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Sitting at the beach can be a fun thing to do on a hot day but instead of your cat sitting at home the entire time why not bring them along with you? This is something that people actually do and can be beneficial to your cat as well. However, you need to know a few things before you do this.
Can I Take My Cat to the Beach?
This is something that many people do and the reason why I am writing this article. In fact there is a cat famous for this. His name is “Pip The Beach Cat”. You can find his instagram at https://www.instagram.com/imfeelingpipsy/
I also found a video of him that I think is worth watching.
Make Sure Your Beach Is Pet Friendly
Some beaches do not allow cats or pets in general for that matter. If you want to see which beaches in your area are cat/pet friendly you can go to “Pets Welcome” where they do this for you. Here is the link https://places.petswelcome.com/places/beaches
Watch Out For Dogs
Since other people bring dogs to the beach you want to be extra careful of them as they look at cats as prey. If you have your cat on a harness you should be fine.
Get Sunscreen and Bug Repellent
Not just for yourself but for your cat as well. They are going to be in an environment where they will be more susceptible to sunburn so getting sunscreen is a wise thing to do when going to the beach. This is especially true if they are a hairless breed or have shorter hair.
Don’t use sunscreen you would use on yourself but a formula designed for cats as it can be harmful to them. A good choice would be “Epi-Pet Sun Protector Spray (click for amazon link)“.
You should also get bug repellent as you can run into bugs such as mosquitoes and the sand fleas at the beach. A good product for this would be the “Wondercide Natural Flea, Tick and Mosquito Control (click for amazon link)“. It does a really good job at getting rid of all those nasty bugs you don’t want to deal with.
Harness Train Your Cat
Don’t go to the beach when your cat has never been in a harness before. You want to train them beforehand. You really want to have your cat in a harness because you don’t want them getting lost and getting into trouble. Harness training also requires some time for them to get used to but they will enjoy walking in one over time.
Go When Its Cooler Or Early/Later In The Day
So your cat isn’t really uncomfortable because of the extreme heat you should consider going when its cooler or later during the day. When the temperatures are really high during the day the sand can also be really hot and might hurt their paws as a result.
Going really early or late also means less people and is less stressful for your cat while they are there. The waves will also be quieter during the early or late hours. This is important because cats hate the sound of loud crashing waves.
Sit In a Private Place When There
So your cat is more comfortable you should sit in a more quiet place. Preferably the back of the beach. Cats really hate loud people and this will help with this problem.
If your cat is curious about the water you could maybe sit closer to the ocean if they prefer to do so. Make sure they don’t get swept away by the waves.
Bring Them In A Cat Carrier
You could maybe walk them to the beach on a harness if you live really close to the beach but if that isn’t the case for you putting them in a carrier is a must when on a car ride with them. Just make sure you get them used to the carrier and riding in cars as well or the whole experience will be scary for them.
If you really don’t want to use a cat carrier you could just get a “pet seat-belt” for them and have them. If you do this they have to be wearing a harness.
You could also bring them in a cat backpack if you want to walk them to the beach as well. These are like regular backpacks but they are designed for cats to be put inside of it.
Some Things To Consider
When taking your cat to the beach for the first time they may not like it at first because its new to them. Any change that you present to your cat they will generally dislike it at first but they can grow to enjoy it if you do it enough times.
If they still hate it after a while you probably shouldn’t keep taking them there and just leave them home. Some cats unfortunately just aren’t suited for travel.
Sounds Of Waves Can Scare Cats
This is why I recommend they be on a harness because cats are known to be freaked out by the sound of waves. If they get scared, they run off and then you have no cat.
Food
If you plan on being there for a long time especially if its the whole day you should probably bring some food for them and maybe some treats. You want them to have energy so they can enjoy being there.
Hydration
Your cat is going to be in the heat all day and you don’t want them to get dehydrated so lots of water is essential for them in conditions like this.
Bathroom
The problem with the beach and cats is they look at a beach like its a giant litter box. If they happen to go in the sand you probably want to have some trash bags ready so you can clean up their waste.
It’s also wise to scoop the sand along with it. You really don’t want cat waste in the sand because that’s pretty gross for other people (and yourself) there plus it has bacteria as well.
Safety Tips For Your Cat While At The Beach
The beach is a nice place to be but some things can be potentially dangerous for your cat. Here are some things to be careful of and precautions that you can take when on your beach trip.
- Don’t leave your cat unattended at the beach.
- Have an umbrella to block the sun.
- Don’t let your cat mess with any creatures there such as seagulls, pelicans, crabs, jellyfish etc.
- Don’t let them drink the ocean water. Salt water can upset your cats stomach.
- Keep them away from strong waves. They could potentially get swept away into the ocean.
- Be wary of dogs there.
- Don’t let your cat near bonfires. They could potentially get burned by the fire.
- Avoid on beach vehicles such as four wheelers.
- Be careful of hazards such as glass shards, bugs, dangerous wildlife etc.
When You Are At Home
Your cat is going to be covered in sand so you want to clean as much of it as possible. You want to do this because dried salt water can irritate their skin. You also want to make sure to get it all out of their paws as well.
If you don’t it will get all over your house which you don’t want. Plus you never know whats in the sand and shouldn’t risk it. Giving them a bath if possible can save you a lot of time doing this.
