TRAVEL CAT RETAILER TRAINING GUIDE

PRINTABLE VERSION AVAILABLE HERE

Hey furiend, Co-founder Emily here.  It’s so good to have you! Congrats for joining our team and being one of the hundreds of stores to carry the best Travel Cat gear in the world. We’re so honored you chose our small business, and want to give you the resources you need to prepare for helping your customers find exactly what they need. 

First off, here are some fun facts about Travel Cat: 

• We are (and always will be!) exclusively dedicated to cats. 
• Woman owned & NYC based. We have full control over the entire shipping experience. 
• Founded by a husband and wife team (who are also obsessed cat parents).  
• We’ve hosted over 5k cat lovers at virtual events. 

Now some facts about the customers we reach: 

• There are 46.5 million households in the US that report owning a cat, and more than half of millennials buy gifts for their cat on a monthly basis. We’re a dedicated bunch. 
• The type of vacation that pet owners enjoy the most is going to a fresh air destination, like hiking or the beach. More people want to travel with their pets and don’t want to leave them behind! 
• That’s where we come in - we are THE leader in high quality products helping people travel with their cats. 

General Outdoor Safety Tips:

We always emphasize safety first. That means whether your customers are looking to backpack or harness train for taking their cat outside, there are safety measures that need to be taken first. Alongside basics for backpack and harness training, we recommend all cats get microchipped, have pet ID tags, use a GPS/Location device, are up to date on all vaccines and flea/tick meds. 

BACKPACK AND HARNESS TRAINING BASICS:

Why backpack/harness train? Unlike most people assume, cats don’t just sleep all day!  They need enrichment & stimulation to be a healthy and happy cat. Here are some helpful tips for questions that your customers might have:

Why would I backpack and harness train my cat?

It allows you to do more with them: 

• Safe adventures together.
• Necessary travel - fly, move, work, visit family with kitty in tow.
• Be prepared for an emergency - harness/backpack training helps you get your cat out of an unsafe situation very quickly.

How do you get them used to their new backpack or harness?

• Help them get used to them at their own pace - leave it in a spot where the cat goes anyway and put something like a blanket in the backpack so they have a familiar smell. Before zipping up your backpack or putting on the harness and walking around, give them treats while they’re in it to form good associations. 
• Take it slow. Walk around inside the house, going up and down stairs, avoid using it for the vet at first. Choose destinations wisely - is it crowded, have you been there before? What’s the environment going to be like? Avoid lots of loud noises and consider going with a friend to have an extra set of hands. Carry your cat outside to avoid door-dashing.
• Bring Supplies - water, treats, and a portable litter box are always a good idea. You never know when your cat is going to feel hungry, thirsty, need to do their business or just need a little extra incentive. 
• End Trips with Rewards like petting and kisses, treats, or playtime with their toys. 

Things to note while backpack and harness training: 

• Cats are not dogs! They explore more slowly and are more easily distracted/spooked. 
• They are not as easily led - it’s more about letting them explore and going at their pace. This requires lots of patience & treats! 
• Let them take in the sights and sounds, and experience the great outdoors without being rushed. 
• It’s important to be present when you’re taking them out, and make sure that you are focused on them. You know your cat best! If they are uncomfortable, don’t push their limits.
• Everyone’s cats are different - pay attention to the body of the cat, be present. What’s normal and what’s not? Be ready to go at any time even if you have to cut an adventure short. Patience is key! 

We show a lot of diverse people and environments of adventure, but we know it’s not the norm! We emphasize that they go at their cat’s pace and take things slow. 

PRODUCT DETAIL GUIDE

“The Fat Cat Backpack” 

• For people with “bigger-boned” kitties! 
• Best-seller of all time, comes in charcoal, aqua and pink.
• Holds up to 25lbs
• Comes with bubble/screen replacement which is good for giving your cat privacy and having extra space while flying. 
• Harness clip on the inside. 
• This backpack also has an adjustable chest strap. 
• Comes in three colorways: charcoal, pink, and aqua. 

