RVing with Cats Can Be Fun!
03-21-2018
Author: in Education
Over the years, I have travelled with a number of cats in a variety of recreational vehicles, including a 1964 International Bus RV conversion, a Terry fifth-wheel, a 28-foot Terry travel trailer, plus smaller travel trailers, a 18-foot Argosy travel trailer and Dolphin motorhome, all with cats. It isn't difficult if you make sure that your cat (or cats) become acclimated to your particular RV. There are many people today, traveling with their cats and some of them are happy enough to share their experiences (and those of their cat/cats) with others via their websites on the Internet and/or their YouTube “channels.”
The next thing, if your cat/s aren't vetted: up to date on their shots (and certainly their rabies) and have a certificate of health from your veterinarian, you need to have this done. My suggestion, too, would be to make sure your cats are neutered, so you don't have to go through all the angst of bouts of heat for a female, or that of the severe frustration of unfixed males. Spaying and neutering cats is very necessary and makes your life, and especially, theirs, so much easier. Just be sure to always have you cats' medical records on hand, especially if you are considering crossing international borders. Canada, in particularly, is tough on pets without proper health certification papers. Mexico is a bit less lenient, but you can never tell when you might encounter an aduana who is following the rules.
After getting the cat/s well acquainted with their harnesses and leashes, as well as very familiar with their carriers, it is good to take your cat/s for walks outdoors. Long-time indoor cats are going to be very cautious about the great outdoors, no matter how often they've sat at a window and looked outside so pensively. I have three cats who are inside cats and one semi-feral female that I have adopted, whom I still allow in/out while at home (not on wheels). Eventually, except for outside forays on harness and lead, she will become an inside cat. There is just too much outside that is harmful to any cat. Please be very careful about allowing any cat outside and never, never, let them out to run about freely, no matter where you are. Some people will stake their cats' leads to a secure post, but I would never do this without spending every outside minute with them.
For my cats' use outside, I have a wonderful pet Happy Habitat, made by Aussie Naturals (registered trademark), a netlike “tent” affair with a great floor space. It has an amazing, easy-open/easy-close and takes only seconds to set or take down. I found it through PetSmart. Only one problem, in any wind outside, it may be necessary to peg the Happy Habitat down with tent stakes. It provides 30-sq.ft of floor space. Another neat innovation for carrying pets, especially if you are limited on truck space as I am with a King Cab pickup, is the new PetTube, which comes in both small and large sizes. It is a netlike expandable “tube” with access at either end that stretches across the rear seats of a truck or car, easily carrying three cats or one large dog. I have found my individual cat carriers take up all the room in back of my pickup truck's front seats. While a fourth carrier has to take up the front passenger seat.
While I now have four cats, I managed to live in my Argosy (made by Airliner) with seven: mine. and my son's, back in the 1980's, during earthquake uneasy Southern California. The two biggest concerns with living in any vehicle, whether it is a small travel trailer or big Class C are security and temperature control. Cats need to be trained in access (door/s) avoidance. The best deterrent for any cat is a spray bottle of just plain water. Most cats hate water in any form and the spray bottle, once a cat has been caught by a shot of water, is an excellent deterrent. All I have to do is show it to a cat and they immediately stop doing what they are doing and get away from the sight of my green bottle. Thus, my cats learn, from an early age, that any open door and any window without a screen is there, but not to be trespassed. Once acclimated to your RV, most cats won't want to go outside, anyway.
Temperature is another thing entirely. Since any RV is smaller and interior temperatures rise and plunge much faster than those in a house with much larger volume, it is very necessary to make sure your pet is comfortable in the RV, no matter what kind of weather is outside. A thermometer is a definite necessity. And a temperature tracking thermometer is most helpful. It takes only a few moments in the hot summer sun for any RV' interior temps to reach unacceptable degrees. The same holds true in winter. Today, we are fortunate in the increasing numbers of digital readouts available, but first and foremost is the absolute need to make sure a RV interior temperature is always acceptable. Remember, cats (and dogs) wear furry coats. They heat up much more swiftly than human's with our bare skin. In summer, especially in very hot regional areas, like the Southwest desert, you must find shade if you park and aim to be away from your RV any length of time. Today's solar panels are a blessing, but never trust that your cat/s will remain comfortable enough: summer or winter. Take precautions!
