Anyone travel with a cat???

[DXSMac]

I travel with a cat. I started RV'ing in 2004. First trip with cat was traumatic for the cat. Kitty, who normally HATES being held and petted (but he has other good qualities...) wanted to be in my lap while I was driving. He meowed and meowed! I kept pushing him away because I was driving on a winding road through mountains! I think kitty felt I was going to get rid of him! I finally explained to him that this was about having him WITH me. He was fine after that.

He does fine once we arrive at a destination. But he has troubles travelling. If we stay on freeway, he's fine. If we are on a twisty winding road, kitty has problems: The three P's: Poo, Piddle, Puke. I'm not sure how to deal with this, other than to just keep him in a crate and wash the "three P's" out of the crate out when we get there.

My cat LOVES the State Parks! If we are at a state park, he has to look out the window all freaking night at who knows what, even in the winter! (Which means I lose heat through the windows when I have the shades open.....) The back window is at the perfect height, I have a cat tree that I bought, the top perch fits right at the window. The "condo" at the bottom of the tree is perfect, the bed in my slide out just slides right over the "condo" and holds the cat tree in place while I'm driving.

Usually on the day we "roll" I don't feed kitty. But he still has problems if the road is winding. So, I stick to freeways most of the time.

Kitty also loves the furnace. When it's on, he goes right near a furnace outlet and gets his fur all warm.

Any other cats?

JJ

[welshman599]

I'm sure that other cat owners will chime in, and I'm SURE not a cat owner. You choose the road to travel based on kitty's preferences? I thought that's what wives are for. heehee

[Radio]

Well, I'm kind of a dog guy myself, since my wifer has become allergic to cats. But my point is, the vet has something like Dramamine (sp?) for dogs to prevent motion sickness. There should be an equivilent for cats.

Also, can the cat see out of the crate to the world going by? I get car sick riding if I cant see outside the vehicle, maybe the cat is the same way??

Radio

[MRimmer]

BIL and SIL take there cat every trip. They keep "Diva" crated until they stop. She rides in the back seat crated and after the first trip she loves to go now. She cant see out when the vehicle is moving.


Mike

[milzat]

Please don't laugh. No pun intended.

You may want to have Kitty visit a Animal Psychologist.

True story. I swear.
I have a buddy, who had a problem with his Squirrel dog. When the dog would tree a Squirrel, he'd quietly whimper and whine. This was a big problem. As you may know, when a well trained dog trees a Squirrel, he's supposed to repeatedly bark. This repeated barking is a sign the dog has done his job. The owner follows the sound of the barking dog and when he arrives at the dog's location, precedes to (in a better word) take the Squirrel.
Well, since the dog wouldn't bark, the owner had problems locating the dog, and eventually the Squirrel.
This is a bigger problem for Squirrel dogs that don't bark, because they usually don't live long(if you know what I mean).

So, he had the dog visit a Animal Psychologist.

Well, after three months of in-house sessions(yes, the patient stayed at the Psychologist home because he said this was a very unusual case), the dog was cured and I am told by my buddy that this is the best Squirrel dog he's every owned.

I swear.

[DXSMac]

Originally Posted by welshman599

I'm sure that other cat owners will chime in, and I'm SURE not a cat owner. You choose the road to travel based on kitty's preferences? I thought that's what wives are for. heehee

In my case, it would be.... "that's what HUSBANDS are for...." but I don't have one, thank god! If I had a husband, he would take over the RV and I wouldn't get to learn anything!

But travelling with kitty is pretty challenging!

JJ

[DXSMac]

Originally Posted by Radio

Well, I'm kind of a dog guy myself, since my wifer has become allergic to cats. But my point is, the vet has something like Dramamine (sp?) for dogs to prevent motion sickness. There should be an equivilent for cats.

Also, can the cat see out of the crate to the world going by? I get car sick riding if I cant see outside the vehicle, maybe the cat is the same way??

Radio

I thought of that, and tried putting the crate up in the front seat with a window view, still problems. For awhile, I had kitty ride in the crate in the back bed, but he meowed and meowed. So now I have him ride in the crate in the seat of the dinette, he can look at me in the driver's seat while we are travelling. It has helped a little, but we still occasionally have the Three P problem.

JJ

[DXSMac]

Well, the first trip, he wasn't crated, I just wanted him to run around the RV and get used to it, yes, I know, that was irresponsible..... He now rides crated.

Vet thinks kitty just gets stressed. Well, could be kitty is feeling my stress. Before I start out on an RV trip, I have this "panic attack" (what if this, what if that..... PANIC!!!!), but once I am driving, I am fine! I think I panic because the RV, to me, is HUGE (ok, it's only 30 feet, but HUGE to me!!). I keep trying to remind myself that I drove grain trucks during wheat harvest (grew up on farm) when I was in high school, the RV is no different!

Perhaps kitty feels my stress.... but it usually goes away once I'm driving.

JJ

[welshman599]

Originally Posted by DXSMac

In my case, it would be.... "that's what HUSBANDS are for...." but I don't have one, thank god! If I had a husband, he would take over the RV and I wouldn't get to learn anything!

But travelling with kitty is pretty challenging!

JJ

Well now, don't I feel like an idiot. Sorry about that DXS, I just assumed... oops my foot is heading for my mouth again!

[NDJollyMon]

Cats taste just like chicken when you stir fry them.

Just kidding. I have two cats, but never have taken them camping. They also freak out when they get in the car. Prolly cause the only time they go anywhere...is to the Vet. (and they hate that!)

My cats are too old to change their ways. One has just been diagnosed with cancer...the other is a loner. I take the dog camping. She is still getting used to travel as well. (big whiner) Oh well, guess it's my fault for not taking them driving much.