Traveling with a cat

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Dallas Baillio
Posts: 1181
Joined: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:52 pm

Traveling with a cat

Post by Dallas Baillio »

I have travelled extensively with my dog Maya, seen at left. Just the two of us in a ten month trip to 49 states and into Canada going as far north as Yellowknife, NWT. I have never travelled with a cat and there is one major bit of information I really need to know. When opening doors to the outside how can I be assured my cat, Tillie, won’t leap out? I want to give her the freedom to move around when we are moving if possible. Those of you with experience please make suggestions.
Dallas Baillio
2001 26RSB
Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club Member
thestoloffs
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:04 am

Re: Traveling with a cat

Post by thestoloffs »

It depends on the cat and its normal behavior at home.

Foreign scents and noises might attract more daring cats to investigate, while more timid felines might stay close to your vehicle or campsite. One time, when I failed to completely close the electric rear doors (for DW's wheelchair lift), one of our two fur children ran throughout the shrubbery in four blocks of San Jose haciendas -- while her brother curled up underneath the coach and even loudly announced, on our return, that he was the "good cat" and his sister was the "bad cat". It took us 3 hours and ten neighbors to finely comb the neighborhood, only to find that she'd already returned and was waiting for her dinner! Try to keep some familiar scents and images around your campsite, so they can find their way home.

It's a good idea to reserve a space where your cat can sleep in relative stability and quiet while driving. One of ours always slept on the mattress space on the jackknife sofa leftover behind the backrest. The other would alternate between my lap behind the steering wheel and my wife's scooter's seat; she'd also find room on the driver's door armrest every time I lowered the window!

Also, get a litter box with either raised sides or an enclosed cover; else, the litter will easily go airborne.

Without fail, your cats should be vaccinated, tagged on their collars (if they tolerate such), and microchipped with registry in one of the national registries (e.g., HomeAgain)

No matter what, remember that fur babies ARE members of your family! Would you leave them home while you're gallivanting?
Marilynn & Gerry Stoloff
Coconut Creek, FL
Former owner of 26' Mobility
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Dallas Baillio
Posts: 1181
Joined: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:52 pm

Re: Traveling with a cat

Post by Dallas Baillio »

She is ready for travel. Spayed, microchipped, and has a collar with her name and our cell phone number on it. For her health and safety she is strictly an inside cat. As opposed to my dog, she is fast and agile. That is the reason I am looking for ways to restrain her when I exit and enter my BF.
Dallas Baillio
2001 26RSB
Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club Member
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shilohdad
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:58 am

Re: Traveling with a cat

Post by shilohdad »

Dallas, we don’t travel with a cat, but with 3 small, active dogs. If we need to restrain them, we either crate them or attach their collars to a tether wrapped around one of the seat-belt bases on the floor. Yes, in your case you would have to remember to do this anytime you want to leave the RV, and she would not have freedom to move around while you are gone. That is one of the problems of traveling with a pet like that. A fairly long tether would give her some freedom, but also can lead to her getting wrapped around things. Crating is safer, but confines her. No perfect solutions.

Another possibility, which is what we have actually done with our dogs, is to train your cat to a sit/stay. Give the command when opening a door. Our boys now, for the most part, won’t go through an open door until they sit and we give them the OK. Yes, cats can be trained, but it takes work. We actually visited with someone who trained her cat to do all sorts of things. The darned thing was trained to go get a tissue when someone sneezed!
Joe and Lucinda
Tonto, Meadow and Shadow, the papillons
Shiloh and Morpho at Rainbow Bridge
2017 Spirit
Formerly 2006 24RB
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stevek
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Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:33 pm

Re: Traveling with a cat

Post by stevek »

I once saw a trailer in a RV park. They had a fold up wire dog pen w/ a "roof" next to trailer and a way for the cat to get inside, directly from the inside of the trailer.

Also stayed in a Motel one time in SF. The neighbor had a cat on a leash. Just like you would walk a Dog, she would walk her Cat down the hallway. Outside to do potty too. :D
Steve
2011 Born Free 22 foot RSK, rear side (corner) kitchen, E350, 29k miles.
Our first motorhome. Lots to learn. Thanks.
CA/OR border
Gigi
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2017 4:58 am

Re: Traveling with a cat

Post by Gigi »

I used white plastic lattice to separate the driver/passenger area from the RV living area. I had a 4' x 8' piece cut in half and the 2 pieces overlapped so I could pull them apart to go through them whenever I needed to get into the back area or back up to the drivers seat. I NEVER used the door in the living area of the RV. I only came in and left through the drivers door.

Cats are FAST and difficult to retrieve once they get out... Years ago I had a cat who got out and was hit by a car and I just can't go through that again :(
thestoloffs
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:04 am

Re: Traveling with a cat

Post by thestoloffs »

A warning note: Cats are ingenious & sneaky. :wink:

Because we had a wheelchair lift in our Mobility unit, we had to leave the rear doors open while the lift was operating. Well, smarty-pants us & the Humboldt team designed the side bathroom door to be a few inches wider, so that we could lock the door open at 90 degrees angle and totally block the hallway path -- thus giving DW an "airlock" to go out/in on the lift. But, we kept the door normal height, for clearance on the A/C.

First time we left them alone in the coach, we left the bathroom door closed so that we could reenter safely ... or so we thought! :lol:

When we returned, there were two very smug cats sitting on the folded lift sections, directly even with the rear door windows, saying "Welcome home, Mommy & Daddy, look what we did!"

Apparently, our little gymnasts had hopped from the couch armrest to the driver's side kitchen counter, then vaulted up to briefly balance on the door top edge, before finishing on the floor with a 1 1/2 gainer from the pike position! :shock:

So, when we finished that shakedown trip, we went back to Humboldt and had our team cut another flap for that door, reaching to the ceiling and completing our airlock seal.

Remember, whatever precautions you take -- even if they seem foolproof, be prepared for surprises!
Marilynn & Gerry Stoloff
Coconut Creek, FL
Former owner of 26' Mobility
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