Desperately Need Help to Train RVing Cat

[monik7]

I've only taken 3 trips longer than a week. Those times my daughter and SIL took care of my cat Amy. They've now told me they don't want to do it anymore and I have no one else who could do it. I can't ask a neighbor because I worry about my alarm. I want so much to be able to go on a trip where I can leisurely go from point to point, stay a couple days if I want, without having to rush to get home. I can't afford to board Amy. They just charge too much.

I got Amy as a rescue kitten. She's now 13 and her only world is the inside of my house. She goes out in a carrier once a year for shots. If it's a short distance she just howls. When I took her in her carrier to my daughter's 40 miles away, every time she threw up, pooped and made a mess before we got 10 miles from my house. She howls, pants and saliva drips out of her mouth. All signs of stress I would think. It's a very hard experience for both of us. Once I took her to the RV. I did not start the engine. I could tell she was afraid and was just looking for the smallest space she could squeeze into. I worry she could get somewhere where I couldn't get her out or she could get hurt.

I'm worried it might be a hopeless cause. A lot probably has to do with the fact that she's only been an inside cat. She doesn't seem to be aging, looks the same as she did at 2 or 3 and has been very healthy. I'm also trying to figure out how I would secure her in my RV if I'm lucky enough to get her willing to travel. I have a sofa rather than dinette, so no space under the table to put a carrier. There's always the shower, but I have no idea how I'd be able to secure the carrier.

I'd sure appreciate any ideas from you wonderful ladies about training her and also how to secure her. Thanks.
Sandi

[Bethers]

I don't think I have any friends who kennel or secure their cats when traveling. I know, years ago, I had a cat that hated the kennel, therefore I thought he hated traveling. As I was moving and he'd have to come with, I started taking him out to the car and we'd just sit. His water bowl and favorite blanket would come with. By the time we took the trip, he snuggled in, and never Minded again, or of the kennel. He never got over howling in a kennel.

My suggestion is you take the car to the RV. Have familiar things there, and read, eat, etc, and ignore the car. After a few times go for a ride around the neighborhood. I'm thinking shall probably come around. Just remember, they can read your emotions. Do you need to be relaxed about it.

[cnq50b]

Sandi,
When I transported Gaby's cats to her in Cali, I used a pop-up pet kennel like this http://www.walmart.com/ip/5192526?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227001163989&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40341936632&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=56846082527&veh=sem
It was big enough to contain two cats & their litter box (the round kind) leaving enough distance between it & their their food & water bowls (which I only gave them when I was stopped). I put blankies & towels on the floor of it for them. They didn't appear to mind being in it. They were contained yet had room to move around. And the nice thing is this closes up really small when not in use. Might be worth a try & you can always return it if it doesn't work out.
By the way, one of their cats (the bigger one) hated the kennel, but didn't mind this setup.

Hope you can get her adjusted to going with you so you can continue traveling as the spirit moves you.

[avalen]

I don't have any advice for you but I think Beths idea is a good one, just take the cat out there and sit for awhile and when she gets used to that part, combine the idea of the softsided kennel. I did have a dog one time that hated car rides but refused to be left behind and she would get in on her own and sit on the floor backwards. She hated looking out the window when we were moving, but always popped her head up when we stopped. Hope you can get it all worked out and not have to worry.

[Acadianmom]

When I made the trip from Seattle to Louisiana(2,500 miles) with my son's 2 cats I used a large dog kennel. It was big enough to put a small litter box across the back and the 2 cats would lay side by side looking out the door when we traveled. Maybe because there were 2 of them they didn't howl. If I left them loose one would try to get under the sofa with all the electric boxes and the other one would get under my feet. I was afraid they would get out when I stopped for gas. At night when I was parked and set up I would let them out of the kennel. They would just explore the motorhome and end up sleeping on the dash.

I have had to travel with sick cats several times and they would howl. You think they will never stop but they will. One of my son's cats drools, throws up and poops if I have to take her to the vet. If I had to travel with her she would have to be trained again.

I like the pop-up kennel. I might get one to keep on hand. My DH had to doctor a sick cat when I went to Fort Worth for a week and he said the next time a sick cat is going with me.