The next acclimation for your cat/s is their introduction to your RV; after, of course,you have “cat safed” your rig so that they can't sneak outside. I once had a large fifth-wheel, and a tuxedo cat with an absolute penchant for escapism. I had a cabinet that had an outdoor connection which I suddenly recalled after collection my Bear after three escape bouts when an exterior storage door had accidentally been left open. So make sure all those outside storage areas, that have interior access as well are never, ever open all at the same time! Otherwise, you will be chasing cats, as I once did.
One fellow on YouTube, Jerry, at I Love RV Life on YouTube Channel, shows how to use that fifth-wheel space my cat escaped from as a great location for the cat litter box. It can then be 'serviced' from the outside, making box cleaning easy and less smelly, (also holding litter box needs and cleaning aids), while blocking the cat from the cat box access in the storage area while you do so. I so wish I'd thought of that back when. It would have made life a lot easier. This might work with any travel trailer that has a storage area with an outside access door that also features access from inside the trailer. What a great idea Jerry!
Some other YouTube Channels with RV'ing with cat/s information include Nomadic Fanatic who travels with his cat, Jax, and YouTube's Hobotech and his cat, Odin. Other channels include RV'ing with Cats created by Cheri Ve and Chris Dumphy, who have great suggestions as they travel with their kitty, aboard an MCI bus and motorboat. There are also many, many other YouTube Channels with helpful hints on RV'ing with cat/s.
Meanwhile I'll keep traveling in my ALiner with my three, Piggy, a tortie female and two males, Casper and Shoupa with Patience, the new little, possibly 5-year-old female, a real sweety, who still needs to be thoroughly domesticated.
Related Read: RV Travel Cats: Vehicle Safety
Almost everyone, experienced in with traveling with cats, is happy to provide information on their experiences, and suggestions. Their first suggestion is sure to be to make sure your cat/s become familiar with collars and harnesses, along with having their own individual cat carrier, unless –of course – you have two cats who are great buddies who don't mind sharing their carrier.The next thing, if your cat/s aren't vetted: up to date on their shots (and certainly their rabies) and have a certificate of health from your veterinarian, you need to have this done. My suggestion, too, would be to make sure your cats are neutered, so you don't have to go through all the angst of bouts of heat for a female, or that of the severe frustration of unfixed males. Spaying and neutering cats is very necessary and makes your life, and especially, theirs, so much easier. Just be sure to always have you cats' medical records on hand, especially if you are considering crossing international borders. Canada, in particularly, is tough on pets without proper health certification papers. Mexico is a bit less lenient, but you can never tell when you might encounter an aduana who is following the rules.
Related Read: Finding a Vet Near Me on the Road
After getting the cat/s well acquainted with their harnesses and leashes, as well as very familiar with their carriers, it is good to take your cat/s for walks outdoors. Long-time indoor cats are going to be very cautious about the great outdoors, no matter how often they've sat at a window and looked outside so pensively. I have three cats who are inside cats and one semi-feral female that I have adopted, whom I still allow in/out while at home (not on wheels). Eventually, except for outside forays on harness and lead, she will become an inside cat. There is just too much outside that is harmful to any cat. Please be very careful about allowing any cat outside and never, never, let them out to run about freely, no matter where you are. Some people will stake their cats' leads to a secure post, but I would never do this without spending every outside minute with them.
For my cats' use outside, I have a wonderful pet Happy Habitat, made by Aussie Naturals (registered trademark), a netlike “tent” affair with a great floor space. It has an amazing, easy-open/easy-close and takes only seconds to set or take down. I found it through PetSmart. Only one problem, in any wind outside, it may be necessary to peg the Happy Habitat down with tent stakes. It provides 30-sq.ft of floor space. Another neat innovation for carrying pets, especially if you are limited on truck space as I am with a King Cab pickup, is the new PetTube, which comes in both small and large sizes. It is a netlike expandable “tube” with access at either end that stretches across the rear seats of a truck or car, easily carrying three cats or one large dog. I have found my individual cat carriers take up all the room in back of my pickup truck's front seats. While a fourth carrier has to take up the front passenger seat.
