Sukoshi – one of my cats in Japan – helping me wash my face
Travel Tips: How to Add Pets to Long-Term Travel Life
There’s not much I regret or miss by living a nomadic travel life over the past 14+ years.
I don’t mind in the least not having a home or permanent base. I’m perfectly happy not having to pay monthly rent and bills. And I’m always relieved that I don’t have to clean, wash linens, take out garbage or any other household tasks. By living continuously in hotels and guest houses, all those mundane and time-consuming chores are done for me by the staff. Thank you very much!
On top of that, I get to stay in all kinds of interesting, cute, quirky and even luxurious places all over the world.
my lovely thatched bungalow on Koh Bulon Island – Thailand
I’m also quite happy to forgo a kitchen and cooking. Eating all my meals out at local restaurants and food stalls saves me so much time and effort. I don’t have to buy groceries, cook, wash dishes or put things away. All I have to do is walk into a shop, sit down, order, wait five minutes and eat. How easy it that?!
And I certainly don’t mind not owning a bunch of stuff: appliances, furniture, closets full of shoes and clothes, and stuff that inevitably accumulates whenever you live in a permanent dwelling.
But there is one thing that does sadden me about my nomadic life: not having cats.
two kittens watching something amazing…
I’ve always been crazy about cats. Growing up, my brothers and I had every pet imaginable over the years. But for some inexplicable reason I’ve always been enamored of cats. In my adult life in the USA and later in Kyoto, Japan, pre-world travels, I always owned cats.
But ever since I became nomadic I’ve had to mostly give up owning cats. Luckily, I was able to have cats during several years that I was teaching scuba diving for 3-6 month stints. At those times I inevitably kept cats at my place. I would then have to find homes for them when I departed.
Fortunately, even aside from my diving stints, my nomadic life doesn’t mean I have to live entirely cat-less or pet-less. I’ve found many ways to incorporate cats – and dogs, too – into my travel life. Here are some options for long-term travelers, like myself, who want to keep pets in their lives:
a charming calico cat I befriended in Singapore
1. Befriend cats or dogs you meet along the way
I’m so enamored of cats that whenever I see one I instinctively feel compelled to stop, say hello and try to pet her, if she’ll have me. But I don’t get to pet cats everywhere. While some countries have lots of cats around, other places have just a few cats here & there, and some countries have none at all. Some places have cats, but they are terrified of people.
So in places that do have human-friendly cats, I always make the most of it. I’ve befriended cats at guest houses and restaurants, in parks and on the street.
2. Help street cats or dogs in need – food, medical care, baths, affection
I’ve helped out many many distressed cats over the years. Some are sick, some injured, some skinny hungry and others just lost or lonely. I’ve taken stray cats to vets, shoved antibiotic pills down their throats, fed them milk with syringes, cleaned up wounds, given them baths, offered them a bed for a night or two and found them homes.
Animals are always grateful when you help them and they seem to understand your kindness.
Kittenly – one of my cats in Thailand who had an eye infection I always had to clean up
3. Visit pet stores
I tend not to visit pet stores. I always feel sad when I see animals in cages. It’s not so bad when the stores and cages are clean, the pets well cared for. But conditions in pet stores in Asia aren’t always so rosy. Going into a pet store always poses the risk of seeing animals in poor conditions, so I generally avoid them.
Fortunately, many pet stores are clean and the animals well-cared for.
Visiting pet stores is one good way to get some animal cuddle time while traveling.
two caged cats I took care of in Singapore
4. Volunteer at dog shelters, cat shelters, pet shelters
Dog and pet shelters exist all over the world. I’ve seen them in most countries I’ve visited. Many shelters, interestingly, have been set up by westerners living in the area rather than locals. But I have occassionally come across shelters set up and run by locals.
If you have any spare time, nearly every pet shelter would love some extra help caring for the animals: taking dogs for walks, feeding the animals, cleaning cages, spending time petting, cuddling or playing with the animals, who are often seriously lonely and lacking human interaction.
Whether you can spare just a couple hours, one day, one week or a month, both the people running the shelters and the animals would be really grateful for your time and attention.
adorable kitten I ‘rescued’ in Thailand
5. Teach locals how to be kind to animals
Sadly, in many places around Asia I’ve seen cats and dogs being treated roughly or even cruelly by locals. Usually children are the culprits. The kids might just be too rambunctious, or not have been taught how to handle animals kindly, or they might have a mean streak.
I’ve ‘rescued’ many cats and dogs from such mistreatment. I ‘scold’ the offender and show them, by example, the loving way to hold, carry, pet and play with animals. I’ve had some kids turn right around and follow my example, which is quite rewarding and heart warming. (I hope they remember their lessons when I leave.)
Rescuing animals from abusive treatment and teaching people better behavior is a great way to bring animals into your travel life.
Roxy – a sweet Shitzu I took care of for one month on House Sitting assignment in Singapore
6. Pet Sitting
Pet sitting is one of the very best ways to incorporate pets into your travel life. You get to take care of other peoples’ pets – feed, clean, play with, cuddle- for an extended period of time, rather than just a few minutes.
By spending a week, a month, or longer with animals, you make new friends and deeper connections. Pet sitting comes pretty close to owning your own pet… and for us long-term travelers it’s probably the closest we can get.
If you’re interested in House Sitting / Pet Sitting, I highly recommend Pete & Dalene Hick’s great guidebook: How to Become a House Sitter
Read my review of their book.
7. Start up a pet shelter in a place you stay more permanently
This would really only work if you’re going to spend a chunk of time in one place and you have the time, motivation, funding and energy to set up a shelter and get it running smoothly. But for people living overseas in one location rather than traveling nomadically, this could be a great way to bring pets into your life and help out animals in need.
QUESTIONS:
Do you interact with animals when you’re traveling?
Which animals are you especially fond of?
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Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. I’m passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
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2021/08/25 at 9:59 pm (UTC 8) Link to this comment
one needs to come with a sturdy bank balance as it can be pretty costly, and they aren’t pets that you can travel with. You will need to have a few basic essentials in place to look after their glorious wellbeing.