for those who take their cat

we have a 2 year old siamese that is part of our family for sure and i would love to take her with us camping, however, i have some concerns...she has never been outside, and i know she picks at the screens in the house when she know we are outside and i cant have her destroying the screens in the camper.  I see posts by people all the time that take their cat with them, how do you keep them from doing what cats do and what about the litter box issue? also do you put them outside in a pet traveller, use a harness on them or just keep them in the camper, would like to hear others experiences both good and bad

  thanks so much

We have 3 cats that travel with us all the time . When we are travelling they each have their place where they hide and when we are parked they do what cats do best sleep eat and play.Yes you do have to have a place for the litter box that,s for sure ,in most RV's that is a problem .Ours is a bath and a half so we use the floor in the half bath and use the clumping litter as we do not dare put litter in the RV tanks we use plastic zip lock bags and put it in the garbage. Our cats do not get outside and when we are home we leave the windows open and watch them and when we are away we keep the windows closed.They have been de-clawed so we know that we cannot leave them outside and they are perfectly content not to go outside.

Our Persian travels with us all the time, but he doesn't claw at screens or furniture. Siamese are pests in that regard, so there may be little you can do except to keep him caged or leave him at home. Our cat also doesn't mind a leash, so we can take him out for a walk or even stake him outside if he cares to (usually not).

The litter box is a matter of finding room for it somewhere - ours sits along side of the bed. We use a clumping litter and scoop it daily.

We travel with our 6 year old Calico who has been declawed. She does not leave the Motorhome on a trip even though she likes to go outside at home. Other than tending to wander and make noise in the middle of the night, she is really no bother. As for litter, we use the shower - we place a rug with her box with clumping litter on the floor. Have to move it when we shower, but works for us. We used to have two Siamese before we had a MH so cant give you any advice there, but I know they can be very demanding animals. Good Luck.

My previous cat years ago had no issues staying in the rv, but I'll be facing the same thing as you shortly when moving into this rv with my cat that has never been rv trained (and a dog).  Although this cat was previously harness/leash trained when he was younger in order to safely stay outside with me poolside at my house.  So he'll get a refresher course with that and stay on lead with a harness if need be, or when I'm gone for a bit, safely in the front bedroom/bathroom area with the door closed.  The box will be in the bathroom.

You could try the old standards of trimming/capping her nails, putting double sided tape on the areas you want her to avoid, or covering the screen in areas with materials they don't care to touch or can't get a grip on.  The ol' shaking pennies in a can when they touch an area you don't want them to can effectively train them to avoid it, or using a squirt bottle.

My greatest concern is always that they might bolt out the door and become lost, so a harness/lead indoors or outdoors when I'm there is standard, and safely closed in a room when I'm not.  A friend once stopped in to borrow something when I was gone and left the front door ajar...and a different precious cat got out and was lost. 

Carrying a crate is a good idea since you never know when you might need it.  Like others, the clumping litter is standard for us and just scooped each day.  My dog is old and likes to spend most of her time sleeping in her crate.  The pet supplies take up a lot of floor space but I can't imagine not having them with me. 





 

Taz travels with us everywhere we go, and so does our dog Jake.

We have a scratching pad for her and she uses it, seldom scratches furniture but will use a chair to stretch. The litter box fits nicely under the dressing table in the bath area. Taz will go outside on her own but only when we are outside, the first noise and she runs back in. To allow her access and keep the ac inside, we installed plexiglass over the screens in the door and installed her a cat door in the screen, if we want to allow her out, we just open the main door.

When we start a trip, she will get under the covers on the bed but as soon as we are a few miles down the road, she comes back up front.

This cat will also go walking with me and Jake, but always turns back after no more than 50 feet.

Our cat has spent her entire life (seven years) in our motor home.
We started out leash training her and tethering her outside which she enjoyed, but we found that after a few outside sessions she would bolt for the door and try to get out. We stopped taking her outside and that behavior stopped.

She doesn't scratch the screen but one of our dogs did. I bought a piece of decorative pierced aluminum sheet at a hardware store and put that over the lower screen. I used four screws to hold it in place but I bet some Velcro would also work.

We have a covered litter box that sits in the hall when we are stopped and in front of a bedroom closet while we are moving.
Other folks have made cat doors to basement compartments and keep the litter box there. One I saw had a door under the table in the dinette front and then an opening to the compartment below.

I bought my RV in December last year and it took me two months to find a cat. I got a 6 week old kitten that had been abandoned. I live full time in my RV and so does Tarzan. He is the best traveling cat in the world. Doesn't matter to him if we are driving or parked, he is just the same. Since I don't have a toad he goes everywhere I go. I have a large enclosed litter box and like everyone else, I use clumping litter, scoop it daily and put in a baggie, zip it up and put it in the trash. There is never a problem with aroma coming from the litter box. I keep it right in the living room under the table. It is right at my feet and never a problem. I completely change the litter once a week.

I have not taken the cat outside yet, he is very content living his whole life in the RV. That is the beauty of cats in a motorhome, they do very well in a small space. I will get him a harness as soon as he is adult size and I will take him outside the motorhome when I sit outside. But he will never be unattended outside. Coyotes, owls, hawks, bobcats and many other predators would consider Tarzan a nice snack.

As far as the screen issue goes, I would think a squirt gun, applied properly, would discourage the cat from attacking your screens.

