Community Forums

jondrew55 · 08-09-2021, 09:59 AM

I always joke when people post about things like "where do I put the cat box" in their camper and say "Our 3 dogs go camping. The cat prefers to stay home"

Well apparently this is not true. Our last couple of trips when we come home the cat will not leave me alone. He's up on my lap or the head of my chair. Follows me all around the house. Just does not seem practical to bring him along in our small space with the dogs. Plus, I'm afraid he'd get out and be lost.

Xmcdog · 08-09-2021, 10:27 AM

So take him. He's part of the family too.
Maybe a restraining system to keep him inside?

Old-Biscuit · 08-09-2021, 10:56 AM

Take him...leash him

jondrew55 · 08-10-2021, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Take him...leash him

raeburn2000 · 08-10-2021, 08:02 AM

I agree take the cat with you. Just make sure that he has at least one “safe” place away from the dogs where he can sleep and relax and have the liter box in a good location that’s separate from the dog area (like the shower).

jondrew55 · 08-10-2021, 10:25 AM

You don't know my cat. It's the dogs that need the safe spot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by raeburn2000

I agree take the cat with you. Just make sure that he has at least one “safe” place away from the dogs where he can sleep and relax and have the liter box in a good location that’s separate from the dog area (like the shower).

Mr_D · 08-10-2021, 10:37 AM

Always bring mine. Have had up to 7 in the MH at one time

southernlady · 08-14-2021, 07:47 AM

We are full timing. I wasn’t leaving my 6 cats behind.

As to the litter box, we tried the bathroom, but decided the closet floor works better. The litter boxes are top entry to avoid dogs snacking on cat poop.

We have water separate but they also share the dog water bowl. The food is up where the dogs can’t reach it.

We have 2 dogs, both are smaller than the cats and the cats were there first. When we just had one, she slept in the bed with the cats. But once our newest one joined us, she had spent most of her first 18 months in a crate. We tried her on the bed, she peed on it. So we set up a crate and both dogs stay in there at night. They give each other company.

JimBobnJeri · 04-25-2022, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Always bring mine. Have had up to 7 in the MH at one time

Is that cage mounted to a pet door that you've installed in the wall of your MH? Nice idea.
We are deciding who goes and who stays home, have 5 cats and 2 dogs and that's mainly why I'm selling the travel trailer and we are getting a Class A. 2 cats are seniors and need meds etc and the dogs are small. Thinking the 3 younger cats can stay home, they are inside/outside and friends can stop by the house to care for them. We are not FT-ers, but 2-3 weeks out at a time is definitely a possibility.

AZ RV'r · 04-25-2022, 08:38 PM

We have taken our 3 cats, every summer for 7-8 weeks, for the last 4 years. No problems and yes, they all walk on a leash.

I rotated and tried everything and on mine the cats on the leashes shows sideways.... Sorry, I tried! When you click on it, it shows correctly.

tcg · 04-26-2022, 08:22 AM

We take two of our cats. The litter box goes on the floor between the seats facing the living area of our Class C. When moving it goes under the dinette.

Try it out close to home to see if it all works out.

The first time we tried with one of our cats he just wouldn't settle down, after 24 hours we gave up and took him home but we were an hour away.

And get your cats chipped just in case.

jondrew55 · 04-26-2022, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcg

We take two of our cats. The litter box goes on the floor between the seats facing the living area of our Class C. When moving it goes under the dinette.

Try it out close to home to see if it all works out.

The first time we tried with one of our cats he just wouldn't settle down, after 24 hours we gave up and took him home but we were an hour away.

And get your cats chipped just in case.

Definitely get them chipped. I see cats roaming around most campgrounds and don't know if they are feral or just got out of a camper and never were reunited.

