Cats in the car
In January, I needed to spend about two weeks in Italy to visit several different locations. It was too long to leave the cats at home with a sitter, so I decided to slow down my original plans and bring them with me. Naturally, this made things more complicated—finding pet-friendly accommodations wasn’t always easy, and I had to give up the idea of a simple point-to-point trip. But I knew I wouldn’t have been able to fully relax if the cats had stayed behind for that long.
Luckily, they handle car trips really well—up to four hours without a single complaint. Over the years, we’ve experimented with various travel setups and ultimately settled on using harnesses with seatbelts. In the past, I tried all kinds of arrangements—individual carriers, dog car seats, larger cages that allowed them to cuddle in pairs, combinations of cages and harnesses, separating them or putting them all together in one large shared crate. No matter the setup, there was always some level of complaining.
Now, they have the entire back seat to themselves, with a securely fixed litter box and several beds, all safely fastened in place. Each cat wears a harness and is secured with an extended seatbelt, ensuring both comfort and safety. This setup also complies with regulations in most European countries. They can’t disturb the driver, and in the event of an accident, they’re pretty well anchored to prevent being thrown around and injured. It may not be the absolute safest setup, but it’s a well-balanced compromise. If small dogs are considered safe traveling this way, I believe the cats are just as safe.
Our trip in pictures
We explored several regions and cities, from Tuscany through Umbria to Lazio—enjoying both sunny and rainy days. We took walks in villages and gardens, along lake shores, and in olive groves. Here are some photos capturing a few interesting moments of a 3 weeks and over 2000 kms journey.
