My partner, Lex, and I live in a campervan full time and travel through Europe with our 13 year old rescue cat Willem. The three of us share a very tiny space, but we spend most time outdoors exploring. Sometimes it may be inconvenient to have an animal with you while traveling. But the good times outweigh the bad by far! I would not have it any other way! And I am convinced our cat wouldn’t want to lose his freedom either!
Things to Keep in Mind
Before we built out our van, I made long hours to design our layout. I made sure everything our cat needs would be present in our design. The whole camper is actually designed with Willem and his needs in mind. That is one reason why this lifestyle is perfect for our cat. If you intend to take your furbaby with you, make sure your animal’s stay is as comfortable as can be.
The adaptation process of Willem the cat took about 6 months. We actually kept paying rent for our brick house so Willem could have the time he needed to get used to living in a campervan. Of course, we also used this extra time to also spread out our decluttering days. We had a whole house of stuff to empty. All the extra time was welcome (to postpone clearing the house ofcourse!)
When we travel, we make sure to go to places where it is a comfortable temperature at that moment. For instance, in summer, we go up North. Summers there are warm, but usually not hot. In winter, when it gets cold, we travel South. To Spain for example, or Greece. We do this so Willem the cat does not have to be cold in winter or hot in summer.
Of course there are moments when we do need to leave the van unattended. Grocery shopping or visiting a museum are examples. We plan those activities around the least hot moments of the day. So usually in the early mornings. We are never away from the van for very long. A couple of hours tops. There is one important rule that we never, ever break: If it gets too hot, one of us humans stays in the van to monitor the temperature and Willem’s welbeing.
Perfect Lifestyle for Dogs
It shows how our cat lives his best life in our camper van. (This is totally dependent of the cat’s nature and axiety levels, if you need help getting your cat used to living in a van, read this blogpost). In the future, we also plan to foster or adopt a dog. I am convinced this lifestyle is also perfect for dog owners.
⦁ Like a lot of van lifers, we are digital nomads. Because of our jobs, we plan our own schedule. Our schedule allows more time to take care and interact with a dog. Someone who works at an office has to leave their dog alone at home. We also have no commute time. All that extra time, we can dedicate to a dog.
⦁ Our home on wheels is our office. We are in close proximity with our animal. During our working days, we can monitor a dog. Again, a person working at an office or even a house, does not have a constant visual of their dog. So a couple of hours may go by where a dog is in distress without it being noticed. This is a lot less likely in such a small space.
⦁ This may be different for other van lifers, yet I think we have a similar habit. The majority of the time we are parked in the middle of nature. We avoid busy campgrounds or parking spaces. We enjoy nature and plenty of room around us. This means our cat and a dog can roam outside most of the day. Sniff all day long, play in a calm environtment, and do what a dog is destined to do. Not lay in a bed all day long untill it is time for the humans to come to walk the dog.
⦁ Also dependent on different van lifers, so this is our situation and opinion. We hardly ever visit cities or busy places. We are most happy parked in nature and enjoying time outside. If we do visit a city or busy town, we only go to visit a restaurant or visit a museum. Both of those activities don’t take all day. So a dog would never have to be alone for an extended period of time.
⦁ During our travels, our main activities take place outside. For us that is walking or hiking. Again, usually in nature. Sometimes our cat joins us. During all those hours we are outside, a dog could accompany us and have a great time.
⦁ Safety is very important to us. If a dog is not used to being off leash, we make sure it can still enjoy the same qualities. Outside, the dog can roam on a very long leash. At the time I got Willem a new GPS tracker, I ordered one for a dog as wel. So I always have an extra tracker to put on a future foster dog. Just in case all the precautions fail and the dog does get loose.
⦁ In our original camper build we only thought about sharing our living space with our cat. In France, I had the oportunity to adjust our van build to be more suitable for a dog as wel. I built in a cage area in our campervan. During car rides, the dog can be safe. That area is also meant to be a safe space for the dog to rest and be calm.
Last words
As you can see, Van Life can be a very suitable lifestyle for an animal. I am very happy our cat Willem loves this way of life. I can see him enjoying his free and outside time every day. It makes me very convinced I made a good decision of taking him with us. I probably would not be traveling in a van across Europe if he did not adjust so wel!