While I now have four cats, I managed to live in my Argosy (made by Airliner) with seven: mine. and my son's, back in the 1980's, during earthquake uneasy Southern California. The two biggest concerns with living in any vehicle, whether it is a small travel trailer or big Class C are security and temperature control. Cats need to be trained in access (door/s) avoidance. The best deterrent for any cat is a spray bottle of just plain water. Most cats hate water in any form and the spray bottle, once a cat has been caught by a shot of water, is an excellent deterrent. All I have to do is show it to a cat and they immediately stop doing what they are doing and get away from the sight of my green bottle. Thus, my cats learn, from an early age, that any open door and any window without a screen is there, but not to be trespassed. Once acclimated to your RV, most cats won't want to go outside, anyway.
Temperature is another thing entirely. Since any RV is smaller and interior temperatures rise and plunge much faster than those in a house with much larger volume, it is very necessary to make sure your pet is comfortable in the RV, no matter what kind of weather is outside. A thermometer is a definite necessity. And a temperature tracking thermometer is most helpful. It takes only a few moments in the hot summer sun for any RV' interior temps to reach unacceptable degrees. The same holds true in winter. Today, we are fortunate in the increasing numbers of digital readouts available, but first and foremost is the absolute need to make sure a RV interior temperature is always acceptable. Remember, cats (and dogs) wear furry coats. They heat up much more swiftly than human's with our bare skin. In summer, especially in very hot regional areas, like the Southwest desert, you must find shade if you park and aim to be away from your RV any length of time. Today's solar panels are a blessing, but never trust that your cat/s will remain comfortable enough: summer or winter. Take precautions!
Related Read: RV Travel: Helping Your Pets Acclimate to a New Climate
While I travel with multiple cats, I was amazed at one YouTube Channel creator's report of one lady who has converted her fifth-wheel to handle 11 cats! See YouTube Channel Sofuggit to see how that trailer has been turned into a cat haven. I would object to the flashing changing color of LED lights, but her cats can't express their discomfort, so who knows?The next acclimation for your cat/s is their introduction to your RV; after, of course,you have “cat safed” your rig so that they can't sneak outside. I once had a large fifth-wheel, and a tuxedo cat with an absolute penchant for escapism. I had a cabinet that had an outdoor connection which I suddenly recalled after collection my Bear after three escape bouts when an exterior storage door had accidentally been left open. So make sure all those outside storage areas, that have interior access as well are never, ever open all at the same time! Otherwise, you will be chasing cats, as I once did.
One fellow on YouTube, Jerry, at I Love RV Life on YouTube Channel, shows how to use that fifth-wheel space my cat escaped from as a great location for the cat litter box. It can then be 'serviced' from the outside, making box cleaning easy and less smelly, (also holding litter box needs and cleaning aids), while blocking the cat from the cat box access in the storage area while you do so. I so wish I'd thought of that back when. It would have made life a lot easier. This might work with any travel trailer that has a storage area with an outside access door that also features access from inside the trailer. What a great idea Jerry!
Some other YouTube Channels with RV'ing with cat/s information include Nomadic Fanatic who travels with his cat, Jax, and YouTube's Hobotech and his cat, Odin. Other channels include RV'ing with Cats created by Cheri Ve and Chris Dumphy, who have great suggestions as they travel with their kitty, aboard an MCI bus and motorboat. There are also many, many other YouTube Channels with helpful hints on RV'ing with cat/s.
Meanwhile I'll keep traveling in my ALiner with my three, Piggy, a tortie female and two males, Casper and Shoupa with Patience, the new little, possibly 5-year-old female, a real sweety, who still needs to be thoroughly domesticated.
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