Can I Take My Cat to the Beach?

Most people will probably tell you that cats hate water, but this is just a stereotype.  Even if there’s some evidence, the stereotype is still there.

Believe it or not, some cats are competitive swimmers, and some enjoy kayaking with their human companions. Then, you have some felines who surf real waves in the ocean.

Of course, adventures and water activities aren’t for all cats. For example, one of our cats hates the water, but our second cat seems to love water activities. As for the cat that loves water activities, slowly, we’re training him to go to the beach with his family.

During the process of training our own cats for the beach, we learned a couple of new things that we’re going to share with you.

Here are some tips on taking your feline to the beach:

1. A Cat Backpack

Using a cat backpack to take your cat to the beach is going to make your life a tad bit easier. Just don’t use the same carrier when you take them to the vet. We like using a special carrier to help them know the difference between a vet trip (that’s often scary to a cat) and a fun outing. Get your cat well trained to ride in the backpack before you attempt to take him/her to the beach in it.

2. Don’t Forget to Pack Water

When traveling, and taking your feline to the beach, you should always pack water and maybe even toss some treats in there.

Pack the following essentials when taking your kitty to the beach:

• Collapsible water/food bowl
• Water Bottle
• Your feline’s favorite treats
• ID tags
• Leash and harness

The most important things to take with you to the beach for your feline friend would be water and treats.  You may also want to bring a lot of wet wipes so you can clean their fur and tail off as the dirt and debris (if you let them walk) will get stuck in their paws. Plus, the wipes will help cool them down.

3. Start Slow – Don’t Push Your Cat

Your cat should be the one that decides when they’re ready to go to the beach. You need to be flexible with your cat and don’t force them to go when they’re not feeling well or when they’re sleepy. Allow transitions are a must. When you leave the house, be slow, when you’re walking up to the beach, walk in a calm, slow manner and don’t show too much excitement. Not rushing this process will help them warm up to the beach.

4. Go When the Sun is Down

It would be a good idea to go to the beach before sunrise or during sunset. The trick here is to avoid the hot part of the day. Plus, during this time of the day, the beach will have fewer people, and the atmosphere will be calmer.

Waves are usually calmer during this time, which is good, especially if your cat doesn’t like the sound of waves crashing on the shore.

Besides, enjoying a beautiful sunset with a feline friend is the best way to end or start the day.

5. Try to Find a Private Spot

You don’t want to go to the beach and plop yourself right in the middle of a  group of people because this may scare a cat. Instead, try to find some shade, even if you have a beach umbrella. When you first take your cat to the beach, start out by sitting far away from the water. You can inch up to the water once your cat has adjusted to it.

6. Allow Your Cat to Adjust to His/Her New Environment

You need to give your kitty time to adjust to the new environment and this is one of the most important tips, so please remember it. With the beach comes new smells, new sounds and new scenery – there is a whole lot for them to take in. While it may be exciting to humans, for cats, it can be stressful. Especially if the waves or louds, there’s a lot of people, or if it’s windy.

Now that we have given you some tips on taking your cat to the beach, let’s look at some other things, like are cats allowed on the beach? Do cats like sand? As well as a couple of other things.

Are Cats Allowed on the Beach?

Whether or not cats are allowed on the beach will all depend on the beach you go to. If you see a dog-friendly beach, then it should be okay to take your cat to that beach.

Beaches, however, that don’t allow dogs or that have signs saying “no pets allowed” aren’t suitable for your cat. If you take your cat to a beach that has one of these signs, you could get a fine if you get caught.

You should double-check to make sure cats are allowed on the beach, to avoid arriving only to find that cats aren’t allowed.

It’s not always about the beach not being pet-friendly. You should consider the fact that there could be potential challenges or threats on certain beaches.

For example, there could be dangerous wildlife at the beach, the temperatures could be too high or so on. So, it’s not just about it being against the law to take your cat on certain beaches, it’s also about the dangers that tend to linger.

Do Cats Like Sand?

Let’s put it this way – the beach is one big litter box! So yes, most felines love sand. The sand on the beach has a similar texture to what’s in their litter box. As long as the sand isn’t too hot or too wet, they will more than likely love walking on the sand. Most cats are going to feel right at home as they walk across the beach.

Should You Take Your Cat to the Beach?

There’s lots of sand, which is something your cat will love. Really, there’s nothing stopping you from taking your cat to the beach, as long as you choose a pet-friendly one. However, this doesn’t mean that you should do so.

There are some felines who love being outdoors and would do anything just to spend some time in the sunshine, but lots of kitties don’t have this personality.

As a cat owner, you need to be careful when you introduce your cat to the beach or anything new for that matter. While he/she may enjoy it, on the same note, it could be stressful for him and your cat would be happier if they could just stay at home.

If you do take your cat to the beach, you need to keep your eyes on them at all times, and make sure they stay safe. Keep your eyes on dogs and people.

Also, keep them hydrated with plenty of water. If they act like the beach is their litter box, and make a mess, make sure you clean up after they’re done.

Regardless, there are portable outdoor enclosures, like neat little baskets and cat backpacks that you can put the cat in when taking them to the beach – this is something you may want to look into getting as this will help keep them safe.

Final Words

So to answer your question “Can I take my cat to the beach?” Of course you can, as long as the beach allows pets, as long as it’s safe, and as long as your feline friend is ready to go to the beach.

When you go, don’t forget to take water, a bowl, and some treats with you. Taking your cat to the beach can be a whole lot of fun, but if you don’t take safety seriously, it could turn into a disaster.