“The Navigator” Convertible Cat Backpack

 

• Feature - heavy backpack for people looking to do longer outdoor adventures.
• Has a water reservoir pocket to hold water bladders. 
• Has an adjustable waist strap and chest strap. 
• Holds up to 25lbs.
• Has two harness/leash clips inside. 
• Double opening option from front or top.
• Stretchy side pocket and side zipper pocket w/ key ring. 
• Converts into a shoulder bag to be carriedlike a traditional carrier. 
• Good for flying - all our bags are airline friendly, but we always recommend to check with your airline’s requirements before purchasing tickets.  
• Comes in two colorways, the original grey and "The Earth". 

“The Fat Cat Mini” 

• Great starter backpack for people with smaller cats or kittens.
• Carries up to 15lbs. 
• Leash clip inside 
• Side pockets.
• Has both the bubble and screen attachment. 
• Comes in two colorways, gray and purple.

“The Transpurrter” Ultimate Calming Convertible Cat Carrier

• Ideal for cat parents with a stress free experience in mind, built for more tricky adventures like vet trips, flying, car travel. 
• The inside mat slides out to easily get cat in or out of the carrier. 
• Can act as a bed as well. 
• Removable fleece mat that is washable (take inner piece out first) 
• Base is seamless and water proof for easy clean up. 
• Comes in two colorways: heather grey & teal, and heather grey. 

“The Boop Coop” Collapsible Crate & Carrier

• Great option for longer term traveling, hotel stays, camping, car trips. 
• Collapses for easy storage w/ shoulder straps. 
• Same strong plastic mesh that you’ll find on the backpack. 
• Can fit a cat bed and still leave room for another cat. 

“The True Adventurer” Vest Style Harness

• Our best-selling harness!
• Style with more coverage.
• Adjustable velcro and straps. 
• Comes in sizes XS-L and multiple colorways/patterns. 

“The Day Tripper” H-Style Harness 

• Style with less coverage and more flexibility. 
• Newer style but quickly becoming very popular! 
• Adjusts on the back, neck, and belly - only harness on the market where all three pieces can adjust.
• One size that lasts longer since it’s more adjustable. 
• Comes in two patterns, color block and checkered. 

Great to carry both so you can show people the options and get both, so they can find out what their cat likes best.

To help your customer find the best harness fit for their cat, use our measuring guide: 

See additional guides for measuring "The Pathfinder" and "The Day Tripper" Harnesses. 

Cat Beds: 

• The Meowbile Home converts from cat cave to convertible bed, soft black plush interior for ultimate coziness and is easy to travel with. 
• The Accordion Cat Bed & Scratcher is made for both playtime and rest, giving your cat a place to scratch their heart out and take a snooze. Folds up for easy storage. 
• The Donut! Is an interactive cat bed, great for multi cat households as one kitty can sleep on top and one inside. This is also a bed that can be used for playtime!

Accessories: 

• “The Captain” Retractable Leash  is a longer retractable leash designed for cats - this is a great upsell item to our harnesses. 
• “The Purrservers” Cat Food Can Covers - five pack of food covers that fit any conventional style food can. No more stinky spilled food or wasted food here!
• “The Porta Pawty” Travel Litter Box - the biggest portable litter box on the market. With a seamless inside for easy cleanup, zipper closure to keep the mess inside, and a helpful pocket on top, your customers will quickly see this as a must-have item. 

• “The Travel Buddy” Food Bowl rolls up for easy transport and is easy to clean.  
• “The Nice n’ Tidy” Food Mat - keeps mealtime cleanup quick and easy, and is dishwasher safe. 

RESOURCES:

Digital cat content - we have put together a folder of our best ugc for you to display. We will be updating this folder with new content as we get it! See folder here. 

We provide product instruction printouts for customers & your own training needs, and are happy to give in-person training with VIP customers who might be in your area. 

See our retailer on-demand training video hosted by Co-founder Emily.

We’d love to see pictures/videos of how you display our products in your store! Please submit these photos/videos here. 

FAQs

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT MY ORDER, WHO SHOULD I CONTACT? 

Email Dan at partners@yourcatbackpack.com

HOW DO I HELP A CUSTOMER WANTING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BACKPACK AND HARNESS TRAINING? 

We have several resources available on this topic - see our tips and resources blog for articles.

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST POPULAR ITEMS? 

We recommend ordering a good mixture of our best-sellers like "The Fat Cat" Backpack, "The Navigator" Backpack, "The Fat Cat Mini" and a couple of our harnesses. 

WHAT IS THE ORDER MINIMUM? 

$249