owners and the cats. Most cats aren’t familiar with such nature. Now, how can we avoid that?

Firstly, take him out in your backyard or front yard and keep it there for quite some time to see its reaction. If it reacts normally and starts to adore the outside natural environment, that means it can go camping and if it doesn’t react positively and wants to go back inside, that means it will definitely cause havoc if you take it out for camping.

Secondly, if your cat starts to like your backyard, then spend time with it in there for 30-60 minutes for the next couple of days to make sure it gets adjusted to the outside environment. After that, start to go for small walks in front of your house to make sure it is familiar with the environment it is in and adjusts properly. After completing these baby steps, go on a hike nearby for a few hours or a maximum of one day to train your cat on the challenges that it will face forward in the coming days.

Thirdly, make sure your cat is up-to-date on their vaccinations. Even if your cat has been vaccinated before, it’s always important to get them updated on their current vaccines. This includes feline leukemia and rabies, which are both potentially deadly diseases that can easily spread when traveling with a cat.  If your cat is unvaccinated or has an incomplete vaccine regimen, it could become ill during the trip and may even require hospitalization.

Finally, feed your cat regular meals and snacks while away from home. Traveling can be stressful for pets, and depriving them of food can lead to malnutrition or even starvation.

That way, your tiny Campurr friend will be ready to face any sort of challenge while camping, since it will now be familiar with all sorts of camping activities.

Step 2. Checking the weather before-hand:

Usually, when we go camping at a designated location, we tend to check the weather forecast of the area for the days we will be camping to see if it will be rainy, sunny, or cloudy. Therefore, before you go camping, make sure the weather isn’t chilly or rainy and make sure the temperature is above 45° Fahrenheit. If the temperature goes below that, then we suggest staying indoors and not going camping as anything below 0° can be harmful to cats since they will now be more prone to frostbites and hypothermia.

Step 3. How to set up your campsite for kitty

Campsites can be a fun and relaxing place for everyone, but it can be difficult to make sure that your cat is comfortable and happy while you’re away. Here are some tips on how to set up your campsite so that both you and your feline friend will have a great time.

1. Make sure the site is large enough for your cat to run around. A good rule of thumb is to allow at least three times the cat’s length as width per side.
2. Choose a location that has plenty of shade and fresh air, and avoid areas that are wet or muddy.
3. A flat area with plenty of fresh grass will do the trick. If you have a tent, set it up first so your cat can get used to the new environment. Make sure there are no sharp edges around the perimeter of your tent or the kitty will likely avoid it in future visits.
4. If possible, try to have some sort of shelter available for your kitty, such as a tree or shrub with a canopy.
5. Spread out a blanket or sleeping bag on the ground for your kitty to use as a bed. You can also provide some toys and food nearby so she has somewhere to hang out while you’re away.

Step 4. How to prepare your cat’s food and gear

When we go out for several days for camping, hiking, skiing, rafting, nature watching, and many more activities, we tend to pack our foods and drinks with us to fill ourselves with energy and keep ourselves hydrated.

Similar to that situation, we need to also pack our cat’s foods properly and make sure they are packed in sufficient amounts to make sure the cat doesn’t starve in the middle of the end of the camping trip. While packing cat food, you need to make sure you take the kind of food that they are already accustomed to eating at home because if you start giving it new food all of a sudden in the middle of nowhere, it will get scared and won’t try to eat it.

This is why you should pack and give it food to which it is accustomed, and make sure you give it around the same time you would normally give it while it’s home. This will help reduce stress and anxiety and help the cat adjust better out in the wild. Another thing you shouldn’t forget is that your cat will require around 250-300 calories per day to keep in shape, so you need to pack accordingly to that.

Secondly, the gears matter as much as food. Imagine going out in the wild, and you did not bring your favorite book to read. I bet you already feel bored and sad by reading that sentence. Similar to that situation, you mustn’t forget to pack your cat’s favorite toys and items such as bed, blanket, food bowls, and toys of course. Oh wait, did I already mention toys? Oh well, let’s keep that, just to make sure you don’t forget. Letting it play with its favorite toys will help reduce its anxiety and keep it happy.

While we are on the subject of bringing your cat’s essentials, another topic that shouldn’t be forgotten are your cat’s medicines. Medicines are very important whether it’s for a human or for a cat. Without medicines, your cat won’t be able to survive for a long period of time and will suffer in pain, which will in return just make you sad and stress you out. Therefore, make sure that you remember your cat’s medicine and pack them accordingly to the prescription. Indoor cats have a higher chance of catching diseases in the wild when compared to cats that are adapted to living outside.

Step 5. Don’t forget your Cat’s CloakRoom

Not all cats are comfortable defecating in the wild woods, as most of them are accustomed to certain indoor lifestyles. Now, this is where the letterbox comes in handy. Cats who are trained to use a kitty letterbox at home will feel more relaxed and calm when using it in the wild and won’t panic. Therefore, make sure to pack a small kitty letterbox, which will easily fit into the car, and make sure your cat has used it in the past and will recognize it in the wild. If you give it a new one all of a sudden, it will feel uncomfortable and might be scared to use it.

Using a kitty letterbox is the ideal choice, as kitty feces have a lot of harmful substances in them. One of the harmful substances that are present in kitty feces is called Protozoan Parasites. They are very harmful to all kinds of warm-blooded mammals and toxic, especially to pregnant women. Therefore, using a kitty letterbox will make sure the feces aren’t disposed of randomly and can be taken care of before anyone.

