Traveling with cats

[XLTShaker]

Originally Posted by Slow N EZ

Will be hitting the road again between AZ & MN in my Class A 35' with my cats (was 4 now have 6. MN summers are cat-adopt-me times). Used rabbit wire mesh to screen under dash. Works great. Litter box behind LR barrel chair. Convenient to scoop many X day. Food and water under dinette table. Watch RV blog Creativity RV. Robin travels with her cat. Happy trails!

Good for you. I don't know if I could handle more than one cat, let alone 6. Don't get me wrong, I love cats, but we've always just had one. When Angel passed last August, we did look at 2 orange and white sisters at a shelter in Sault Ste Marie, Canada. But, found Iggy at a shelter in St Ignace, Mi., and she is a doll, fetches and rolls over. She travels good also. I might get some of that mesh to put under my dash although I don't think Iggy would try that again (story in another post), besides, she's almost a year old and bigger now.

I don't think I have mentioned this before, but I wrapped the booth table leg/pole with sisal rope for a scratching post. It's out of the way and Iggy uses it. The stand alone posts were always in the way. We put her food and water between the cab seats.

Safe travels. Ron

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by XLTShaker

Good for you. I don't know if I could handle more than one cat, let alone 6. Don't get me wrong, I love cats, but we've always just had one. When Angel passed last August, we did look at 2 orange and white sisters at a shelter in Sault Ste Marie, Canada. But, found Iggy at a shelter in St Ignace, Mi., and she is a doll, fetches and rolls over. She travels good also. I might get some of that mesh to put under my dash although I don't think Iggy would try that again (story in another post), besides, she's almost a year old and bigger now.

I don't think I have mentioned this before, but I wrapped the booth table leg/pole with sisal rope for a scratching post. It's out of the way and Iggy uses it. The stand alone posts were always in the way. We put her food and water between the cab seats.

Safe travels. Ron

Great Idea! I'll have to try that.

[aspenpine]

Thanks for the great info in your post! I have 6 cats and am looking for a suitable motorhome. I know, it's crazy.

[geordi]

Originally Posted by aspenpine

Thanks for the great info in your post! I have 6 cats and am looking for a suitable motorhome. I know, it's crazy.

They will love anything that you get - Years ago I was traveling in a 30' P-30 chassis Holiday Rambler with 12 kitties - even in a coach without slides, they all found a little place to get comfortable and you never saw more than a couple at a time.

With the 40' Diplomat, I've evacuated from hurricanes for as much as a week continuous with 3 adults and (at one time) 21 kitties - and it was much the same thing, they all found their places to get comfortable. Several enjoyed laying on the dash and watching the world roll by, others were on the cat tree that I have set up in a corner of the living room slide, and several were in the bedroom on and around the bed and perched on top of the washer cabinet where they could see everything.

If YOU are calm, they will be calm. They pick up on our stress levels, so I try to make a point of keeping calm in situations like that. There's already too much stress in the world anyway, but knowing that everyone is safe and traveling together, that also keeps them calm b/c it is familiar.

Before anyone asks - We rescue. They are all indoor-only, fixed, and quite a few are siblings or bonded from different situations like their former humans passed away without a plan for them and family didn't want them. That is a TERRIBLE trauma to inflict on a cat, they certainly have feelings too and feel the loss - and by joining our furever-family they will never want for anything again. As for the inevitable question about litter - The Litter Robot is an amazing invention. I own a total of 9 of them at the moment, and have a place in the RV for 2 of them. That plus Costco for big cases of Friskies wet and quality dry food... And their only remaining need is for us to sit under them all day long. =^.^=

[hclarkx]

Originally Posted by geordi

Before anyone asks - We rescue. They are all indoor-only, fixed, and quite a few are siblings or bonded from different situations like their former humans passed away without a plan for them and family didn't want them. That is a TERRIBLE trauma to inflict on a cat, they certainly have feelings too and feel the loss - and by joining our furever-family they will never want for anything again. As for the inevitable question about litter - The Litter Robot is an amazing invention. I own a total of 9 of them at the moment, and have a place in the RV for 2 of them. That plus Costco for big cases of Friskies wet and quality dry food... And their only remaining need is for us to sit under them all day long. =^.^=

Likewise. Have lost two in two years, both "hospice" cases. Both loved traveling. Currently have a 15 year-old that came to us last year when a household member developed allergies and the 14 year pet had to go. She had hair mats that almost kept her from walking. SPCA got most of them, we got the rest. A year later she still limps a bit from muscle fatigue from when the mats pulled if she moved much. We also have a 10 year-old that came to us when he was 3 after considerable abuse. At 10 years old he's a one-person cat (me) but still runs and hides if anyone picks up a shoe or anything that looks like a weapon even though we've never struck him. Cats do have long memories! He's smart, loves long walks in the woods. Does not need a leash unless the rangers are around. Has a serious "stranger danger" issue but trusts me if I pick him up.

Our 30' 5er has a sisal scratching post with platform. The girl mostly lounges upstairs on the bed. The boy can be found sprawled in the sun, up 7 feet on a shelf in a cat bed, in the basement (I cut an access hole for them ... it's often cooler down there), or in a cavity behind a false wall behind the TV (accessed via a hole below it that once held a small home theater box) or in the back of a cupboard if he can get the door open. Or he's on my lap.

