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While we’re no experts on van life with cats, we have come to learn a few things in our time living in a van with our kitty. Obviously, each cat is different and what works for us may not work for your cat. However, we’ve found these 10 things make van life with our cat much easier.
10 Tips for Making Van Life with Cats Easier
1. Litter boxes aren’t for everyone.
The number one question we were asked when living in our first van in Scotland was, “where do you go to the bathroom?”. So we should have known this was going to be the most asked question when talking about van life with cats! We weren’t too keen on including a litter box in our van build. Number one, we didn’t have space for it, but number two, we didn’t want the smell and flies a litter box would attract.
So we opted for no litter box in the van, and boy, are we glad we did. Nature provides great litter boxes for cats! And, unless you plan on doing van life with cats in a city, letting nature be your litter box works great. There’s no mess, no clean-up, and no smell! Plus, it’s less weight and less stuff to carry in the van all the time.
But, not everything is rainbows and unicorns. There have been plenty of times where we wish we had a litter box. Like when we were in bear country and Georgie had to be let out only on a leash at all times, or when we’re in town and we think Georgie has to go the bathroom. But honestly, those times don’t come close to the inconvenience of having a litter box in the van, so we choose to make do in those times instead of dealing with a litter box in the van.
2. The type of leash you use matters.
Oh man, this was our biggest learning curve. When we first started having Georgie on a leash, we used a retractable leash and it wasn’t good. The sound of the leash retracting in and out scared her, making her just hunker down and not want to move. We felt so bad, I thought we’d have to leave bear country just so she didn’t have to be on a leash anymore.
But then we tried a different leash and she does much better, dare I say she even likes it? The short, nonretractable leash allows her to still feel comforted by our closeness (because we only use the leash when absolutely necessary) and also makes no noise so it doesn’t spook her. It’s not only good for her, but for us too.
try a different leash…
When taking on van life with cats, you want to eliminate any possible stress for both you and your kitties. Finding the kind of leash that they like, that also works well for you is a must. Honestly, having Georgie on a leash now is so much easier because the leash doesn’t get tangled up as we weave in and out through trees as we let her explore in bear country, and seeing her happy on the leash instead of hunkering down being miserable allows us to feel okay with taking her on the road.
Test different kinds of leashes. Allow your cat a few days on the leash to adjust to it before deciding if it works well for them and you. Once your cat starts acting like themselves again not the leash.. i.e. jumping from log to log, going to the bathroom on lead, trotting like normal instead of walking as low to the ground as they can get, you’ll know you found the right leash for them!
3. Cats know their surroundings, trust their instincts.
When talking about taking our cat on the road, I honestly felt safer with the idea of bringing her along knowing her senses are way more acute than mine. Cats can smell, hear, and see things, long before we can, and often looking at their body language tells you if something’s not right in the area.
Van life with cats allows for a bit of peace of mind with knowing if you’re in a safe spot, or if you need to move on due to danger in the area. Cats are well aware of things that make them unsafe. Whether that be people, lurking smells from animals that have been in the area before, or movements of animals that are currently near.
There’s been a couple of times where Georgie just straight up won’t get out of the van. It’s always a bit alarming because we know that means something is nearby currently, or has been recently. Luckily, most of the time it’s just loud trucks she hears before us. However, one morning it was coyotes that were in the area during the night…Confirmed by coyote tracks found nearby!
When taking on van life with cats, learn to trust their instincts. They won’t wander too far or heck, even get out of the van, if they sense any kind of danger. Just be sure you have a safe spot for them to run to and hide in the van for those times where they’re out and about and a scent or sound alerts them of danger nearby.
4. Always double-check the water bowl is closed before driving!
This one doesn’t need much explanation. And I’m embarrassed to say how many times hitting a bump in the road has reminded us neither of us closed Georgie’s water dish. The mess is never too much, but any kind of water spillage is something you want to avoid in the van!
Put a sticky note on your dash if need be to remind you to close the water dish!!
Save for later..
5. Giving a cat space to explore, helps us be less stressed and more comfortable.
Cats are curious by nature. They need to smell and explore a pretty big perimeter around their new homes.. which, when van lifing with cats is always changing. Giving your cat the space to explore allows them to feel comfortable in each new park up.
Remember, they have good instincts. They likely won’t go further than they’re comfortable with, and although it’s hard to trust that, when you do, it makes van life with cats for you much easier.
We’ve learned that staying in a park up for a couple of days makes it less stressful for you and your cat. A couple of nights in a new place allows your cat to really get comfortable with the area, which in turn, means much less worrying for you about your cat exploring too far!
