Lots of Cat Questions

[Sooz]

Okay, we're planning to start some serious travel next year, probably around October 2012. We have three indoor/outdoor cats and we live in the country so they spend a lot of time on "walkabout." Two of the cats are two years old, the other is of indeterminate age, but at least seven or eight, maybe older.

Right now our cats have pretty much total freedom as long as they can convince one of us to open the door. So, RVing with cats. Our plan is to lock them in the bedroom while driving because I'm not going to risk getting cellulitis again from being clawed while trying to put them in their carriers. But I know when we're stopped, they'll want to go outside.

We just started to leash train one of them (the stoned one I mentioned earlier) and our first attempt was hysterical for all of us, although for different reasons. Has anyone successfully leash trained an adult cat? If so, how?

Do you have ideas for how to let the cats outside without endangering them? (Of course, out here in the country we have coyotes and other predators, but they seem to manage fine.

How long do you think it will take to get the cats used to traveling? Ideas on how to introduce them to the idea?

Part of me says, cats are cats and we should just let them out when we get where we're going. They know their food is on this side of the door, and although they are great hunters, it's mostly just for show (the dog is the one who eats the evidence...when she isn't hunting with them.)

On the other hand, we really like these cats and don't want to expose them to unnecessary danger. What to do?

Personally, I'm hoping we can rent the house and leave the cats here as part of a rent reduction deal. But if that doesn't work out, they'll become RVers along with us and the dog.

The dog has already made it clear, years ago, that she would prefer to actually live in the car as long as we'd live there with her. We've taken her RV shopping and she loves it. And she's a great camper.

[Forestgal]

As I'd mentioned earlier, my cats would kill me if I even considered putting them in the car with me for a long trip (I have a trailer & hauling them in the car is my only choice).

I've read that people have some luck with aromatherapies, but I'm not sure what they are. You might try those. RV.net has a pet forum. You could also check them out for additional ideas/suggestions. As for letting them out when you get somewhere, I think that it's a recipe for disaster. If they get spooked & run they might not know where home is. There are large, collapsable (sp?) crates that might provide the best of both worlds -- giving them the outside experience while keeping them safe and contained.

RV.net has a pet forum. You might consider checking them out for additional ideas/suggestions.

Laura

[Liz]

I use an enclosure to give my cat outside time while camping. Bandit is also leash trained, but has been since a kitten, so the enclosure might work better for your adult cats. http://www.safepetproducts.com/happy-habitat-for-cats-by-abo-gear.html

[Acadianmom]

The few times I have traveled with a cat or 2 was because they were sick and needed doctoring. My DH will feed the cats but draws the line at giving them medicine. I have never tried to leash train one but I always put them in a carrier if I'm on the road. I'm not sure just shutting them in a room will work. The motorhomes I have had didn't have a solid bedroom door but a folding one. Cats would push under that. I wouldn't let one out at a campground either. I have heard too many stories of people losing one. If you buy a motorhome with slides you will have to be careful that one doesn't get in the slide and get killed when it's going in or out. RV's seem to have a lot of places that cats can get into. Mine can get under one of the beds where all the electrical things are. They will probably get use to traveling. Most dogs and cats seem to like it. If you have trouble getting one into a carrier try feeding them in there so they get use to one. Once they get use to one they feel it's a safe place to go.

Martha

[Bethers]

Seeyagal travels with 3 cats. Hopefully she'll see this.

That said - how do your cats travel now? Are they ok in a car? If they aren't yet good travelers, you need to spend time with them going places to find out if they can get there.

Some places don't look kindly on you letting the cats out free. Others turn a blind eye even if they say not to. But the biggest danger - you'll be ready to go, and one or more of them is no where to be found.

One of our members who traveled with her cat used to always let her out. Only a couple times did she have to hang around until the cat decided it was time to quit sightseeing and find her way home. But it did happen a few times and with 3 I can imagine it could happen even more.

Just putting things out there to think about.

[Sooz]

Thanks. That pet enclosure looks great. Our cats hate to travel in the car, and always travel in carriers. But it's only to the vet, less than a mile away. One of our cats loves to be in the car though. Our daughter and I found him in the car one night and just decided to take him with us. He was sort of okay, as long as "his" dog was with him. Biggest problem was keeping him out of Meg's lap while she drove. The others we don't know about yet.

