Traveling With Pets

Part Four: Small - and smelly - victories

Day Two: On March 1, we woke in the empty Mesa Verde National Park campground. It was almost eerie, and yet wonderful to have all that space to ourselves. Two senior citizens, a newly adopted kitten and puppy, traveling in a new-to-us used RV.

Strider, the seven-month-old English Springer Spaniel, had no spring in his step. He refused to potty in the early morning chill. The delicate, tiny two-month-old tuxedo kitten survived the night in his cushy travel carrier, only waking me up twice to use the litter box and eat kibble.

We placed his litter box in the shower stall. The weather was going to be too cold for us to fill our system with water. The piping might freeze. This made the shower stall the perfect cat toilet. It also kept it out of reach of a curious puppy.

We had our wisely pre-prepared breakfast, bundled up, and headed to the top of the mesa. Strider wore his jacket and leash, and Legolas rode in his kitty backpack with a warm blanket.

Visiting National Parks in the winter is both brilliant and challenging. Staffing is reduced. Visitor Centers might not be open, or have reduced hours. Trails and attractions may be roped off. The weather will definitely be chilly.

This was the perfect time for us to test out our new family situation. No pressure from crowds. We could embarrass ourselves with our ineptitude without an audience. Mostly.

Strider, who suddenly ceased to potty on his usual schedule, decided right now, right in the middle of a walkway, was the perfect time to empty his bladder. Of a gallon of pee.

With no witnesses, thankfully. Because what could we do about pee? We were relieved that Strider had relieved himself. His bodily functions were functioning.

We couldn’t go near the ruins. No dogs allowed, close to the ancient pueblos or on dirt trails. I don’t think any tours were running, and many trails were closed, anyway. We went to every viewpoint we could.

We enjoyed Mesa Verde National Park, glad that we’d all survived the stressful first day of travel. We spent a leisurely morning, seeing and doing what we could.

Victories: Traveling with pets is comparable to traveling with young children. Stress and challenges are inevitable. So are moments of joy. And relief. So far, both cat and dog had tidy bathroom habits, although we were worried about Strider’s failure to “go” in the timely manner.

Lesson learned: Celebrate the moments when things go right. Be graceful about the limitations. Researching where pets are allowed ahead of time gives you realistic expectations. Travel with pets means you won’t have access to all trails, museums, and attractions.

Questions: We were still keeping an eagle eye on the two animals. Would we be able to allow interaction, trusting that things wouldn’t turn violent? Would the next leg of our trip go any better than day one?

Find out in the fifth installment of Traveling with Pets.

Novels with animal companions by Catherine Dilts:

The Body in the Cattails, available from Harlequin Worldwide Mystery

The Body in the Hayloft, available here

Co-authored with Merida Bass: Grandpa’s New Year’s Relocation, and Grandma’s Valentine Abduction

YA series co-authored with Merida Bass (jungle animals): Frayed Dreams, and Broken Strands

The entire Rose Creek Mystery series, the Tapestry Tales series, and the Ninja Grandparent Placement Mysteries, are available at Basecamp Books and Adventure located at 3918 Maizeland Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80909 (phone: 1 719 596 1621)