Questions about fulltiming with cats

sierrasue said:

My last travelling cat would go outside when we parked for a few days at a safe location. He never took to a leash but would stay close to MH.

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Some allow their cat/s to roam around once parked - but I never felt that was a good idea. Not safe for the cat and not appreciated by most neighbors. I did walk my cat on a leash.

I found a figure 8 halter that worked well - easy on and off. I began putting it on inside while he was in the low side if his activity cycle and ready for or coming out of a nap. Then would leave it on for a few hours, take it off, then put it back on again later. After that, took him outside. There is nothing quite like the experience of taking a cat outside for the first time in their life!! Their exploration of smells and things they have never experienced before is sure fun to watch.

Initially, I just follow the cat until they get used to being connected. My one cat though had a "one direction" attitude. Back tracking was not for him. So most of the time however far we walked I would have to pick him up and carry him back part way. They begin tracking and don't like to be taken off course. 

Let your cats visit in the coach before you go driving. A few visits where they can sniff around and check the entire place out. I would also place their food and litter box inside during the visits.

Then when you finally toss them in to drive  away, they will only have to deal with the motion, but already be used to the rig.

My friend's cat would always "visit" in my RV when I parked in his driveway. He had checked out the entire RV over several visits. So one day when we went on a trip together, we found out his usually cat boarding place had closed for the afternoon, so we loaded up his cat too to travel with us. Since he was already used to the RV from his visits,  he adapted quickly. He did NOT like being in his carrier, so we tied the door open, so he could have his choice. He eventually climbed out, then found he loved riding on the bunk over the cab while riding. Once we parked, he was all over the RV and content.

As for having work done on RV while living in it, I make it clear up front that I need an appointment when they plan to start work, as me and my pet are arriving with the RV and will be with it while they work on it. Most repair men had no problem with this, and the ones that ordered me to drop it off and they would get to it one of these days... well I cancelled my appointment and found more reasonable repair folks.

DearMissMermaid said:

Let your cats visit in the coach before you go driving. A few visits where they can sniff around and check the entire place out. I would also place their food and litter box inside during the visits.

Then when you finally toss them in to drive  away, they will only have to deal with the motion, but already be used to the rig.

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Good advice - and exactly how I've always gotten a non-RVing kitten or cat used to my rig. The only thing I would add is that after my cat has lived in the non moving non motor running RV for a day or so with his food, water, and litter box I take him out when ready to start the engine the first time. Then after it is idling quietly I slip the cat back in - so he does not hear the engine starting. Also, a wait a bit for him to become occupied with whatever he is into at time, then ease into gear and slowly begin a 2mph jaunt for about half a block and slowly increase the speed. Usually, this trip ends at full speed on the closest freeway.

This is the extreme and not necessary for some cats at all. My Russian Blue, Nickolai, had no fears of man, beast, or RV's -- whereas I found Persians a bit more timid. Before RVing I only owned patio cats. One was a young stray that I rescued while living in an apartment in Sacramento.  She was pregnant at less than a year and had one live and one still born on my patio in a towel lined cardboard box I provided. Not wanting that to happen again I decided to take her to a Vet.

Anyway, this was the 1st time I had ever attempted taking a cat for a ride - and was driving a semi converted van at the time. Everything was fine until I started the engine. I didn't have a carrier nor realized that I needed one. Have you ever seen one of those motorcycle things where they drive up and down the inside of a silo kinda thing? This cat went ballistic and was screaming and yelling while wiping out all the coverings on my windows en route around the walls of my van. Needless to say I have never since started an engine with a new to RV's or autos cat - unless they are in a proper carrier. I keep one in my RV as part of my rescue kit. I like the ones that open from the top as it can be a bear stuffing an unhappy cat through a carrier front door. 

Our cat, Princess, has snowbirded with us for 7 years now.  She didn't panic so much at first when the diesel pusher was started, but she always went nuts when we had to put the jacks up or down and/or the slide in or out.  The reason was that whenever the jacks or the slide was to be moved, I had to turn the ignition key to 'ON' so I could activate the HWH control panel.  This would turn on all of the loud engine alarms and warning sounds for the entire time that the control panel was on.  Princess hated those loud noises and would always run and hide.  So when I had some work done on one of the jacks at HWH in Moscow, IA one year, I told the mechanic I wanted it changed so that I could turn the key to 'ACC' instead of 'ON' whenever I wanted to activate the HWH control panel.  He did, and now there are no more engine alarms or warning sounds going off when I switch the ignition key to 'ACC'.  That was the end of that problem.

As for letting our cat outside of the motorhome, we never do except when we let her sit on a table outside for a few minutes while we're watching her.  We use a pet carrier to transport her in and out, and sometimes she prefers to stay in her carrier while outside.  She's declawed in front so she would have trouble defending herself if let loose outside.  Here's a picture of her outside by her pet carrier:

Cute kitty Rolf  ;D

Yes, I plan to let kitties be in RV a lot before we actually take off on a trip of any sort. Let them feal like it is homey to them.  Maybe we will even sleep in it in the driveway a couple times.

