Traveling with my Chonk: Mexican Tales of Road Tripping with My Cat

Yesterday I made a video for tiktok of the clips I took of my cat, living her best life and traveling around Mexico with me and my partner last year. The man is a saint and bought us a car that I LOVE and we have driven to so many different places pursuing stuff I can’t even talk about. But what I can talk about is what I saw, what I did and how I managed road tripping cross country with my beloved Chonk.

This is Chonky, a 6 year old female tuxedo cat with about 4 functional teeth (her canines only, long story involving inbred genetics) and I adopted her in Acapulco from a vet who gave her to me freshly fixed with the request I don’t let her on the street. She has only ended up in the street one time in her life and it scared the bejeesus out of her and me both, which is why she sports a collar with airtag embedded and of course, since she’s a tuxedo she gets herself a fashionable bowtie. Or 7…..or 10. She’s got a lot of bowties.

This photo shows her airtag, and part of what I call her beach bow collar. It has mangoes on it.

She has been to the following states: Guerrero, Michoacan, Estado de Mexico, Jalisco, Puebla, Veracruz, Campeche, Tabasco, Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Chiapas, Oaxaca all by car. All in the last year. I made this post on social media last night and listed less states but we had to go through ones like Campeche, Tabasco and Yucatan staying for a night or two on the way to Quintana Roo.

Within those travels she has stayed in: Acapulco, Taxco, Valle de Bravo, Ocampo (Michoacan, butterflies trip), Zirahuen, Tzintzunzan, Guadalajara, CDMX (probably 10 times, she’s a city girl), Puebla City, Veracruz City, Cuidad del Carmen, Merida, Playa del Carmen, Bacalar, Palenque, San Cristobal de las Casas, Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca City…I feel like I’m forgetting some but those are all places she has stayed and of course the road between.

Living her best life, on a bed at a Marriott which is surprisingly pet friendly at most locations.

I’ve heard many people over the years say cats can’t travel and they shouldn’t. There have been times I have left her at home or with friends for bursts from anywhere from 3 days to 5 weeks of travel. Every time, they report she howls, is withdrawn and depressed. And honestly girl, same. She’s the extension of me and my favorite little round furry creature.

But when I travel with her, sure she can at times complain (I’ve found ways to make her comfortable that I will share) but man every time we arrive to where we are headed she is just so thankful to be there. Happy to not be sleeping alone. As I type, shes sitting on my feet as I sit cross legged in my chair. Velcro cat to the max. I even have a stool next to mine thats for her, so she can sit next to me while I work though I’ll be honest when I say generally my feet are numb with her sitting on them. If you need evidence of her velcro nature, the above photo should do it.

I’ve got moving with her down to a science, literally and she really appreciates going now. She has a perfect track record for staying at pet friendly hotels and airbnbs, never once has she made a mess I couldn’t clean with a broom nor caused any damage.

So here’s the list. I’ll share links where I have them none of which are affiliate links because I cant do that shit legally:

1. The ultimate like 5 chamber expandable cat carrier. Its got pouches, sleeve for putting on top of a suitcase to roll her around, it can expand several ways to make her have a big but contained space in our car. The floor has a super easy to clean removable fur floor with plastic insert, so if she gets sick (which has happened) its very easy to clean. Best cat purchase ever
2. Collapsable litter box: I put this in a ziplock with the scoop it comes with to contain lingering smells but I buy about one of these a year. I also travel with litter so when we arrive, the first thing I do is open the box, pour litter and get her fed. And she will usually go food first, eat two bites then right to pooping. Shes never peed or pooped in her carrier.
3. Metal Bowls: I take three little metal bowls everywhere. They’re durable, and they hold everything she needs perfectly and keeps us respecting rules of the airbnb or hotel host who generally ask you dont use utensils and dishes for pets.
4. Cardboard scratch pad, travel size: She has had one at home her whole life and I have always just instinctively packed one. As a result, she doesn’t scratch at furniture, just her pad cause its way more satisfying anyway.
5. Travel cube with pouch wet food, nail clippers, extra bows: I usually also put her dry food and bowls into this. Like a chonk one stop shop. Now before the crunchy pet moms come at me about the dry food its the best money can buy, grain free and the difference was night and day with travel. I tried getting her on home made food I made myself and she was vomiting every car trip and miserable. I took her to a vet whos basically the cat whisperer and he told me she could still eat dry food despite having no molars. I switched her, and now at best she will get a little queasy on the ride with no fasting before and short notice but she’s good.
6. Feliway Spray: ACTUAL LIFE SAVER. I spray her carrier down 20 minutes before we leave and it keeps her calm and anxiety low most of the trip. Only works if I spray 20 minutes before she leaves, otherwise she’s got shit to say.
7. Microfiber towel to cover carrier: I thought that leaving it so she could see us and where we were going was going to help. It in fact did not, and the vet told me to always cover her.
8. Pet Blanket thing from costco: She stays in the carrier but I also cover the seat of our beautiful new car with a pet blanket that is spill proof and super durable. Its also super soft.
9. Always ALWAYS bring cat toys: She has her favorites and when she has a bit of home where we go, she plays just like normal. Sometimes more experimenting with new home layouts.

I have exactly ZERO regrets traveling with my Cat. I think maybe I could have done some things better, sooner, but in all she has a very rich life. She’s blessed, she’s gotten used to hotel staff coming in to clean and pretty automatically just goes into her carrier that I leave open and on the floor for her until they leave.

I like to watch her explore new environments and nothing beats the look of admiration and appreciation when she knows first hand what its like to be left behind and for her, it is not a vibe.

And now, some photos of chonk from her adventures: