Roadtripping with Pets: A Practical Guide

A few years back, my husband and I went on a couple of cross-country road trips with our three pets: Walter, Gordie, and Pirate.

Why did we decide to take our two dogs and cat on a road trip? To be honest, it wasn’t our first choice. I was going to Harvard for grad school for a one year’s master’s program and finding someone who could watch our pets while we were away didn’t pan out. When evaluating all our various options for getting to Boston, driving was the most economical. Also, we really liked the idea of doing a road trip.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, here are some of the things to note:

• Prepare for messes
• Feed your pets before the trip
• Plan pit stops (every couple of hours at least)
• Make sure your pets’ tags and microchips are updated with latest contact information
• Bring a copy of their vaccination records
• Make sure your pets have a comfortable space in your car

Here are some of the things I recommend you bring:

• Carrier (if you plan on taking a cat)*
• Disposable aluminum turkey/baking trays*
• Cat litter and liners*
• Puppy pads
• Towels
• Leashes and harnesses
• Collapsible water and food bowls
• Wet naps / baby wipes
• Blankets and toys
• Treats

*An important note about carriers:

You might think your cat would love to roam around the car. And your cat might. But traveling is stressful on pets and their carrier is their safe space. They won’t go to the bathroom in their safe space. My husband thought our cat was cooped up in the carrier and decided to let him out. The first thing the cat did was defecate a hot mess on my husband’s favorite blanket. The smell was so awful we had to pull over and discard the blanket. Meanwhile, there was an insane thunderstorm and pouring rain. So yeah, keep your cat in the carrier until you get to your hotel room or a rest stop.

Speaking of going to the bathroom, you might be wondering how to manage the whole cat litter box situation. What I would do is put a liner in one of those disposable turkey trays and pour some cat litter in there. Then I would find a quiet area. I would make sure my cat was on his harness and leashed up, too. He didn’t always go to the bathroom, but when he did, I was able to easily dispose the tray.

Other tips and suggestions:

• During our trip, we stayed at various Red Roof Inn, Motel 6, and Best Western locations because they’re budget and pet friendly. Be sure to research your accommodations ahead of time.
• Check your hotel room for any small openings where your pets could hide or get stuck. Our cat decided to hide in the box spring, and it was quite the ordeal getting him out.
• Before letting your pets out in the hotel room, set up some of their belongings like their beds and bowls so it feels more familiar.
• Most hotel pet policies mention that pets shouldn’t be left unattended. Use your best judgment here. A cat is probably going to be fine, but dogs might bark or howl.
• If you’re going to leave your hotel room (to make a quick run to the store or to grab food), keep the TV on.
• Research your destinations/stops to make sure they’re pet friendly. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting somewhere and realizing your furry friend isn’t allowed.
• While your dogs might want to explore at every rest stop, your cat might just want to stay put in the carrier. You know your pets best. See how they’re feeling.

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In retrospect, I’m glad we were able to bring the whole gang with us. We had quite the adventure. It was fun watching them experience new things for the first time. Having little furry babies to cuddle was also comforting when grad school got overwhelming.

We’ve lost track of how many times we’ve taken the dogs on road trips with us. We don’t have Pirate anymore, sadly, as he went missing in 2016. I’m glad we were able to make so many magical memories, though, and looking back on these pictures always makes me smile.