A Women's RV Forum run by Women RVer's!

I think my cats are happy to just stay home. Four of the house cats will go out for a little while but they stay close to the house. Frosty isn't allowed out anymore. He goes across the road and fights with the barn cats. He has had so many vet bills that he will just have to stay in the house. He is the only one that might like to go traveling.

I have a friend that travels with her cat and a retired service dog. You have probably seen her posts on Facebook. The last time I camped with her in Texas the cat got out and wouldn't let us catch her. She never did go far and after a couple of hours she wanted back in the RV. I have heard of several that lost their cats because they got loose and they never could find them. That would be my fear.

Martha

Our two girls loved traveling in the bus with us in 08. The first day they hid while we moved then came out when we stopped. After that they each had favorite places as we drove. Stormy often sat on the back of the sofa watching the world go by. They loved being out checking out each new location in their Savannah cat jackets on their leashes. Stormy leapt out a time or two and Mel had to chase her but we always got her back with her favorite toys. Mandy is more timid so she never left the bus without permission. Besides vet checks and shots before we left and their special Recolution flea prevention. We made sure they got our filtered by Berkey water so there would be no issues with upsets from different water and they got their usual food. We all had a good time, only wish we could do it again.we would never let our cats out to wander at home or on travels, though I know there are several fulltimers who do.
Velda

one of the gals that was on Rv America has her cat trained to be on a leash
and saw someone else with a cat on a leash right now don't know where though thinking upon
it it might have been a picture of Sandi's Amy
sheila

One of these days I need to take time to read the directions and figure out how to share pictures here and can show our girls in their jackets.
Velda

snowball wrote:one of the gals that was on Rv America has her cat trained to be on a leash
and saw someone else with a cat on a leash right now don't know where though thinking upon
it it might have been a picture of Sandi's Amy
sheila

Yes Sheila, the pic you're thinking of was my beautiful Amy. She walked on the leash the very first time I put a harness on her, attached the leash and went for a walk at the Oregon GTG. I just got back from 4 nights in the Sierras (recuperating from my stressful week waiting for the diagnosis from my doctor). Amy went walking in the CG there too. I'm amazed at how she immediately took to RVing and walking on a leash. I have the ladies here to thank who told me even if their cats got sick in their carrier (like Amy), they did fine in the RV. Walking on the leash took no training at all. I keep telling her how smart she is.
Sandi

I am a witness to Amy's first outing on her leash...she just walked all over it did not bother her at all. (AND she is like 16yrs old if I remember) She has adjusted to the RV lifestyle just dandy. What a relief for Sandi, now she takes her whole family with her...YAY

karen

I met a man walking his cat in Florida and asked him how hard it was to train him. He said the first time he put the harness on him, he just sat down and refused to budge, but then he figured out that there were some interesting things to check on, and from then on it was easy.

If I ever get a pet for RVing, it will be a cat. I see a lot of cats sitting in the passenger dash area looking out at the world while they are being driven around! Nice job for a cat.

Took Stormy like ten min to figure out that jacket and strap means go outside amd explore. Mandy, on the,other hand preferred to walk 10 ft and lie down much of the time. Ha ha
Velda

Don't think my cat would enjoy that at all, but know others who have cats that walk on leashes.

Barbie, you never know till you try. Some love it some don't.
Velda

bluepinecones wrote:For those who take their cats along….it is not just dogs who have all the fun:

http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/stories/take-your-cat-excellent-adventure

Cat lover here. Thanks for sharing that link. Loved the story and a few more I read on there. And I bookmarked the AdventureCats site. Looking forward to it being up and running in Oct.

We have three cats - Gracie, Emma and (Meriwether) Lewis. All three are indoor/outdoor cats. We live on 5 acres, as do most of our neighbors, and our cats tend to stay within the small fenced area around our home so no neighbors are bothered by their outdoor activities. Unlike his namesake, Lewis isn't much of an explorer. His sisters are another story. They love to be outside, especially when I'm outside gardening or just putzing around. But they do NOT want anything to do with the MH! They'll walk all around and under it but will not go in on their own. I've tried treats to no avail. I did get them in via their carriers and they spent a night in it with me and DH next to our house! Gracie hid most of the time and Emma cried for about an hour, then finally quieted down until hubby opened a window and she saw outside. Whaaa!!! Nothing but whining for another hour or so. She finally fell asleep next to me. I'm not sure they'll ever take to it. I'd probably take to a harness before they would.

Diana

Diana, it often takes more than a day. Try taking them in for a hour when you have time and let them do what they want with it not moving. Read a book or putter around. Be sure to take their familiar water dish and food dish in for practice, so they have familiar items to see and smell. We did that, taking ours to the bus with us and working on projects. When we left on our big trip in 08, they hid for a day while the bus moved, but quickly after that developed a routine of places they slept while we moved and each time Mel shut the bus off they knew we were stopped for a bit and came out to join us. They were 3 years old then. But their only vehicle trips had been to the vet. Well, except Stormy who had ridden home from Oklahoma in our van as a 14 wk old kitten. They walk on leashes ( with harness and which I highly recommend anyone traveling do) and go right to the RV and jump,in now without being carried or encouraged. They know our RVs are home too.
Velda

My cat Amy froze when I first took her into the RV and sat with her for a couple hours. She didn't move from one spot during the whole time. So I tried taking her and leaving her there for an hour or so. When I went back I could tell she had walked around on the bed and did other exploring. Now she has her special places she likes to be at different times during the day and night. She acts like she's letting the dogs and me stay in HER place now. She does like to sleep right next to my pillow every night.
Sandi

Good advice! I do put their food & water, plus litter box in the LD when I take them in. I will try taking them into it everyday for a week or so and see if it makes a difference. And earplugs. Lol

Diana