RV cats

[treybabe]

I think that most cats love traveling in RV's. There are so many sites to observe and cats are great bird and other animal watchers (including people, of course). We take our cats with us SW every winter. They travel in our large van in comfort (after the first few minutes of howling and letting us know they do not like the disturbed routine). Each night they are eager to be put in our large travel trailer with us. They enjoy especially watching road runners. Billybob, our 4 year old Maine Coon Cat, is especially found of watching horses from the road or the comfort of the RV.

We see many RVer's with pets on their journey's. Recently visited with a couple who travel with dog and cat and all enjoy it. Does your cat like to travel? What happens when you travel? Any embarrassing stories to tell? What are some safety precautions you use while traveling with your pets?

[pickles]

i have a maine coon called mystery p. body..he was flown to florida from ohio by mistake. my father is a vet there & 5 yrs ago i had to give up my little loved one. 1 yr later after dad found her a home the lady who took her brought her back & said she just wouldn't adapt. so dad called me and i said send her down...well upon return to me was this beautiful adorable cat...not mine she had taken the wrong one back...he is so loving & sweet, laid back & dearly loves to take rides. but not in a carrier he likes to ride around & look out the window & lay on the seat. i keep the windows rolled up, & has never once tryed to escape...he loves it. he doesn't mine going to the vets, he just sits there as to say ok i'm here now lets get this over with so i can go home.

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pickles

[HelenW]

Sadie absolutely HATES travelling. She shows her complete disgust at being taken in the car by, (sorry about this!), using her basket as a litter tray. She has a comfortable basket, we only ever go on very short journeys, to the vet, or to the cattery, and of course, she doesn't like going to either of these. She used to go to my mother's house and she loved going there - at that time she had never been in a cattery - but she still "pooped" in the car. I've tried covering her basket so that she can't see out, sitting with her in the back seat and talking to her and stroking her through the door, having the radio on, and nothing seems to work. I've never tried letting her travel in the car without the basket, as I don't think this would be very safe - I'm sure she would just go berserk! And I certainly wouldn't carry her on my knee if I was a passenger - my knees might become the litter tray. Anyone else had this pleasant problem ?

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Helen

[treybabe]

Helen, well, there have been times like when we flew down from Alaska and Trey had to stay in the carrier all of that time. I went to pick her up at the baggage check in Seattle. The agent said "Lady, is that your cat--get her out of here." Obviously the oder was really bad. I had to clean her up also. Picked her up for a minute and got it all over my leather jacket (fortunately it washed off). We then got a rental car and suffered the smell until we could get to a service station and completely fumagate the carrier and her!! After seven years she is fine with traveling now especially when we stop at night. We let her out in the van and have a litter box in there. No more air plane trips for her.



[This message has been edited by treybabe (edited August 29, 2000).]

[lhg0962]

Well, my reply to this question is very sad. Many years ago, I felt sorry for my precious "Shrimp Boat" (found her at a seafood market) and decided to take her along on a camping trip. She was definitely an indoor cat, but loved to lie in our open windows and look around, so I felt she would be very happy in the camper with all the screens there to look out of. BAD decision! We arrived at night to camp in the state park. We put her in the camper and were bringing in other supplies and she ran out the door. I called, looked, put up signs and even slept outside in a lounge chair, hoping she would come back. We never saw her again.
I had so much guilt leaving her at home everytime we went camping, but it certainly would have been better than the eventual outcome. All I could do was hope that someone found her and took her home with them. She was a beautiful girl, but didn't love most people besides me. It was a long time ago (1989)and I got Mimi about two weeks later and she is still with me, but I have never gotten over losing Shrimp Boat. We had her for 6 years before this happened. BE CAREFUL with those babies!

[treybabe]

Thanks. We will be careful. Shrimp Boat is such a nice name for a special friend like your pet was to you. We lost our cat Popi years ago. We lived out in the country years ago and after twelve years one day she didn't
come home. Usually after a week or so she would wander in from hunting game in the woods, but not this time. I loved that cat.

Originally posted by lhg0962:
Well, my reply to this question is very sad. Many years ago, I felt sorry for my precious "Shrimp Boat" (found her at a seafood market) and decided to take her along on a camping trip. She was definitely an indoor cat, but loved to lie in our open windows and look around, so I felt she would be very happy in the camper with all the screens there to look out of. BAD decision! We arrived at night to camp in the state park. We put her in the camper and were bringing in other supplies and she ran out the door. I called, looked, put up signs and even slept outside in a lounge chair, hoping she would come back. We never saw her again.
I had so much guilt leaving her at home everytime we went camping, but it certainly would have been better than the eventual outcome. All I could do was hope that someone found her and took her home with them. She was a beautiful girl, but didn't love most people besides me. It was a long time ago (1989)and I got Mimi about two weeks later and she is still with me, but I have never gotten over losing Shrimp Boat. We had her for 6 years before this happened. BE CAREFUL with those babies!