Step 6. Using a cat backpack

Usually, when we think of backpacks, we think of a vessel for carrying books, food, clothes, and many more essential items for humans. Now, if someone comes to you and tells you that they need a backpack for cats, they will think that you are crazy since keeping a cat inside a bag will suffocate it and make it scared and anxious.

What if I told you that there’s a new invention in town? That’s right. Recently, creators have come up with an idea that has been turned into reality. The idea is that the backpack will be an oval-shaped structure with straps on for carrying it. Its front side will have a transparent pear fruit-like structure to make sure that you can see how your cat is doing on the inside and that your cat can see the outside and not get scared.

This comes in handy, especially during hiking since cats aren’t known to walk for long distances, unlike dogs. So, when you start to see that your cat is getting tired, you can put it in the cat backpack and let it still enjoy the hike while sitting on your back.

This is a massive invention, as this will help owners not only take their cats camping but also to malls, beaches, parties, and almost everywhere else. With this, you can travel anywhere with your cat without worrying about it being left alone at home.

Step 7. How to adjust the sleeping area with your cat

Every creature needs to sleep at night except obviously nocturnal animals. Cats are however not nocturnal animals, which means they definitely need to sleep at night for resting up. Now, they definitely can’t sleep on open grounds, as that will leave them vulnerable to all sorts of insects and parasites and possibly bigger animals. Well then, what can we do in this case?

The one and only thing we can do is get a cat bed for them. Instead of buying a new cat bed, just grab the one your cat already sleeps at home. By using the one at home, your cat will feel more at home and won’t be scared and stressed out in the wild. It might not even sleep in the new bed due to anxiety.

Now that we have covered some main points, let us dive in-depth with some additional tips that will help you enrich this journey with your feline friend.

Avoid leashes:

When out camping in the wild, don’t even think about putting on a leash on your cat unless you are scared it might go somewhere far and lose its way. Make sure your cat trusts you completely so that it won’t go somewhere far from you and get lost in the middle of nowhere.

GPS on collar:

Now, we definitely can’t stick our cat with us the whole time. They are curious little creature that likes to discover unknown surroundings. This might lead to them getting lost and being scared in the middle of nowhere. Well, to solve that, you can put a GPS tracker on its collar and keep on checking the map from time to time and make sure you know where it is at all times.

TREAT TREAT TREAT!:

What better way to earn your cat’s trust and keep it happy? That’s right. Give it a treat occasionally. Treats are used to reward your feline camper buddy. Now, the treat has to be something your cat loves the most and something that you give it rarely because giving it all the time will lose its rarity value. Giving it once in a while will keep the cat close to you for more treats and keep it happy. Giving a treat is what makes you a good parent to your cat.

FAQ’s:

Q1. Is it OK to take a cat camping?

Ans: This is a question that many people have wondered about, and one that they may even fear. However, taking your cat camping with you is perfectly safe and can be very fun for both of you. Here are some tips on how to safely do this:

1) Prep your cat by training them to behave during the trip. This will help make the experience more enjoyable for both of you.
2) Make sure your cat has plenty of food and water before heading out. If they become thirsty or hungry while out, they might become agitated or destructive.
3) Be prepared for possible accidents. Cats are curious by nature, so if something startled them or made them feel scared, they might not react well when camping with you.

Q2. How do you tent camp with a cat?

Ans: When it comes to camping with a cat, there are a few things to keep in mind.

• First, make sure the tent is big enough for both you and your feline friend. The cat should have plenty of room to move around and do its business without disturbing you or your sleeping bag.
• Second, be sure the ground is soft and sandy enough, so the cat won’t feel uncomfortable walking on it. If possible, try to find a spot that has some shade as well.
• Third, set up the tent before dark, so your cat can get used to being inside during the day. And finally, make sure you provide plenty of fresh water and food dishes for your kitty while you’re away.

Q3. Will my cat run away if I take him camping?

Ans: Cats enjoy being outdoors and spending time outside, so it’s no surprise that many people take their cats camping with them. However, there are a few things to keep in mind if you plan on taking your cat camping.

• First, always make sure your cat’s food and water bowls are full before you leave. Leaving food and water out for your cat while you’re away can cause him to become anxious and potentially run away.
• Second, be careful not to leave your cat alone in the tent or RV during the night. If he becomes frightened or anxious and tries to escape, he may wind up getting lost or injured.
• Finally, always take precautions when handling your cat around campfires or other hot surfaces. Cats are naturally drawn to these places and can get burned if they jump into the fire or sit on a hot object.

Q4. Can a cat sleep in a tent?

Ans: A cat can sleep in a tent if it is big enough, has a tight fit, and is placed near a warm source of heat. A cat’s fur will protect it from the cold ground, but it may not be comfortable. Some cats enjoy sleeping in tents, while others prefer their own beds.

Conclusion:

To wrap things up, camping is a fun little activity and who could be a better partner than your own cat. Cats while mischievous can serve as a really good camping partner. But you must follow mentioned steps on how to camp with a cat to make your camping journey more enjoyable .

It’s usually the first and second times that might be difficult to camp with a cat, but cats are known to be quick little learners and will learn easily. So, after a few trips, they will be trained to know what to do during camping and will cause fewer troubles. Well then, go on and start packing up already. You don’t want to miss out and be late on your first camping trip with a tiny Campurr friend. Hurry up and go on already. MEOW!