NITEHAWK · 04-26-2022, 08:54 AM

Rocket will be 20 years old this September.
He considers himself a camper cat and that HE owns our Class A coach.
If he gets out of the house he will go and lay next to the steps going into the coach.
WE ARE NOT LEAVING HOME WITHOUT HIM is his attitude!!
His litter box goes under our Harvest table and he walks on a leash. The DW cleans it every day before supper. If he feels he is going to have a really smell bowel movement he will stand next to his harness and inform us that he needs out.
Definitely considerate cat. He has been to Texas and back about six or seven times and loves to travel in the coach. He is chipped, has an elevated sleeping platform above the foot of our bed and loves it.

astrnmrtom · 04-26-2022, 11:08 AM

We've had cats that acted like they missed us, and we had one female Siamese who instead of greeting us with - I missed you! - instead we persona non grata for at least 24 hours. She'd ignore us, sit with her back to us and didn't respond when called - she made it clear she wasn't happy being alone. I used to joke with my wife, I'm surprised she didn't go poop on our pillows the minute we left. If we were going to travel with luggage, she'd jump in the open suitcase the instant it was opened. Another not so subtle message that she didn't like being left alone.

Ok, I'll offer my opinion to the OP and it's a little different than most pet owners. My answer is: it depends on you and your cat. Do what's best for your pet, not you. Don't trade your guilt for a miserable pet. We've been traveling full time with a 17 year old Siamese and for the most part, he's been easy. Before selling the house and taking off to full time, we lived on 5 acres in the county. When our cat Buddy was young, he'd go in and out with the other cats, but that changed very quickly because he's always disappear overnight and come back beat up. After a couple expensive vet bills we said that's enough, and Buddy became an indoor cat. Fast forward to us deciding to sell the house and full time. He was 15, and was leading a quite sedentary, indoor life. The others had passed, and he was an only cat, and I think preferred it that way. We figured he wouldn't be around much longer and was too old to rehome, so we decided to bring him along. Since he was already an indoor cat, we never let him out, and he shows very little interest in going. My wife tried a harness on him once early on, with the idea of letting him go out on a leash, and that was a definite NO! So, in he stays. On warm days, when the front door is open he'll sit on the inside steps and look out for a few minutes then head back to his napping spots to sleep. He never meows to go out. When we leave to explore for the day he's usually asleep, and when we return 95% of the time he's right where he was when we left hours earlier. He lives the life of a retired cat. Nap, nap, nap, then nap some more. He doesn't like travel days but has a couple of what I call Hidey holes where he goes when we drive. One is under the passenger seat, the other where the couch cover meets the floor. When we stop for lunch he comes out, eats, drinks, uses his box and hides again when I start the engine.

In other words, OUR cat is a good RVer. Your cat???? Only you can know.

Here's where our opinion differs, and will get some push back from other pet owners. We have never believed pets should go everywhere their owners do for a number of reasons. I feel there's way too many cases where the pet comes along to fulfill the human's need, at the expense of the pet's emotional well being. If a pet and travel don't mix, we feel a responsible person makes a choice - no pet, or no travel. A dog that's brought along and is either left behind inside the RV barking all day, or tied up outside doing the same while the owners are home is a good example. Not fair to the pet, not fair to the community.

You could always try a weekend trip with your cat, and see how it handles it. See what happens when you start the engine and go down the road. Be ready to turn around and drop it off back at home. A panicked cat running around can be dangerous. Running under the dash at the driver's footwell near the controls is a common panic place to go. Fortunately Buddy either hides under the passenger seat as soon as he knows we are leaving, or he has another hidey hole under the couch cover. Also be aware a panicked cat might not use the box and may hold it until they can't anymore, then let go in unfortunate places. It all depends on your cat. If we've been driving for a while and I start to worry Buddy needs a pee, I'll pull over for a while and my wife will coax him into the bathroom, or he'll go on his own. He's been surprisingly smart about travel. Better your cat be left behind and miss you, then be subjected to stressful travel that could be 10x worst for the pet.

As to the subject of a cat box. We switched to the Litter Breeze box and litter and it's been a Godsend. At the very worst you'll find a pellet or two on the floor. No dust, no grit, no sandy paws. Pellets and pads can be a little hard to find - Walmart carries them, so we keep a stash incase s particular store is out, or if we are in a place for a month, we Amazon a supply to our site.

Good luck, and let you cat chose what is best.