All four of the cats that have traveled with us have been problem free and totally relaxed about travel. They are as happy in the RV as they are at home.

Since we travel with older cats, we try to schedule an update vet visit before hitting the road and have an eye on the nearest vet when we are boondocking.

[LynnD]

Originally Posted by geordi

Before anyone asks - We rescue. They are all indoor-only, fixed, and quite a few are siblings or bonded from different situations like their former humans passed away without a plan for them and family didn't want them.

We travel with our 11 kitties, all are indoor, fixed and range for 18 months to 19 years old, 9 are rescues, 2 are Maine Coon siblings-they are now 15. We love them all and would not dream of leaving them behind, even for a few days.

[J Birder]

We travel with a 5th wheel, and two cats. When we are driving, the cats are in the truck with us. One of them will be back and forth between her bed in the back seat, and DW's lap. The other one spends most of the ride sleeping in the litter box.


It is a big help if the cats are well behaved, and well trained. Once we get set up at our destination, I just open the truck door and let them out. They do a little exploring and a little grazing, while I teach them the boundaries of the camp site.


After letting them explore for about 1/2 hour, I tell them to "GO HOME." One will immediately go up the steps, and wait for me to open the door. The other one insists on playing her game. She runs under the 5er to the other side, and stays there until I walk around to retrieve her. As soon as I arrive, she darts back under the 5er, and will be sitting on the top step waiting for me.


Initially, I worried about heat, when we would leave them in the 5er for the day. I solved that problem by building them a screened in "catio." It hooks onto the window ledge, and is supported by two adjustable paint roller poles. The one in the photos is v. 1.0. I don't have any photos, but v. 2.0 has a sloped roof with overhangs on three sides.. I got tired of getting a shower when taking it down after a rain. When we travel, the catio is on a platform secured to the rear bumper.


Joel

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by J Birder

We travel with a 5th wheel, and two cats. When we are driving, the cats are in the truck with us. One of them will be back and forth between her bed in the back seat, and DW's lap. The other one spends most of the ride sleeping in the litter box.

Maybe the one alternates between lap, bed, and backseat is because the other is monopolizing the litter box and he/she REALLY HAS TO GO!

[hclarkx]

Originally Posted by J Birder

Initially, I worried about heat, when we would leave them in the 5er for the day. I solved that problem by building them a screened in "catio." It hooks onto the window ledge, and is supported by two adjustable paint roller poles. The one in the photos is v. 1.0. I don't have any photos, but v. 2.0 has a sloped roof with overhangs on three sides.. I got tired of getting a shower when taking it down after a rain. When we travel, the catio is on a platform secured to the rear bumper. Joel

Heat is a worry for sure, especially for boondockers/dry campers without A/C.

Cat's are desert animals so tolerate heat well ...... up to a point. Above that point heat is a problem because cats have small tongues and are not able to expel excess heat as well as a dog. When a cat starts panting, it's in trouble. I walk my cat daily and sometimes can't avoid the heat here in the CA Central Valley. I watch close and any signs of panting and he's back in the house. At this time of year with it 100F outside, he's good for about 15 minutes. In the evening when it's 90F, we can be out for an hour or more.

We don't travel in the summer and if we do hit a warm spell in late spring or early Fall, the cats have access the the 5er basement which is always 10F lower than the living area.

[dekuiper]

Originally Posted by NITEHAWK

Our coach bed is a Queen size but I made a PVC frame that has its base slid under the mattress and the top portion is rectangular and about 10" above the mattress so the DW slid an old sweatshirt over it and now Rocket has a "hammock" to sleep in at night. This lets him sleep above our bed, but with us, and gives us free movement on the entire bed while sleeping.
He loves his hammock and so I take it in to the S&B when not traveling, just so he can sleep in it.

I would love to see a picture of this hammock!

[C5c5]

Originally Posted by dekuiper

I would love to see a picture of this hammock!

Ditto!

[Easygibson]

My cats are used to going outside, climbing trees and running fast and hard. I'm sure I'd be re-inventing but what about a covered pen that can be disassembled and reassembled easily? Something I can put them in, outside, so they have fresh air and some running room but then take down and store for travel?

[Mr_D]

When parked I put out two of these RV Kitty Kondo's, one on each side. I also cut lean to fit the window and put cat doors in, keeps some of the hot and cold out. Unfortunately we no longer have, them made or sell them.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by Easygibson

My cats are used to going outside, climbing trees and running fast and hard. I'm sure I'd be re-inventing but what about a covered pen that can be disassembled and reassembled easily? Something I can put them in, outside, so they have fresh air and some running room but then take down and store for travel?

If the campground allows this, and you choose to do this idea, keep in mind other wild and domestic animals that could be in the area. If you plan on staying outside with them all the time it may work, but to leave them alone while you make dinner, or take a nap or....Other animals could see the caged cats as a tempting treat. It could also damage the felon's mental health being in a enclosed cage with no escape.

Cats need to be able to hide, escape and otherwise feel comfortable and secure.