If you’re ready to take your cat on an adventure, there are tons of fun places to go. The best place to take your cat for fun depends on their comfort level, but there’s no shortage of options.
Fun places to take your cat can range from a weekend camping trip to a pet-friendly hotel to a staycation in your own home. No matter where you go, just be sure to prepare accordingly.
In this article, you’ll find 14 places where you can take cats for fun and how to get your cat ready for a great adventure.
14 Places To Take Your Cat For Fun
I hate walking out the door and leaving my cats behind. I’d so much rather take them on adventures with me. If you’re looking for a way to spend some time outside while still hanging out with your cat, there are several places fun places you can take your cat.
Whether your cat is a professional adventurer or they’ve never set foot outside the door, you can plan a weekend trip that you’ll both love. If you aren’t sure where to get started, check out this list of 14 fun places to take your cat:
- Camping
- Hiking
- Boating
- A Pet-Friendly Hotel
- The Beach
- The Park
- Walking
- Biking
- Your Porch or Backyard
- A Staycation
- A Friend’s House
- The Vet’s Office
- Pet Shops or Conventions
- Local Shops, Breweries, Cafes and Restaurants
Below, you’ll find more information on each activity including how to best prepare and what you’ll need to bring with you on your trip.
1. Camping
If the weather looks clear this weekend, consider taking your cat with you on a camping trip! Whether you’re camping in a tent or an RV, your cat may enjoy the short getaway with you.
Before you leave the house with your cat, make sure you have all the equipment you’ll need. You’ll want a harness and leash on your cat at all times, and you’ll need a carrier if you plan on driving a car to the campsite. You may also want a cat backpack if you plan on hiking and exploring around the campsite.
In addition to everything you’ll need for your cat’s safety, you’ll also need their other essentials. Prepare a travel litter box, food, and water, and bring some comfort items from home. If your cat has a favorite toy or blanket, they’ll appreciate it on the trip.
If your cat has never stayed in your tent or RV before, you may spend this weekend trying it out in your own backyard instead to see how they’d do on an actual camping trip.
2. Hiking
Hiking can be fun for both you and your cat. It’s a great way to get out of the house for a little while and let your cat explore the great outdoors.
Before you head out on a hike, there are a few things you can do to help your cat prepare. Start by checking the weather and making sure you won’t be caught in a storm or stressful high winds. Also, choose a hike that takes your cat into consideration. Try to choose a trail with less foot traffic, but make sure it’s pet-friendly.
If your cat isn’t used to being outside for long periods of time, opt for a shorter hike closer to home. Keep in mind that your cat will have to be on a harness and leash or in a carrier at all times. If this is new for your cat, consider trying out a walk around your yard or neighborhood before going on a hike.
You may also want to try a cat backpack to keep your cat from getting tired. This way, you can carry them through more intense parts of the hike and they have a safe space to return to if they get anxious.
If your cat is harness trained and ready to explore, grab the rest of your equipment and hit the trails! You’ll need to bring a cat carrier for the car if you have to drive to the trailhead, and if you plan on being out for several hours you may also need a travel litter box as well as food and water.
Finally, make sure your cat is up-to-date on their shots before your hiking trip. They’ll be exploring all sorts of new things, and you want to make sure they won’t get sick.
3. Boating
If you aren’t already into boating, I don’t recommend taking your cat with you your first time on the water. But if you frequently go boating on your own, your cat may enjoy a weekend on the water with you.
To prepare for a boating trip with your cat, make sure you have the right gear first. You’ll need a life vest for your cat, and you should give them time to get used to it. Buy the life vest in advance and let your cat wear it around the house and outside for a little while at a time.
In addition to getting used to wearing a life vest, give your cat time to get used to the boat as well. Take them out on the boat while it’s parked before you ever get on the water. Speaking of water, let your cat get used to that too. Slowly introduce them to swimming, especially in their life vest, before you go out on the boat together.
Start out small when taking your cat on boating trips. Opt for shorter excursions at first and slowly work your way up. Once your cat is comfortable on the boat, you can start staying out for longer periods of time. Just make sure your cat stays cool and bring food and water as well as a portable litter box if you plan on being out for several hours.
4. A Pet-Friendly Hotel
Taking your pet on a mini-vacation can be a great way to spend the weekend or even just a night. One way to do this is by booking a pet-friendly hotel. You can choose a hotel in your own town or hit the road and enjoy a night or two away.
To get started, search for pet-friendly hotels in the area you’re looking to stay in. Once you’ve found one, check out the hotel’s website or call them directly to learn more about the hotel’s pet policy (including how much you can expect to pay as a pet deposit.)
Once you’ve found a pet-friendly hotel, make sure you have everything you and your cat will need. You’ll need a cat carrier for the car, and you may even want a harness and leash. You’ll also need a portable litter box, food, and water. Also, make sure your cat’s microchip information is up-to-date along with their collar and shots.
