I picked up a new bag for to use for Cupcake’s outings around town recently, and I thought it was a great time to share the things we carry with us for cat outings around town.

Her previous bag was a simple Jansport backpack like the one you may have used to carry books to school. That backpack is huge inside, and since I carried it during cold weather, it really filled up with all kinds of things. When I cleaned it out to change to this bag, there were four of her blankets and two of my jackets hiding inside!

The new bag is a tote from a UK-based company, and I bought it primarily because it fit in with Cupcake’s theme. It has a cheerful cupcake pattern on it. The smaller bag made me really think about what had collected in the backpack, and I restocked the new bag based on what we actually use.

First Aid Kit

Cupcake’s first aid kit is a pretty simple one I put together myself based on things that are within my skill level to use on a cat, which is not that much. I talked about the kit’s contents before.

Nearly as important as the first aid items in the kit is it is also where I keep a photocopy of her rabies vaccination certificate and list of important contact phone numbers, including her vet, the local emergency vet, and the microchip company her chip is registered with.

Blanket

Cupcake’s trusty Sleepypod cloudpuff blanket has traveled with her everywhere, from coffee shops to hotel rooms. It is her little oasis of home when we are home.

More than a comfort item, it helps with safety, too. Metal coffee shop patio tables can get hot in just minutes in direct sunlight, and putting her blanket on them helps avoid burning her paw pads when she jumps up to join the conversation or to have a little bit of whipped cream.

Cat-Safe Wipes

When Cupcake was a kitten, she pounced some ornamental grass at the edge of a flower bed and stepped right into dog waste. I started carrying cat-safe wipes for her the next day. She doesn’t get into quite as many messes now that she’s an adult cat, but we still use them periodically.

I also use the wipes to wipe up human messes. Outdoor patio tables at coffee shops and other establishments are often less tended to than their indoor counterparts, and it’s nice to have something on hand to wipe up any sticky or greasy messes on the table before I put Cupcake’s blanket on the table.

Finally, I use them to clean up before we leave. A quick wipe of a table to be sure we aren’t leaving any cat hair on a table where other people will sit later ensures there won’t be complaints about fur being left by four-legged patrons.

I’m currently using Burt’s Bees dander reducing wipes. They are cat-safe, come in travel-size packets and are unscented, which are my three requirements for  wipes.

Umbrella

Cupcake is an unusual cat who actually likes to play in water, but on her terms. She doesn’t like getting wet when she doesn’t have a choice about it, and I can’t blame her. Water is always more fun when you choose to run through the sprinkler!

There are a lot of really lightweight umbrellas, but Totes umbrella I carry for Cupcake is a little heavier because it has a single button to pop it open or to collapse it. That can be helpful when you may not have two hands to spare because you’re carrying a cat and other things.

Poop Bags

When people think poop bags, they think dogs, but they’re handy for traveling cats and even traveling people. The compact rolls ensure that you always have a plastic bag handy, whether it’s for collecting waste or containing something that springs a leak.

Who knows, Cupcake may someday figure out it’s all right to use the grass outside as a litterbox. If she does, I will be very glad that I remembered to bring some poop bags along.

Collapsible Bowl

Hydration is important, especially in summer months, and it’s good to have water available, especially if you are going to be outdoors in the heat of the day.

A collapsible bowl takes up almost no space in your bag when packed flat, but it is easier than trying to find some kind of container to use to offer your cat water.

Toy

If I get into a really long conversation with friends while I am out with Cupcake, she sometimes gets a little restless. Having something for her to play with helps keep her from fussing. An interactive toy is also a great icebreaker for a shy child who wants to interact with Cupcake but is a little timid about trying to pet her.

I keep Cupcake’s bag stocked with a teaser toy I picked up during a visit to a cat show. It collapses to take very little room in the bag, but it holds her attention when she needs some entertainment. She loves it. In fact, she loves it so much, she finds her bag and pulls the toy out if I don’t put her bag away in the closet after an outing.

Cellophane Tape

I use tape fairly often because Cupcake is afraid of flapping plastic bags. The best days to be out are breezy, but they inevitably work the edges of the trash bag near where we like to sit on our local coffee shop patio, leaving the edges flapping.

Cupcake cowers in fear when this happens, so the easiest solution is to secure the bag so that it won’t flap. I give the bag a twist to tighten it against flapping and tape the twist so it stays snug, and Cupcake and I can enjoy our outing in peace.

Notepad and Pencil Case

If you carry a purse, you may not need this in your cat’s bag, but I’m not a purse girl. I carry a pencil case in my bag for the random things I might want to have on hand for myself:

• Lip Balm
• Band-aids
• Antibacterial hand wipes
• Pens
• Business cards

I also tuck a notebook into Cupcake’s  bag to capture random thoughts.

All of these items fit into Cupcake’s new cupcake-themed bag, and we always have what we need with us in nearly every situation.

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