We've just started RVing but have taken our two cats with us on both trips.  With only two trips, Basil (my avatar) is a pro.  He's 11 years old, sits on the back seat of the truck and watches traffic or just lays and seems to enjoy the ride; claims the couch in the TT and takes the night watch as most cats do.  Willow is another story.  She stays underneath the seat until we get where we're going, then when moved to the TT stays hidden by the bed for the first two days.  Litter box is in the bedroom, no problem there.  Basil use to scratch furniture at home, but I solved that by putting double-sided tape on the items he wanted to scratch.  After a few times of trying that, he stopped; haven't had a problem since (and the double sided tape has long been removed).  Basil also has his own custom made scratch post, a 4x4 mounted to a plywood stand all covered with carpet. 

thanks everyone you have given me the courage to give it a try at least, really liked the idea of the litter box in the bath tub and the plixiglass for the screen and i will try a scratching post and the water bottle until he gets the idea, he learns fast, i just cant bring myself to have him de clawed...my neice had her cat done and it was in so much pain, well i just cant put him through that. thanks and i will let you know how we make out with the training

campfiregirl said:

thanks everyone you have given me the courage to give it a try at least, really liked the idea of the litter box in the bath tub and the plixiglass for the screen and i will try a scratching post and the water bottle until he gets the idea, he learns fast, i just cant bring myself to have him de clawed...my neice had her cat done and it was in so much pain, well i just cant put him through that. thanks and i will let you know how we make out with the training

Click to expand...

With you on the NO to de-clawing ... to me, it's like having the end of your fingers cut off.  I have seen cats who don't seem to mind, but not for my guys.  We always take our cats camping and they both love it.  From kittens they have been in harness and drag a long thin tie down cable behind em.  We have found it pointless to actually attach the other end to anything as a cat will somehow know to turn around, hunch up their not connected shoulder blades and just back out of the entire harness. :

Our guy loves to be outside and with the lead trailing him .. we can get him if he tries to wander off or hide under a nearby bush. He loves our lawn chairs!.  For trips or walks we got this kitty stroller  that is safe to put him in while we eat, get distracted or want to take a walk.  He LOVES to be pushed around and feels safe in that stroller even if a dog (God forbid) enters "HIS" territory.

Here  you can see the cat, harness, lead and stroller all in one shot!

To get the cat used to the TT .. we have been spending a few hours driveway camping, watching TV, eating dinner and just hanging out while he gets used to being in his new house.  We also put the litter tray in the bathtub (make sure you got the drain plugged) .. and we just close the curtains over the windows he can reach.  The curtains have a small piece of velcro on the corners to hold it to the wall.  He has yet to slide under the curtain .. but it's never safe to trust that cat brain. ...  ;D

Screens are fairly easily replaced. Even in an RV.  You can replace them with stronger materials by the way... That really about covers it.. I have made a few modifications. like putting up a rope wrapped borad over the window trim my female likes to sharpen her claws on.. She did not like it, but she is adapting.

I also modified the entry screen door so she can not open it.

We have a Saimese neutered male and have found the secret to preventing clawing the furnture is a combination of a scratching post and discipline when he trys to use furniture.  It works for us and this cat.  We have a screen protector over the lower half of the door, came stock, and this prevents him from clawing the screen.  I don't think he would unless there was a bug or something on the other side.

We have a harness and take him for walks and/or tie him up outside when we are out or the door can be left open.  He is very good about escaping, he does from time to time but it is usually when he has not been outside for a few days so we try to accommodate with outside time.  He is free to roam when we are home and usually stays within an eighth of a mile of the house.  We are in a tract of 1 acre homes so he is usually insight of the house of at least in calling distance.  he almost always comes when called - if he wants to. 

pigman said:

this kitty stroller

Click to expand...

That's very cool! 

Gives me an idea...think I'll have the guys at the shop retro one of my cats big crates with a folding, removable wheel base...monster out a crate...they should enjoy that one, lol. 

DesertDew said:

That's very cool! 

Gives me an idea...think I'll have the guys at the shop retro one of my cats big crates with a folding, removable wheel base...monster out a crate...they should enjoy that one, lol.

Click to expand...

This stroller is very nice ... it is kept on its base with a pair of bungee straps, so you can use it as a cat carrier, OR roll it around.  Often when we want to eat and not worry about our cat, we just put the carrier bit on the picnic table and put kitty in there.  I have an old puffy sleeveless jacket that he lays on and he is quite content to just watch and smell...

We take our cat, Princess, an 11-year-old Tuxedo, with us everywhere in the motorhome.  The only time she used to really get scared was when I had to use the HWH control panels.  The reason she got scared was because the ignition switch had to be 'ON' to operate the HWH control panels and every alarm and buzzer in the system was making noise when I brought the jacks up or down and extended or retracted the slideout.  So, when we had the jacks repaired at the HWH plant in Moscow, IA a few years ago I asked the technicians there if they could change it so that the HWH control panels would work when the ignition switch was set to 'ACC'.  They made the change and now Princess sits right on the couch as the jacks come up or down and the slideout comes in or out and is no longer scared because there are no loud alarms sounding any more. 

There's not many things we won't do for our cats is there?  8)

rsalhus said:

There's not many things we won't do for our cats is there?  8)

Click to expand...

Nope ...  <------------ CLICK FOR CAT WORLD