Finally, be sure to bring some comfort items for your cat from home. If they have a favorite toy or blanket, bring it with you to the hotel. You can also bring some treats. If your cat is particularly anxious, you can even bring a cat calming defuser for the room.
5. The Beach
If you live near a beach, you may be able to bring your cat with you for a walk along the shore! Be sure to research the laws in your specific area to make sure your cat is allowed to join you.
Walking on the sand is tiring, so in addition to a harness and leash, you may also want to bring a cat backpack so that you can carry your cat on your beach adventure. You’ll also need a carrier for the car if you have to drive to the beach.
When you’re planning your trip, try to go at sunrise or sunset if at all possible to avoid the heat. If you notice that your cat is getting too warm, you can cool them off by putting a little bit of water behind their ears, on their neck, nose, and paws.
Try to avoid big crowds on your beach trip to reduce any unnecessary anxiety for your cat. When you arrive, find a spot that’s calm and secluded. Then, use your cat carrier or backpack to create a safe space for your cat to hang out in if they get nervous or hot.
If you plan on being at the beach for several hours, it may be a good idea to bring food and treats for your cat. Bring water and a water bowl no matter how long you plan on staying to keep your cat hydrated.
6. The Park
If you’re looking for somewhere to take your cat to play outside, the nearest park may be a great option. Do a little bit of research to make sure your cat is welcome at the park before you go, but if they are, this could be a fun adventure for any day of the week!
Before you head to the park, make sure you’ve got everything you need. Get your cat comfortable with their harness if they aren’t already harness trained. Keep them on a leash the entire time. You may even want to invest in a cat backpack to carry your cat on long walks outside.
Try to choose a park that’s less busy to avoid additional stress for your cat. Also, bring treats and water to help keep them calm and hydrated. If you plan on staying out for several hours, bringing food and a portable litter box is also a good idea.
When you’re ready to go to the park, make sure you have a cat carrier for your car if you have to drive. Otherwise, keep your cat close by and enjoy your day in the park!
7. Walking
Whether you live near a park or not, you can still take your cat on a walk around your neighborhood. If you live in a high-traffic area, you may want to drive to a calmer space to walk your cat initially. All of the additional excitement can cause unnecessary stress and make your cat dread walks instead of enjoying them.
Walking your cat is a great way to work on harness and leash training them. You can even use treats to encourage good and brave behavior from your cat on your walk, and let them lead the way to reduce anxiety.
As you start walking your cat, stay close to home and don’t stay out for too long. Once your cat gets more comfortable with their harness and being outside, you’ll be able to take longer, more adventurous walks together.
Whether your cat has never been outside before or they’re an experienced explorer, taking your cat on a walk could be a fun way to spend some time together outside.
8. Biking
Biking is another fun outdoor activity you can do with your cat. However, you will likely need some special gear to do this.
While you should absolutely have a harness and leash for your cat while you’re biking, you’re also going to either need a cat backpack or a cat carrier that attaches to your backpack.
Additionally, be sure to check the laws in your area regarding animals on bikes.
As with any other outdoor adventure, you’ll want to make sure your cat’s vaccinations, microchip information and collar identification information are all up-to-date. You’ll also want to start small when it comes to biking with your cat.
For your first ride, stay close to home and give your cat a chance to get used to riding. As your cat grows to love biking together, be sure to bring things like food, water, and maybe even a portable litter box as the two of you start to go on longer biking adventures.
9. Your Porch or Backyard
You don’t have to go far in order to do something fun with your cat outside. In fact, you don’t even have to leave your porch or backyard.
We’ve lived in different apartments across the country over the past few years, so taking our cats out on the porch quickly became our most frequent adventure. If you have a porch or backyard, your cat will likely enjoy exploring it. You can even get an outdoor cat tent to let them get some fresh air safely! You can check out my favorite outdoor cat tents here.
Otherwise, it’s important to keep your cat on a harness and leash, even on your porch or in your backyard, especially the first few times you go out.
Stay close to the door as well on your first few trips outside. Let your cat lead the way, but be prepared for them to dash back toward the door if they get anxious. I always try to leave the door cracked open so my most skittish cat can run inside when she hears a car pass.
Speaking of cars passing, try to wait until things are cool and calm before you take your cat out. Aim for early afternoon once morning traffic has cleared or late in the evening.
Letting your cat explore your porch or backyard can be a great way to start harness training them and getting them comfortable with going outside. Once your cat starts looking forward to outdoor activities, the doors are wide open!
10. A Staycation
If you’re looking for something fun to do with your cat this weekend, you don’t even have to leave your house. Some cats would greatly prefer this! If you try going outside and your cat is just not that into it, it’s okay to opt for a staycation instead.
