Anybody RV with a Cat?

[txcpl]

We travel with our cat. At home he is an indoor/outdoor cat. On the road we do not let him outside. When traveling, we normally have him caged. When stopped, we let him roam the RV. He does very well, except he becomes very needy. He wants attention! Lots of petting and purring. His favorite perch is in the front window watching the world go by. We had to be inventive for his litter box placement. Our rig has a sliding door to the closet so I cut and stained some 1"x2" pieces of wood which we lay in the track of the sliding door cut to the length where the cat can get through the door partly slid open, but the dogs cannot get to the cat box. We keep the litter box cleaned out frequently. We can not imagine traveling without our cat Max.

[bigchick]

we bought an outside enclosure from a company called 'purrfect fence' or something like that. it allows us to put the cat into the enclosure outside the trailer when we first get to a site that we are going to stay at for several days. we keep her inside the first day. the second day we put her in the enclosure. by about the third day she is able to outside by herself. she recently spent 6 weeks at a park when my wife taking care of her son. we do not leave her out at night!

[Fred 2106DS]

Originally Posted by robertkathy

where do we find the outside enclosure?

Good morning robertkathy, we purchased our last enclosure from Costco. We have 2, one for home and one for camping. The first one was branded by Sport Craft our second one by Viva-Active. Cost was about $120 with shipping and PA sales tax. Here is the link.

https://www.costco.com/Viva-Active-7...100410603.html

[JimmyB2]

Originally Posted by paparazi

Just one comment. Make sure you know where your cat is BEFORE moving a slide. There is space behind the bed that cats can climb in and be crushed.

We put ours in our carrier before moving the slides.

Confused: our bed (and space behind) all move at the same time as the slide. There is no "crush space" behind the bed. We travel with our two cats.

Removed one door from floor storage across from bathroom. Lined floor with rubber matting. Litter box is in there along with litter and canned cat food. They enjoy the "privacy" of the dark cabinet space.

[l1v3fr33ord1]

JimmyB2-

We have the same coach. We put our litter box in the same place.

Our coach’s bed and slide move together. If you look under the bed frame when the slide is in you’ll see a space open to the motor and slide mechanism. It is this space that creates a “curiosity killed the cat” potential. That space does not exist with the slide out.

[2shadycamper]

Originally Posted by wildtoad

...Be extra careful as they will try to get out. Once or twice the cat almost became “citizens” of Utah as she got out and we could not find her quickly. She ended up climbing into the engine area...

To break them of the habit of trying to go outside, we used a spray bottle with water in it. Even if they got remotely close to the steps. Have it handy both indoor and outdoors so when you enter or exit you can spritz them. After just a few times they are no longer interested in trying to escape.

[dennys67]

We never go anywhere without our "little darling". She is our furry family. We dont full time but very close to half time so she probably has spent 4 of her 8 years in our Class C. Loves it as much as my wife and I. Find a place for her litter box, keep her food supply full and live your life with your pet. If your pets make you happy, travel with them. And keep the door firmly shut.

[TurboDaveTX]

We travel with Jinx BK (Black Kat), Sheba, and Sadie (American Eskimo). Like AX, we would not leave home without them! Everywhere we go, they go. Picture is Pelican Lake MCR in Naples. Jinx will go out but stays in easy reach of the door. Sheba walks on a leash but is ok outside. Both figured how to open screen door slide hole and go out. On one trip out, something scared Jinx and he jumped flat footed from the ground up and through the screen door opening hole! Carry the cats to and from the coach, but from then on, they are loose. Cats are 6 years old and have traveled all over US! In Ouray CO on one trip we had a 10x15 canopy with a screen room. One day we were all in the screen room and a guy pulled in next to us. Everything was ok until he set air brake! I saw a blur that passed over me, the picnic table and out through the screen about 5’ off the ground! It was Jinx! Found him under a RV about two over. Screen room still has a piece of duct tape over Jinx’s exit hole!

[frankgibbons]

RVing with cat requires great attention. Cat likes to hide places where they have risk of getting crushed. So, be focus on your cat where he/she is hiding or staying.

