Pawsport Please: The Hilarious Truth About Traveling with Your Cat

Don't forget your hat, Kitty Cat.

Let’s just get this out of the way: cats were not designed for travel. Ancient Egyptians worshipped them, but even they weren’t strapping Bastet into a Sherpa carrier and sprinting through TSA.

Still, if you're like me and made the bold life choice of bringing your cat on vacation, congrats! You now belong to an elite group of slightly delusional, highly caffeinated individuals who think, “Yes, Whiskers would love Cabo.”

Here’s what to expect when you bring your furry overlord along for the ride.

1. The Great Carrier Showdown

You bought the plush, vet-approved, air-circulation-maximizing carrier. It was highly rated. It has pockets. You proudly unzip it..

Your cat, meanwhile, sees a padded tomb and responds accordingly: by vanishing into the drywall.

🧳 Pro Tip: Don’t forget to pack a fabric harness with plastic buckles — not metal (unless you enjoy setting off every airport scanner like you're smuggling medieval armor). It’s safer, escape-proof, and slightly less humiliating than chasing your cat down Concourse C.

2. Airport Security: The Hunger Games Edition

TSA will eventually ask you to remove your cat from its carrier and “walk it through” the scanner. This is your Olympic event.

You’re now juggling your shoes, belt, dignity, a boarding pass, and 14 pounds of fight-or-flight fur that can defy gravity.

“Oh, is that your emotional support animal?” “No, I need one now.”

💡 Pack collapsible food and water bowls in an easy-access spot. Cats get stressed, thirsty, and dramatic — just like us.

3. The In-Flight Experience

Cats do not do “in-flight.” They endure it. Usually with loud, guttural complaints that sound like you’re torturing a soprano goat under your seat.

Bonus points if they decide to poop mid-turbulence. (Yes, this is your life now.)

🎒 Essentials to have on hand in the carrier:

• A puppy pee pad (in case of poopocalypse)

• Extra dry food

• A travel-size litter box (or disposable one)

• Ziplock of litter (and pray you won’t need it mid-flight)

4. Hotel Room Olympics

Once you arrive at your destination (frazzled, hair-covered, and questioning your life choices), your cat will do what cats do best: inspect every square inch of your overpriced room and then disappear behind the mini fridge.

They’ll re-emerge at 3 a.m. to knock over your water glass and scream at the HVAC.

🛎️ Don’t forget:

• An actual litter box (travel or pop-up)

• Extra litter (more than you think you’ll need)

• Their usual food — because “any old brand” will absolutely result in revenge diarrhea

5. The Unexpected Joy

And yet… when your cat finally settles in, watching birds out the window of a Parisian Airbnb or curling up next to you in a cozy Vermont cabin, something magical happens.

You realize you brought a little piece of home with you. A purring, judgmental, slightly chaotic piece of home. And somehow, that makes the journey worth it.

Final Thoughts: Should You Travel with Your Cat?

If your cat is chill, leash-trained, and has a spirit of adventure — go for it. If not? Maybe FaceTime them from your beach lounger and spare yourself the trauma.

Either way, pack:

• Fabric/plastic-buckle harness & leash

• Collapsible food/water bowls

• Plenty of food

• Litter and a portable litter box

• Pee pads

• A sense of humor

Bon voyage — and may the fur be ever in your favor. 🐾✈️

Need help planning a vacation both you and your feline companion will survive? We’ve got you covered — no catnip bribes required. Call GoSmart Travel at 813-591-5971 or email admin@gosmart.travel.