How to Set up a Hotel Room to Be Cat Friendly
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I bet you are wondering why on earth would you ever have to know how to setup a hotel room to be cat friendly? The simple answer is to provide your cat with the best hotel experience. Different types of situations can come up where you would need to keep your cat in a hotel. Whether it’s a delayed train ride, a natural disaster, or just needing a place to stay, it is important to know how to keep your cat comfortable and make a hotel room cat friendly.
Traveling with cats, even in ideal circumstances, can be very stressful. I’m here to give you some good pointers and tips on how to make a hotel stay as comfortable as possible for you and your cat.
Why Do I Need to Make a Hotel Room Cat Friendly?
Making a hotel room cat friendly helps to provide your cat with the most comfortable environment possible. Traveling and going to new places can be stressful for a cat. They can have heightened levels of anxiety as well as elevated stress.
Not only will making the room cat friendly help keep your cat comfortable, but it can also save you a lot of money. Making sure the room is ready for your cat will ensure that any expensive items in the room are out of reach for your cat. Some cats are notorious for ruining furniture, carpet, or other furnishings.
Choose a Hotel with a Good Pet Policy
Do research on the hotel you will be staying at before you check in. Call the hotel or go to the hotel’s website to confirm the pet policy. Most hotels will most likely charge you a fee or a deposit for each pet that you bring along. Extended-stay hotels will usually have the better pet policies since the rooms are designed for long-term visits. They are also usually better to stay at because they have a full kitchen and a laundry facility. These can both come in handy if you will be staying more than just one night.
If money is not an issue be sure to purchase room insurance if you think your cat may cause some type of damage. Most hotels will offer this type of service. If your cat damages anything in the room then it will be covered under a flat fee that you pay for the insurance.
Cat-Proof the Hotel Room
Before you let your cat out to roam the hotel room you will need to secure the hotel. Go ahead and make sure all the windows and balcony doors are securely shut. It would also be a smart idea to talk to the staff and have them remove any expensive furniture or furnishings that you do not need in the room. These expensive furnishings will be fresh meat for your cat to use to sharpen his claws.
Another option you can do is use a cat repellent spray like this one from amazon. Spray this on all the expensive items you want your cat to stay away from. These types of cat sprays are safe and do a great job of keeping your cat’s paws off of the furniture.
Never leave your cat unattended. You never know what your cat can get himself into while you are a few miles away at the local diner. Don’t forget the do not disturb sign. When Maria comes to clean the room your cat will dart out of the room faster than the speed of light.
Secure Your Cat in the Hotel Room
Even if your cat is used to being outside of the house, it is a great idea to make sure he is as comfy as can be. Bring familiar items from home that your cat likes to play with or lay on. You can bring a blanket as well as a few toys that he likes. The main objective of this is to bring items with his scent on them. He will be able to sense the scent on the items and it will usually calm them down. You can secure your cat with a leash and harness to make sure they don’t get out of the room in case someone opens the door.
If you don’t want to tie your cat up with a harness and leash you can place them in a comfortable cat carrier. Make sure the size of the cat carrier is large enough for them to lay down without touching any of the sides. The last step to properly secure your cat is to place the do not disturb sign on the outside door handle. This will make sure room service or housekeeping won’t let out your cat by accident. In case of an incident where your cat does get out, it it’s important to microchip your cat and keep the information up to date.
You can even let your cat roam freely around the hotel if you feel you can trust him while you are gone. I still recommend making sure all the expensive furniture is either protected with some sort of repellent or is removed from the room.
Bring Your Cat’s Litter Box to the Hotel Room
Find a good location to place your cat’s litter box and make sure you show your cat where it is. Simply placing your litter box and not showing your cat where it is can be a major error on your part. The hotel is a new area for your cat so he will not know where to find his cat box. Make sure to leave the litter box out in the open so it is easily accessible for your cat.
Make sure to bring the same type of cat litter he uses at home. Cats are very picky when it comes to their litter. The last thing you need on your trip is your cat refusing to potty in his litter box because you used a type of litter he doesn’t agree with. Place a mat underneath the litter box to help keep mess to a minimum. Remember, you are trying to get your deposit back from the hotel room. It would be a shame to have to pay the hotel to replace carpet from an explosive mess by your cat.
