What To Pack When Traveling With A Cat
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When traveling with a cat, I am limited to what I could fit into one 50 lb suitcase, a backpack as my personal item and my cat’s carrier on planes. This includes clothes and travel items for myself as well as my cat’s necessities. I brought with me some cat items while the rest I banked on purchasing at a pet store upon arrival to save space in my luggage.
For our first trip, Totoro and I flew via Aeromexico from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Mexico City International Airport (MEX). We are staying in Mexico for 6 months while visiting multiple cities.
A portable litter box and pet tracker such as an AirTag are necessities when traveling with your cat.
What I packed for my cat:
Cat carrier: Travel Cat "The Navigator" Convertible Cat Backpack. When choosing a cat carrier, I needed one that could be used on the plane, for going out on adventures and also for sleeping in. This one fits the bill and Totoro absolutely loves it. It is technically a little too large to fit on Aeromexico but since it is soft sided I was able to squeeze it under the seat in front of me. I received this as a Christmas gift and we used it regularly for about 3-4 months prior to our trip. You can purchase on Amazon or get 10% off your order on Travel Cat.
Portable litter box: Travel Cat "The Porta-Pawty" Travel Litter Box. It’s waterproof, lightweight and folds up to a size just slightly larger than my hand. The one from Travel Cat is slightly larger than other portable litter boxes on the market and in general cats are more comfortable with larger litter boxes. I introduced this litter box to Totoro about a week before our flight and he started using it right away. Available on Amazon or get 10% off your order on Travel Cat.
Pet tracker: Apple AirTag 4 pack and AirTag holder from Made By Cleo. Totoro is already microchipped and has a name tag but just for peace of mind, I highly recommend a pet tracker when traveling with a pet. I have an iPhone and used one AirTag for Totoro’s collar and the others for my luggage.
Calming spray: Feliway Classic Cat Calming Pheromone Spray and Feliway Classic Cat Calming Pheromone Diffuser. A friend of mine let me try a sample and it helped keep Totoro calm when we went hiking on a crowded trail. I went ahead and purchased the spray for his carrier and the diffuser for whenever we change accommodations.
Cat harness: rabbitgoo Cat Harness and Leash and later upgraded to the Travel Cat "The Lavender" Purple Cat Harness & Leash Set and the Travel Cat "The Day Tripper" Perfect Adjustable H-Style Cat Harness & Bungee Leash Set. I planned to take Totoro to many pet-friendly places when traveling so a harness is a must! He trained for a year with a harness and leash prior to our trip.
Retractable leash: Fida Retractable Dog Leash, 16 ft Dog Walking Leash for Small Dogs with JERK-EASE Patented Shock Absorber Bungee Dog Leash Attachment. We started training with a retractable leash with a bungee attachment, which is the secret when you have a hyperactive kitten who tended to run after things and get tangled up often. When Totoro got older I upgraded to the Travel Cat "The Captain" Retractable Leash for Cats.
Treats: INABA Churu Cat Treats are Totoro’s favorite treats and what I primarily use to train him. He usually turns up his nose at other treats. I brought the 50 pack with me and when we ran out I had to order it on Amazon Mexico at double the price. I heard there was another brand but never found it at any of the pet stores I went to.
Documents: vaccination records and if applicable, a Certificate of Health as mentioned in my last post.
Other: general cat care items such as nail clippers, brush, toothpaste and toothbrush. I brought way too many toys that he lost interest in quickly. I packed a small bag of dry cat food so my luggage would weigh less and planned to buy more upon arrival.
Totoro enjoying his favorite Inaba Churu treat.
If you are planning to purchase more items for your cat upon arrival, I highly recommend choosing a flight that arrives early enough in the day for pet stores to still be open. After we landed in Mexico City and checked into our accommodations, I cat-proofed the room by putting away some breakable wine glasses, faux plants that Totoro might chew on and a heavily scented diffuser that he definitely hated the smell of. I plugged in the Feliway diffuser and left Totoro behind to go to the nearest pet store.
What I purchased upon arrival for my cat:
Pet travel bowls: I forgot to pack these, so I had to buy some generic ones. The stainless steel ones from home were too heavy to bring anyway.
Cat food: I bought some wet food from the local Nupec brand. I’m not sure if Totoro disliked the taste or the food was expired but he wouldn’t eat it. I later went to Petco where they have a lot of familiar brands that you would see at an American Petco store. If your cat is a picky eater you can order most of your cat’s favorite foods on Petco Mexico’s website with free shipping over $599 MXN ($35 USD). You can compare prices on Amazon Mexico or Mercado Libre.
Litter: I definitely was not going to pack a heavy bag of clay litter in my luggage so I bought a local brand upon arrival. Some of the local ones were incredibly dusty and didn’t clump well. If you’re in a Spanish-speaking country, look for “aglutinante,” which means clumping and “sin esencia,” meaning unscented.
Litter scoop: I also forgot to pack this and bought a plastic one. Much lighter than a metal one.
Cat scratcher: I purchased a cardboard cat scratcher but should have known better because little man only likes scratching his carpeted cat tree. He ignored the scratcher even after I demonstrated how to scratch it for a week and sprinkled the included catnip on it.
We miss Totoro’s cat tree, Litter Robot, litter mat, water fountain and window hammock but those are bulky luxury items that he didn’t necessarily need when traveling. I buy food in small amounts only when needed and new litter when we arrive at a new city. Those are all you really need to continue buying when traveling!
