Cats vs Dogs: Who's the Better Travel Buddy?

So, you've decided that life on the road is a call you can no longer ignore. Or, maybe you're just trying to figure out how to move your cat from one state to another without having World War III break loose in the vehicle. Whatever your reason, I'm here to show you that your kitty is capable of traveling.

But, who's better at it? Mister Whiskers or Fido?

Most people would name dogs as the better travel companions—and there certainly are perks to bringing your dog along. If you already have one, please don’t leave Fido behind! But, if you’re considering adventuring with your cat, here’s why it’s a great idea.

Financial Cost

When you’re on the road, sticking to your budget is crucial to a successful trip or maintaining full-time travel. The annual cost of owning a cat is roughly $430 to $870. For a dog, it’s $380 to $1,170. Cats generally eat less, require fewer vet visits, and are easier to care for.

WINNER: CATS

Convenience

The day will come when you might need to fly home for an emergency or just want to go camping in a no-pets-allowed zone for the weekend. Cats can easily take care of ourselves and we won’t trash the place when we get anxious. We’re also easier to chuck into the rooftop tent compared to your 90-lb black lab!

WINNER: CATS

Regulations

Pet regulations for travel almost always specify dogs. Even when they don’t, cats tend to fly under the radar. Examples include some parks and hiking trails that don’t allow you to leave Fido at camp but also ban him from the trails! Some RV parks also have breed restrictions, primarily against pitbulls, rottweilers, and German Shepherds.

WINNER: CATS

Noise

One of the main reasons that parks ban dogs is noise (potential aggression is the next!). At one RV park in California, we saw a woman get kicked out because of her two yappy chihuahuas. She left for another RV park in Arizona. Within a week, she had an ultimatum there, too: get rid of the dogs or leave. She sold the louder one and was able to keep her quieter puppy.

WINNER: CATS

Protection

If you have a big dog with a deep voice, there’s a pretty good chance no one is messing with you anytime soon. Even smaller dogs are quick to alert you to someone prowling about outside. I growl at people when they come close to the RV, but I’m an anomaly on that one!

WINNER: DOGS

Outdoor Bonding

Dogs are only too happy to go outside with you. Sometimes, you can’t even finish the word before the ears perk up. They are also much easier to train. Most cats would rather adventure outdoors without you—or we prefer not to go outside at all. However, there are a lot of places you can take an adventure cat where Fido isn’t allowed. So, this is a very narrow win for pooches!

WINNER: DOGS

Final Meowzings!

Are you surprised to find that cats are, indeed, the better travel companions? We are low-maintenance and no one seems to care whether you have a cat or not—sometimes, not even U.S. border patrol when returning from Mexico!

This is not to say that dogs don’t make excellent travel companions. They most certainly do! But, you’ll have to commit to spending more money, visiting fewer places, and facing more regulations.

In the next article, I’ll review the pros and cons of cat travel with different setups. I’ll touch on Airbnbs, travel trailers, motorhomes, rooftop tents, etc.—plus share cat travel tips for each one! See you, then.

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