The only thing I can suggest is just to spend a lot of time in the motorhome not moving. Let your cat explore and watch that she doesn't find some place to hide. I have a friend that has her cat leash trained. I have never tried that myself. I ended up with a big bag of the hospital pads that they put under patients. I have started using them in a kennel when I have to take a cat to the vet. Works better than newspaper.

Martha

[BarbaraRose]

Another thing to try is a calming collar. I used one on my cat on the trip from California to Minnesota. She still wasn't happy about being in the car (in a carrier) but she was not hysterical either. She just meowed occasionally and then slept. I didn't want to use sleepy drugs on her since I have heard bad things about them. This seemed to do the trick and has great reviews from others. You can get it at any pet store.

Here is a link to it at PetCo.:
http://www.petco.com/product/109457/Sen ... SiteSearch

[MandysMom]

I like both Beth's idea and Barbaras calming collar. We were lucky in that our two girls took to the RV right away. One traveled as a kitten in the RV (van) home from OK with us to Ca while the other flew to us from there a few months later. When we traveled in 08 they had both been on short trips and hid the first day but after that relaxed into routine of mostly sleeping or laying on back of the sofa looking out until we stopped at which point they wanted to get their walking jackets (a type of harness made for Savannah cats) and go exploring on leash. They treated travel like another version of home. We only kennel them for short time if we had to have the door open and did not want them jumping out.
Take a picnic and a book to your rv and let your pal explore and get used to it. I think you have a good chance of her turning into a travel kitty.
Velda

[Liz]

I agree with Beth. Spend time in the RV with the cat, including sleeping if you can. She may associate the crate and movement with going to the vet for shots. Let her explore the RV and get used to it. Put a litterbox in for her and feed her there. My cat used to spend time on the bed when traveling…mostly sleeping. He had a little hidey-hole between the wall and a pillow. When I still also had a house, he would howl at first on a new trip in the RV, but it didn't last long. I took him out with harness and leash and he got to look forward to his "walks" as much as the dog did. But if yours has always been an indoors only cat, you might want to keep it that way.

[monik7]

Thank you all for your ideas. I think starting next week I'll try taking her to the RV and let her wander around. I do worry about the space under the sofa. It sure would be easier if the RV wasn't in storage.
Sandi

[SoCalGalcas]

Sandi, when I got my current cat, she was 5 years old. I had no idea what her history was. I brought her into the motor home in her carrier. Set the carrier on the bed with the door open. (carrier door) and then left her alone. She was curious and would come out and go back in immediately. Once when she was out of the carrier, I showed her her food and water. And once her sandbox. She would always go right back into the carrier as she felt safe there. When we began to drive I set the carrier on the floor of the motor home again with the door open.
Over time she became very used to being in the motor home both while driving and not driving.
You must expect her to be calm as you will be calm.
See you in January. lyn

[JudyJB]

I would also suggest a new and very different carrier than the one she associates with going to the vet. And maybe just carrying her to RV at first so she does not think she is going to get a shot or vet procedure.

In other words, try to make this a very different experience.

[snowball]

I wasn't going to respond as I don't have a cat and fortunately Shadow didn't have a problem with traveling either...and you
have been given really good ideas...my thought was if your cat is indoor only and the only time you take your cat in the car is to the vet
or to daughter's while you are gone..he/she is going to associate the car with not good things...so changing those things would be a good idea
also you mentioned that it would be easier if not in storage I don't know if it's a doable but if it is take the unit out of storage to a park as close as you can then drive yourself and the cat to the rv and settle in for a weekend or more ...I really think (hope) that kitty will come to view it as home..
sheila

[avalen]

Thank you all for your ideas. I think starting next week I'll try taking her to the RV and let her wander around. I do worry about the space under the sofa. It sure would be easier if the RV wasn't in storage.
Sandi

What?? you have open space under your sofa?? How does that happen??

[Bethers]

Thank you all for your ideas. I think starting next week I'll try taking her to the RV and let her wander around. I do worry about the space under the sofa. It sure would be easier if the RV wasn't in storage.
Sandi

What?? you have open space under your sofa?? How does that happen??

That space under the soda might be a good place for the litter box and be a good place for her. You have access, right? Not sure why it makes you nervous for her to go there?

[monik7]

The space under the sofa is where the slide workings are in addition to the pump for the air mattress and some electrical wiring. It's probably at most 3-3 1/2" (at most 4") high so just enough for her to squeeze into. Not a space I'd want to try and drag her out of.
Sandi