We have been on the road in our Mazda 3 (4 door) sedan for almost 6 months, just the two of us and our feline friend, Tonee. Most of the time we spend couch surfing but we've also camped with him. He is most snuggly in the mornings and it's been really nice not having to give that up. He makes each place we stay feel a little warmer. The sound of his purrs have carried many a stress away!

Some people have wondered about the specifics though. Like, "How does your cat go to the bathroom when you're driving"? And "does he try to escape the car"?

Before we went traveling, Tonee used this big, deep litter box. He only had one, but it was all to himself. It was waay too big for our car.. So we bought a dish pan (for a sink or for camping) and filled that with litter and it sits in our back seat. It's about half the size but it works on the same principle and it's now tried and true.

We don't put Tonee in a carrier. We let him roam freely in the car. I suppose this wouldn't work for all cats. But Tonee uses the litter box while we are driving. His aim is better than mine! We do keep an eye on him and drive extra smoothly when he's poised to go to make him more comfortable and discourage "easier habits".

So far the only accidents he has had seem to have been intentional. Cats generally don't like change. It's just not in their nature. When we pack up to leave a place and go back to the car, Tonee gets stressed out. He doesn't know where we are going. Maybe his imagination gets carried away? He calms down after about 10 minutes, but until then he's at high risk
of bad behavior.

Luckily, we are proactive people! And we plan ahead! We have our back seat and front seats covered in cheap dollar store shower curtains and use twin sheets to cover the bucket seats in the front for comfort. In the back seat we spread a towel and one
of Tonee's soft blankets (on the center console where he usually rests while we're driving). This makes any messes much easier to clean up and the smells don't stay in the car. I believe over the course of 6 months, he's peed inappropriately 3 times, always in the front seat while we are NOT in the car.

To minimize the likelihood of him being so stressed out we use Comfort
Zone Feliway spray. It's a scent that calms cats by using pheramones scents that remind them of their mother. So a few squirts and some consoling him (not leaving him alone too long) before we take off and it's smooth sailing. We keep some Simple Solution
just in case. We can't plan for everything after all.

I love having Tonee with us. However, traveling with a cat isn't ALWAYS ideal. There are times when we are neither here nor there and want to explore. But leaving a cat in the car is not an option because of the heat or a waste of fuel if we would leave the A/C on. So we miss some opportunities. There is a notable relationship between love and sacrifice. Lately, we'll take him out at a rest area/park and sit him on our lap on the grass so we can all get some
earth time.

Tonee is 10 years old. He was never leash trained. I made one solid effort and haven't tried it again. He is still not leash trained. That would make some travel easier. But the great thing about Tonee is that he's attentive and listens. He's a homebody. He doesn't want to be far away or alone. He never tried to escape our house (a good indicator of what your cat will do during travel). He doesn't crave adventure unless it involves chasing a mouse or catching a bird. When he
wanders we can tell him to "Stay close" or "Go home" and he'll return.

We've even got it so that he understands home to be where we are staying, once he's been settled in for a couple of hours. He's never tried to escape the car... until last week (ironically enough). We were at a store and I was refilling our water bottles in the back seat and he hopped to the front. I had left my front door open as well (because he never tries to "escape") and when I finished, he was gone.

I looked under the car and didn't see him until I looked across the lot. I yelled to him to "Go home" and he hid under the closest car. There was no traffic in the parking lot, but I didn't know how long that would last. So instead of testing my authority, I decided it was
safest to physically retrieve him.

I walked up to him like I always do, care-free and lovingly talking to him. I think I asked him what was so interesting under the SUV. He didn't answer, but he didn't move either. I dropped down on the ground and put one arm behind him and pulled him towards myself, scooped him up
and we went back to the car. He usually shows no sign of being interested in exiting the car even with the door opened for long periods of time. I'm not sure what motivated the venture.

Yes, cats can escape. It is something you should consider before you take your cat on the road with you. You know your cat and you've seen indicators of their tendencies already. If they are runners and they are leashable, maybe consider keeping them on a leash in the car. If you drive a large vehicle maybe you can give them a nice sized kennel. If Tonee was a runner I don't think I would try to take him with us.

I think it's important to have a significant level of trust and connection with my fellow travelers, felines included.