Great RV toy for cats

[Wrenchtraveller]

We got our two indoor cats a neat idea that Costco just brought into our area. It is a tunnel that is about 3 feet long and 14" diameter.
With a couple little windows and two little cat nip mice hanging off the walls, the cats love it. It folds and buttons up to only 3" thick so you can store it very easily. It is made of metal hoops covered with cloth and crinkly sounding stuff. 24 bucks CAD. Bargain.
Entertaining to watch and gives our feline friends a lot of fun.
I'll post pics later.

Happy New Year to All.

[Ozz]

Sounds like fun for kitty. I bought a laser pen, they go crazy chasing the Red dot around.

[exav8tr]

Don, sounds like fun. I have a question for youif you don't mind. I have two indoor cats also and was thinking when we start travelling that they would stay in the monty while we were driving. They have never travelled before, except to the vet. What are your thoughts on this???

Thanks

My cats get in every bag or box I bring home. Everyplace is a new place to play.....

[Wrenchtraveller]

We always put ours in thier cages in the back seat of the truck. One time Daisy would not come down from the top of the cupboard when it was time to leave. Rather than get my hands shredded, we left her in the trailer. She looked pretty nervous when we stopped and seemed quite happy to ride in the truck after that.
We will put leashes on the cats and let them sit out under the awning with us and they seem pretty relaxed when they are close to the Fifth wheel. Years ago my Daughter and I were walkng Daisy to the playground and you could see she was getting nervous as we got further away from the trailer. Then she spazzed out completely!!! A screaming , scratching, out of control, fur nutball. If she would have got out of that halter leash, I am sure we would have lost her. I was able to get her into a little beach bag we had ,with only a few dozen scratches on my arms. We never took a chance after that. Daisy is now 12, crazy as ever, but still likes to travel when she can stay close to her home on wheels.

Your cat's comfort zones may be different and they might enjoy riding in the trailer. My Dad, used to leave his small Maltese cross ride in their fifth wheel and the dog loved it. I hope we get a few more opinions on this. Take care.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

As we get ready to hit the hard road, I will repeat what I have said here a few times and in our household there are NO exceptions.

Dogs (and cats, if they are your traveling companions) belong in a crate, or maybe, as second best, strapped in with the animal seat belts. The crate must be strapped in with the seat belts or bolted to the floor. The animal MUST go in the crate, ALL the time when the vehicle is moving.

NO to inside the rig. NO NO NO.

If you have an accident or sudden stop situation, your beloved pet can become a missle. In the rig, if they are flying around, they could break bones and or neck and end up dead. In the truck, same could happen, or worse, yet, they could strike any human passengers in the neck and break your neck and then you will be dead too.

I know it is cute as can be to have poochie or kitty ride on the seats, and the console in the middle of your truck. Cute can be deadly too.

I have been known to be rather outspoken on this subject, and make no apologies for my hard stance on this.

If you want some real life, actually, a real death, example, I would be glad to provide them, probably private email would be better, cause I am telling you, I have one horror story about non crated animals and a motor home that is sickening, horrid, awful, gory.

Love your animal enough to protect him/her and yourself as well. Or pray real hard that you never have any emergency stop or an accident.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

We don't have any pets but if we did I would absolutely be following Carols advice. We know Carol and Al quite well and I don't believe there is another human being that loves their pets more than Carol and Al love their 4 kids.

Most every RVer with pets that I know considers their pets to be their children. When asked if they would allow their human children to ride in a car or truck unrestrained they always say "Absolutely NOT". If you feel these pets are truly your children than why on earth do you not have them restrained. In many states, if you traveled with an unrestrained child and had an accident and the child was injured or killed you could be arrested and charged with child neglect or even manslaughter. To that penalty you would all probably agree. Should your dog or cat be treated any different??

I quote Carol "Love your animal enough to protect him/her and yourself as well. Or pray real hard that you never have any emergency stop or an accident." You can pray all you want but the law of averages are against you.

[Wrenchtraveller]

Carol, thanks for the good advice and another great post. I will follow your advice.
Take care and Happy New Year.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Don and Donna,

You are welcome.

I know I come on very strong with this. If I save just ONE animal, or ONE owner with my ranting and raving, then it will have been worth all my steam! And, if I can steam some more and save another animal or another owner, believe me, I will steam till there ain't no more steam in the world!

Safe rides, for one and for all (ohh, that is something like a Christmas story I know! )

[Driftwoodgal]

I can't imagine being a pet in an RV riding down the road. If you had to slam on your brakes or lost control of your RV your pet would be tossed around just like a glass bowl sitting on the kitchen cabinet.

Carol, I agree with you 110 percent, a pet should be strapped in just like a person. It isn't just for the possibilty of an accident, the pet could cause the accident. A cat could get startled and climb under the drivers feet causing them to not be able to brake their vehicle. I generally stay out of the pet posts, but with 30 years of owning a dog and cat boarding kennel I have heard and seen some of the same type of stories that you mention. One of those stories could have been a semi hitting a passenger car turning into my kennel. The dog was not belted or crated.

Speaking of pets, we have 100 + animals right now that I need to put to bed.

Pets depend on us to be smart in their care. I hope that everyone that travels with a pet secures them. If you need some online websites to order harnesses please let me know. I also have a pet crate that folds down so you can let your pet out of your RV without being leashed. PM me and I will give you a website that you can order it wholeslae.

Colleen

[exav8tr]

Thanks for the expert advice, I will take heed and "rethink" my situation. Never know until you ask.....

Phil P.

[Dustytuu]

I will agree with Carol.
Our pets wear doggie seat belt harness that are fastened to the truck seat belts. Our cat does sometimes ride on the consol but he is in a pet seatbelt harness and that is strapped tightly to the seat belt in middle of front seat! Our truck does not move until our pets are belted down. The cat also sometimes rides in back seat with dogs and he is still fastened to truck seat belt as they are. He has to wear a small dog seatbelt harness because of his size. Our animals do not ride in the trailer! Period!