6. It’s best to arrive at a place before dark.
Trust us on this one, arriving at a park up after dark is stressful all on its own. But doing so with a cat makes it about one thousand times more stressful! You can’t see if there’s a cliff or a mountain for your cat to climb up or down, where potential hiding spots are, and don’t know what’s in the area that your cat may disturb when they start exploring.
Getting to a camp spot before dark allows time for your cats to explore in the daylight where you can easily watch them!
7. Upon each new park up, walk around with your cat for them to sniff the area with the comfort of you.
When we find a new place to park, one of us holds Georgie and walks around until she’s comfortable getting down on her own.. typically shown by her starting to squirm in our arms.
This walk-around doubles as a time for us to see where she’ll likely go the bathroom (where your cat can dig, and for Georgie, on a little bit of a mound), as well as time for your cat to understand the new location and get comfortable with all the new smells.. with the constant, comforting smell of you holding or following them.
We’ve found that by doing this, Georgie gets comfortable in a new place a lot quicker, and we gain a sense of peace knowing she probably won’t venture that far away from the van on her own after doing it with us.
8. Only use the leash when absolutely necessary!
Leashes offer the reassurance of your cat not wandering away, however you have to remember you chose to van life with cats, not the other way around. If your cat isn’t always on a leash at home, it’s hardly fair that they are on one in the van.
Not only that, but when you use your leash only when absolutely necessary, your cat will learn that when the leash is on, they have to deal, otherwise they’re stuck in the van.
9. Comfort your kitty when new loud noises are happening.
Diesel trucks are the worst for Georgie. She’s so afraid of them, that she sometimes starts shaking when they’re near. Comforting her when we hear a diesel truck drive up, and specifically rubbing and petting her ears, helps soothe the stress of the trucks. Obviously, not all cats will be afraid of the same things. But as you van life with your cat, you’ll learn what sends them into panic mode. Prevent the stress on your cat, by being aware, snuggling them in tight, and petting them when you see or hear the stress-causing thing approach.
At first, we were really concerned with Georgie as all the new noises were causing stress. We lived on a dirt road at home, so she’s not used to the loud trucks and busy street driving. However, she’s since gotten used to it, through gradual exposure. And now sleeps through big rigs passing by, and seems to be doing okay when in our arms if she’s not in the van as a diesel truck comes near.
Just be on the lookout for what triggers your cat, and know that in time, they’ll find comfort in you and their new home on wheels.
10. Get a collar with a bell so you can hear where your cat is exploring!
We went back and forth about putting a collar with a bell on our cat. We even researched if it was okay to have a bell on a cat’s collar or if it was inhumane. In the end, it comes down to each cat individually.
We’ve read that some cats can handle the bell, others learn to walk without the bell ringing, and still, others get permanent ear damage from bells on their collars.
Georgie never had a bell on her collar at home because she likes to hunt. But on the road, when she’s not hunting squirrels and birds in the garden, we decided to put one on her. The bell is a huge comfort for us when we let her explore without a leash on.
One time, we were out on a walk and she was just going in and out of bushes, up and down the riverbank, and a big truck drove by. She was too far away from me to get to me for comfort, so she ran and hid. I looked all over for her and was getting stressed out that she was gone. As I was praying she would move and I could hear or see her movement, I heard the faintest jingle of her bell. She was in a bush right at my feet!
From that time on, we always keep her collar with a bell on her when she’s roaming around. It allows us to really let her get out and explore wherever she wants, because we know we can always track her down by listening for a little jingle.
More on Life on the Road with Cats
This post is all about what to pack when traveling with a cat. Think things like a cat harness, water bowl, and a cat litter box.. or do you need it?! Check out this post to see!
LEARN MORE | 5 Things You Need to Include in Your Van Build for Cat Van Life
Don’t worry, if you’re already done with your van build, we’ve included ways to incorporate things like a safe space for your cat after the fact!
Making Van Life with Cats Easier
This list of making van life with cats easier is compiled of our own experiences with our cat. Every cat is different, and you’ll have to see what works with your cat while on the road. The biggest thing to remember is that your cat is adjusting to van life, give them and yourselves grace as you take on this new adventure.
Nobody knows your cat better than you, so while these things worked for our cat, be sure to pay attention to the needs of yours as they might differ from Georgie’s needs.
Let us know how van life with cats goes for you! Heck, maybe we’ll see you somewhere on the road!
Save This Post for Life on the Road