Here are a few things you can do with your cat for a staycation:
- Instead of taking your cat outside, bring the outdoors to your cat! Collect a box full of fall leaves or fresh snow and putting it in the kitchen floor for your cat to explore. The only thing to keep in mind here is making sure that you aren’t bringing toxic plants to your cats. Do a little research to see what’s toxic to cats in your area before creating a box like this. For even more fun, throw some catnip or your cat’s favorite toys in for them to find!
- Rearrange the furniture. I know cats are famous for not liking change, but I swear our cats love when we do this. They’ll find entirely new places to lay and to change each other.
- Throw out a few old cardboard boxes or paper towel rolls. You can also introduce new toys, scratching posts, or cat trees.
- Our cats also love staying in and watching free YouTube videos of birds and other wildlife on TV instead. We follow Handsome Nature and Birder King and our cats are addicted to their videos. Plus, they’re pretty calming to have on in the background while I’m working at home.
You can check out a free nature video here to see if your cat would enjoy a staycation watching nature from the comfort of their cat bed:
11. A Friend’s House
If you do want to get out of the house for a while with your cat, ask a friend if the two of you can visit.
Be cautious if your friend has pets of their own, especially if your cat has never been around other cats or dogs. It’s also a good idea to bring a few comfort items with you from home whether it’s your cat’s favorite toy or a familiar blanket.
When you’re walking or driving to your friend’s house, be sure that your cat is in a harness and leash or a carrier the entire time.
Even when you get to your friend’s house, know where your cat is at all times. They may find surprising places to hide or even hurt themselves/escape if your friend’s house isn’t cat-proof.
As with any adventure, be sure to start slow with this. Visit a friend who’s close to home and plan on only staying for an hour or so. If you plan on staying much longer, you’ll need to make sure you have a litter box as well as food and water available to your cat at your friend’s house.
For more tips on taking your cat to a friend’s house, check out our guide.
12. The Vet’s Office
Neither you nor your cat is likely used to hearing “vet” and “fun” in the same sentence. Nevertheless, taking your cat to the vet’s office can be a great way to get out of the house together.
You can schedule a vet appointment if you’ve been putting one off for any reason, or bring your pet in for a wellness check if they haven’t been for a while. Make sure that your cat’s microchip information is up-to-date while you’re there to ensure safety on all of your cat’s adventures!
Alternatively, you don’t have to schedule an appointment to bring your cat to the vet’s office. If you’re working on training your cat to ride in the car, this can be a great route to practice with. Plus, it can alleviate future anxiety about vet trips for your cat! When you get there, give your cat some treats or let them walk around nearby on a harness and leash.
13. Pet Stores or Conventions
Another fun place to take your cat could be a pet store or pet convention. I wouldn’t recommend this one as your cat’s first outing, but if your cat is harness trained and social, taking them to a pet store or convention could be fun.
To get started, find out what stores allow cats in your area. You can start by looking up pet stores near you and calling to ask about their rules on bringing a cat into the store.
Pet conventions are also fun cat-friendly events. You can usually bring your pet to these and explore fun treats, products, and more. Just make sure your cat is harness trained or in a carrier the whole time.
14. Local Shops, Breweries, Cafes and Restaurants
Pet stores aren’t the only local stores that welcome your cats. Small bookstores, local shops, breweries, and other public places may be cat-friendly.
Even cafes and restaurants may be cat-friendly, especially if they’re locally owned and have outdoor seating.
To find out if a local shop, brewery, or restaurant is cat-friendly, call them ahead of time.
Before you go, make sure you have everything you’ll need for the drive or walk including a harness, leash, carrier, and potentially even food and water bowls and a cat backpack.
Keep in mind that these places are likely to have quite a bit of stimulus, so take it slow. Start with just going to one place per trip and be prepared to leave early if your cat is clearly uncomfortable.
How To Take Your Cat Fun Places
There are tons of fun places to take your cat. This list includes 14 ideas that could work for you and your favorite feline friend, but they won’t all be your cat’s favorite. No matter where you decide to take your cat, start slow and stay as close to home as possible while your cat gets used to the great outdoors.
Before you take your cat anywhere, here are a few things you can do to prepare:
- Make sure your cat’s shots and vaccinations are up-to-date. As you adventure, your cat may meet other animals and come into contact with all sorts of things. Make sure they stay healthy by being proactive about this.
- Harness train your cat. Get your cat ready to explore the outdoors by harness training them first. Your cat will have to be harness trained to go nearly anywhere, so help them get used to their harness at home before venturing out for the first time.
- Familiarize your cat with the car and carrier. If your cat hates riding in the car, a lot of adventures beyond your backyard will be out of the question. And that’s okay! But if you want to travel further with your cat, it’s best to get them used to the carrier and car as soon as possible.
For more tips on traveling, moving, and adventuring with your cat, check out our most recent blog posts here.
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