Bring Cat Food to the Hotel
Don’t forget to pack your cat some food or else you will be having to take an extra trip to the store. Cat food is similar to cat litter. Make sure bring the same brand of cat food with you for your cat to eat. If you forget to bring cat food and buy a different brand you can have a major problem on your hands. Your cat may not like the new food and he will not eat it. If you try a new food and your cat does eat it there is still a possibility that it might give him an upset stomach.
Bring Cat Toys and Treats to the Hotel
Your cat will still need to be stimulated and played with even in a hotel room. If you really want to make a hotel room cat friendly then you should bring along his favorite toy from home. Make sure to take time out of your day to play with him. This will help keep his mind off of being in a foreign place. Keeping your cat entertained and busy will help keep his anxiety and stress levels at bay. Don’t forget to reward his good behavior with his favorite cat treats. This will help encourage him to continue his good behavior.
It may also be a good idea to purchase some type of collapsible play kit or cat tree for your cat. Some cat trees are small enough to be portable and can fit in the trunk of your car no problem.
A scratching post is another great item do bring along. If your cat regularly uses a scratch post at home then this will be an excellent item to keep your cat off the hotel room furniture.
How To Keep Your Cat Calm In The Hotel Room
Being in a new environment can be stressful to any cat. Along with stress comes anxiety. You may want to invest in some type of cat calmer or sedative. A more natural way to help calm your cat down is to bring a few items from home that has your cat’s scent on them. This can be a cat bed, blanket, toys, or anything else that your cat may have left his scent on. Having familiar items with your cat’s scent on them in the hotel room will greatly reduce the amount of stress and anxiety your cat will exhibit due to the familiar scents.
The best way to keep your cat calm and comfortable is with a big blanket with your cat’s scent on it. Go ahead and and place it on the floor in the area with all of your cat’s belongings like food, water, toys, etc. This can be your cats little familiar area that he can go to and lie down at. If your hotel has two beds then you can spread out the blanket across the unused bed for your cat to sleep on.
If your cat is still unable to calm down naturally then you might have to sedate your cat. The only downside to a sedative is that sometimes they will give your cat side effects. I would try the more natural way with bringing items before trying medication. If you feel that your cat is the type of cat that is extra anxious and nervous then just go straight with the sedative route. My cat has never had any bad experiences yet with sedatives. Just follow the proper dosing instructions on the labels and you should be fine.
Never Leave Your Cat In The Hotel Bathroom
This is a big mistake. I would know this because I have actually done this before. Well not actually in a hotel room’s bathroom, but in my own personal bathroom at home. My cat happened to be napping inside the bathroom when I shut the door. I went out to run a few errands and when I came back home I couldn’t find my cat. I heard him meowing and scratching at the bathroom door that I had closed earlier. The bottom of the door was all scratched up from my cat clawing at it while I was gone the whole time. It was my bathroom door so no big deal. I would just fix it at a later time.
Leaving your cat inside the hotel room’s bathroom may cause your cat to do damage to the door. If you want to secure your cat before you leave then the best method is to place him inside of his cat carrier. Placing your cat in his carrier will ensure that your cat will not be able to do any damage while you are out of the hotel.
Final Thoughts
There is no way around it. Traveling with your can can be very stressful if you aren’t properly prepared to handle the situation. Find a hotel with a good pet policy so you don’t have to pay a lot of money. Bring a cat carrier or a leash and harness. If bringing a cat carrier to the hotel room, be sure the carrier is roomy enough for him to sleep comfortably through the night in. Bring familiar items to make him feel like he’s at home. Whether it be a blanket, or his favorite cat toy. The scent will help provide with with natural calming. Make sure the room is free of any expensive furniture that your cat can destroy.
Last, but not least, bring his litter box. You will punch yourself if your cat ends up ruining the carpet. You will be the one that has to replace the entire room when he goes number 2 all over the room. Follow these simple steps to make a hotel room cat friendly and your cat will be the least of your worries during your trip.