Our current kitty, relaxing between drives. Looks like she might be related to Rolf's!

Gary, yeah they do have similar markings.  Princess isn't a kitty any more though, she's 14.  Here's another picture showing her in one of her playful moods:

Both are adorable!! Love the Black and white cats.

I bought our motorhome for my cat, LOL!

First trips were last year and she did surprisingly well! Wasn't a huge fan of actual travel mode, but once we were parked absolutely loved the huge front window (and all the attention she got from passers by looking so cute sitting there, LOL!).

I am planning to get another kitty cat sometime in the future. I was looking at these collapsible outdoor kitty tunnel runs.  They store easily, then pop open to give your kitty some outdoor time if you are desire that for them.

kitty tunnel
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FOOO9Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000FOOO9Y&linkCode=as2&tag=recreationalvehicles-20

Kitty Walk
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002ZAG52/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0002ZAG52&linkCode=as2&tag=recreationalvehicles-20

I was also looking at some outdoor kitty tents not long ago. Great idea !!

Sue,

One of the things to consider about outside enclosures is that we have been in a number of parks that don't allow them. We have heard a number of "reasons" including killing the grass (they had to have some to start with), no unattended animals allowed, etc.

Certainly, there will be as many who don't care as the number who do, and since they are so compact and storeable it's probably no big deal.

One of our considerations, however, is safety, since we have seen any number of dogs loose, or get loose from folks and cats in an enclosure where they cannot naturally bolt to safety could be traumatic for all.

We had our 20# cat on a leash outside, tied to a chair, with me standing there, and a dog barked, sending the cat and the chair under the coach. He snapped the D-ring holding the chair when it slammed into the coach and we found him five coaches down about to climb up into the underbelly of a large coach. The best laid plans....

Being outside with them and observant would be very key.

Since we lost our kitty, my wife has been feeding a couple of ferrel [sp?] cats and and six weeks ago, i found these little ones in my a shed that does not get any winter use,.......i named them Irene, Ilene, Camo, and Boots 

i found a rescue source that works with Petsmart, so they are now safe and waiting for adoption..............now we have to try to trap mom to get her in to be neutered....

this seemed appropriate for this thread?? ;D

Yes, the kitty tent would only be used periodically for all the reasons you stated. But,at times I think it would be a good idea.

Don, that is great that you and your wife are helping out the feral cats!!!

This is the way to full-time with cats! Sorry about the short ad at the beginning of the clip.

R

Well, that is pretty cool !!! But, I will never be able to afford anything like that! Nice the way it is set up ! Beautiful ! and I bet the kittys aprove .

How do you folks handle the litter box.  Where do you keep it?  Do you all use a closed top?

jlazar said:

How do you folks handle the litter box.  Where do you keep it?  Do you all use a closed top?

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I am a full timer living by myself in a 32 foot class A that is owned by three cats. I have two litter boxes that are sold with a closed top, but I threw the tops away, since they are not needed. I have both my litter boxes in the shower. My shower doesn't have a glass door, it has a shower curtain which makes it easy for the cats to enter and exit the shower. The litter boxes are the ones with the built in sifter. So every morning I sift both boxes and toss out the poop. It takes under one minute to clean the boxes and I never have any odor.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DK60E/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have asked a number of different visitors to my RV if they could smell any odor at all from the cats and everyone agrees there is no odor. If there was an odor there would have been no cats. The first cat I got was on a money back guarantee. If there would have been an odor problem I would have returned the cat and got my money back. Fortunately there is no problem with odors.

We just use a Rubbermaid plastic container. Our cat is a vigorous coverer in the litter box, so we needed higher sides than the usual litter pan. A covered box would be inconveniently tall for the location we use (beside the bed). Also, a previous cat refused to use a covered box, so we are skeptics.  Haven't tried the current furry child on one, though.

Where to put it depends on the layout of your rig and your personal preferences. In one rig I was able to install a hatchway into an adjacent compartment, which was ideal. In others we have placed the box in the shower, and in another at the end of  row of cabinets. Whatever works...

Bob Buchanan said:

  Some cats cannot take higher temps and/or humidity - especially long hairs, or, in my case, a Persian. Their nose is pushed into their face so are not able to intake air as readily as other cats. I discovered this one hot summer when my cat started panting heavily and his tongue began to turn color. Have had 2 vets verify to me that "any" cat in temps well over 100 degrees run the risk of heat stroke.

In the Sacramento area I have rarely experienced a summer without spells of 105 to 110 and higher outside temps. Last year when I arrived in Laughlin the outside temp was 112 - and it took a lot of time for the A/C to even get it down to 100. If the air would go out, I don't care what the breed, inside temps well over 110 would be bad news for a cat.

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hmmmm not sure about cats not liking ac??? I agree with ya Bob.. My 2 cats love the fan they do get hot... and they will find a cool place when they get hot.. in front of the fan.