Since we'll buy the motor home before we plan to leave for a long trip, we'll take some shorter trips with them first. Also, I plan to let them "hang out" in the MH for several days with me before we actually go anywhere.

[kdmac]

I am fulltiming and have met quite a few people that have cats. I have heard all the stories. Bottom line is that it took about a week of "restless kitty syndrome" before they became completely comfortable with the whole situation. The MH people say the cats just sleep and lay in their favorite places as they travel down the road and simply love it. The 5th wheelers say they will come inside at a stop and kitty is laying in it's favorite place sleeping away and just raises it's head to see what's up. These folks all had rather elaborate metal mesh outdoor "pens" for them. some were eassily ten feet long and 4 ft high, easy to set up. The cats get the smells, the scenes and the safety of being outside when inside these pens. I have not heard one horror story yet...just the initial days of adjustment, for you that is yowls times three, but only for a short time.
Recently in Nevada a fellow camped next to me in his 5th wheel...about 40 yards from me. He had three magnificent cats and he just let them out to wander...I couldn't beleive that he did that. One spook and they could be gone and in trouble. They stayed close and went in and out of the 5th wheel at their leisure but in the evening I saw one of them cross the road and start up the hillside...a recipe for disaster.
I am not an animal expert but I think we assign things to animals that really aren't the truth. I am sure the cats are very satisfied with enjoying the safety of being inside a metal or screened enclosure and aren't pining away for hunting days gone by...like human are able to do. They hunt out of instinct and likely will equally enjoy the opportunity to watch and smell from a safe place. Just my opinion, but I am usually right...HA HAH HAAA just kidding.

[Paulette]

I traveled for a couple of weeks this summer with my older cat. He is an indoor/outdoor cat at home and while not leash trained, will tolerate a harness and leash. The minute the rv started up, he hid and stayed hidden until the engine was shut off. Then he would come out. When I would open up the door to offer to take him,outside, he would just look. Didn't really want to go, just wanted to see if we were home yet! He also found his way into some sort of passage from the rear of the coach to up under the stove in the kitchen, but found his way back out too. That one scared me, as I envisioned having to tear the vent out somehow to get him out! He did adjust to being inside while we were parked, and enjoyed looking out the front window at night and watching. I would be worried about him going out alone though, and not finding his way back or ending up in some sort of trouble, so was not willing to just let him roam. I guess to each their own and I'm sure each cat is probably different as to what they are willing to become accustomed to. I'll be anxious to hear how it works out for you.

[Sojourner]

We just got back from two weeks on the road with my elderly gentleman (the cat, I mean). We're still feeling our way through this as well, but our cat is indoor only so that makes things a little easier.

In our case, we took him out to the RV several times before we traveled and just hung out, read, watched TV, paid bills or whatever so he could explore while not under stress and get the feeling that this was all just normal. When we actually got on the road, he would yell his head off in his car carrier for about an hour then audibly sigh in disgust and either go to sleep or give us the silent treatment. When it came time to transfer him to the RV he almost welcomed it, because it had become a home of sorts to him. Each day the period of travel yowling got a little shorter (though it never completely ended). We discovered that if we put a towel over his car carrier so that he couldn't see disturbing things like scenery rushing by, it made a big difference - instead of yowling, he would just mutter and complain to himself. We probably should have driven him around more pre-trip - his only association with car and carrier is to the vet, which is never good.

On the whole, he turned out to be a trouper (much to our surprise). Don't know if this applies much to your situation, but catnip and a good zinfandel may help.

-Megan

[retiredhappy]

When I went fulltime I rented my house with the written understanding that the renter would feed and take care of my one older cat for a reduction in the rent. I would take care of any vet bills if needed. My house had a "cat" door to the utility room so the cat could get warm in the wintertime. Even when I lived there she only occasionally came inside - her preference. I asked my friend across the street to keep an eye on things. Well, I found out they "forgot" to feed her half the time and my friend was feeding her. They also closed up the cat door and she could no longer get inside to keep warm. I ended up taking the cat to my daughter's where she resides still. When I moved the cat to my daughter's I informed the renters that their rent was being raised to the original amount. My advised is that unless the renters are avid cat lovers it probably won't work. I never thought about bringing her as I was traveling at first with two Labs and eventually with three dogs and the cat HATED being in anything that moved and I didn't want to cope with litter boxes inside the RV.