[tucson.don]

Yes, I used to have to find the cats before operating slides. Bounders seem to be the worst. After several years in my Palazzo, I could not find any hidden areas where the cats can hide.

In my 1998 Bounder, the cats would go behind the kitchen cabinets, drop to the floor and find their way under the shower. There's too many obstacles under the shower to reach them so I had to coax them back to the kitchen. An assortment of foam pads was the only way to block them.

2005 Bounder, they would get under the bed when the slide was out. Then, they were trapped under the bed with the slide in. I'd have to lift the bed for them to get out.

[Pyropete]

I will be traveling with my Jellybean, and with a Lhasa apso named Jelki (jinx for short, like the cat above) which is Jellybean Killer (my cat). My old Lhasa died about a year ago. Her name is Winki (winks, or stink for short) for Winnie Killer (my 18.5 year old cat Winnie). I miss my little girl.. Just lost second Lhasa from old age a couple months back. One left but she's about 13 years old now. They live to about 14-16 years old normally.


Toughest thing I had to endure was the loss of my two dogs.

[dontbsilly]

Hi Everybody. I don't full time, but I have homes in Fla and NY and travel back and forth. I've had a cat or two for the last 20 something years and they have traveled well, although they need time to adjust to the idea. All were outside cats.
With my latest travel mate, a rust colored male named George, I started training him at an early age to not be afraid of riding. When I went on short trips, post office or quick trip to the store, Id take George along. First few times he wailed like his tail was in a vice, but he got better with each trip, knowing it wouldn't be long before he'd be home again. Eventually he started liking it, and even looking forward to a ride. He is three now, and if I'm working on the MH and leave the door open for any length of time when not on the road, I have make sure I don't lock him in it.
In my last MH I thought sure there was no way he could get out. he found his own avenue/path/escape route to the outdoors. I had installed a desk over the furnace return air duct, and removed the grate so the desk sat level, the desk completely covered the duct. One day we were parked at a CG and the drawer to the desk was open and he got behind it and found that duct. It led to the furnace in the basement, which also had a return duct without a grate. So George was in the basement, which had a hatch for the sewer hose in the floor. Next thing I know George is OUTSIDE wanting to come in. They're sneaky, keep an eye out.

[C5c5]

Originally Posted by Pyropete

I will be traveling with my Jellybean, and with a Lhasa apso named Jelki (jinx for short, like the cat above) which is Jellybean Killer (my cat). My old Lhasa died about a year ago. Her name is Winki (winks, or stink for short) for Winnie Killer (my 18.5 year old cat Winnie). I miss my little girl.. Just lost second Lhasa from old age a couple months back. One left but she's about 13 years old now. They live to about 14-16 years old normally.


Toughest thing I had to endure was the loss of my two dogs.

I also have a cat named Winkie (different spelling)! When I hit the road officially next year, he and my other two, Perry and Hoops, will be coming with me.

They (including all future furry additions) are the children I did not have.

They are all strictly indoors only and will stay that way.

The reason I purchased the largest class A I could find was because of them. If I did not have them, I would be fine living in something smaller.

Many of the interior projects Im doing are for their benefit, such turning many of the overhead cabinents into cat caves/perches/snuggle places. I plan on installing 4 separate ventillated litter stations that will be out of the way and hidden.

[CBDunkerson]

I'm planning to RV part time later this year and hoping to move in to full timing after that, but have wondered how my cat will take to it.

Burglar was an outdoor cat who broke in to my house one night by crawling under the deck and pushing the dryer vent into the house so he could jump down through its exit hole. I tried for months to get him to stay indoors, but he always found (or made) some way out. He once woke me up meowing outside my bedroom window... on the third floor. I still have no idea how he got out/up there. Best I can estimate, he's about 12 years old now, and content to spend most of his time indoors. However, he still likes to go out every day, especially if it is sunny.

Thus, I'd worry that he would 'escape' and I wouldn't be able to find him. The other issue is that every time I have taken him in the car he has cried non-stop the entire way. That might be because we were always going to the vet, which he hates, but doesn't seem like a good sign.

Any tips on helping a cat that is afraid of cars adapt to RVing and/or preventing a houdini cat from wanting to break out?