Camping with cats - Montana Owners Club

Wordsmith · 04-14-2006, 02:37 PM

While were were camping over spring break, we knew I would be gone twelve days and that the cats would both be going with us for the first time. Nick (left in the picture) is twelve years old, and Marsha was worried about how he would adapt to it, but he did well. He and Blake loved lounging on the sofa while guarding the camper from the vantage of the windows.

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CountryGuy · 04-14-2006, 02:48 PM

Wordsmith, what a GREAT photo! Beautiful cats too! Thanks for sharing that!

gkbutler · 04-14-2006, 02:54 PM

We have our Oreo kitty with us. We were worried about her as she is 23 this year and had never travelled well. Yes I said 23. She adapted very well, even to the harness and lead so she can go outside. That really surprised us as she never even liked to wear a flea collar. Right now she is sitting in front of the computer wanting petted. She also likes to sit on the back of the sofa and check out the view.

Montana_2005 · 04-14-2006, 03:23 PM

Our old Tom Winston loved to travel... he even liked riding in the cab of the truck, lounging all over my lap. It was all one to him. However, when he refused to use the covered litter box and used the side of the video camera bag instead, he got to move in with my daughter and grand daughter squeaker instead.
apparantly, Squeak and Winston love each other and hang out on the floor together all day, so it was a win win situation. I really wish I could find another cat that likes to go, does not talk incessantly while in the truck, doesn't HAVE to go outside all the time, and enjoys our other two fuzzy's. One as cute as the two up top would be a bonus!

padredw · 04-14-2006, 03:26 PM

I didn't intend to respond to this delightful thread until I noticed that we had met and enjoyed the company of every one of you who has posted.

Wordsmith, that is really a nice photo. Congratulations! We hope to be back in Georgia before too long. Will certainly let you know.

Glen and Karen, we always note your posts with interest and remember our pleasant visit with you at the Beanpot campground in Tennessee.

And Carol and Al, what more can I say -- except the next time we expect to welcome you right here at our East Texas country home.

Isn't this an interesting coincidence -- And we may be the only common ground except that the others have traveling pets and we have none!

padredw · 04-14-2006, 03:28 PM

OK, Ranger Mel got in there while I was slowly typing my previous message. I can only hope we may someday add her to our MOC freinds whom we have met in person. Now, I better get out of here and let you pet lovers carry on.

jrgwdenner · 04-15-2006, 02:19 AM

David, if you and Shirley are heading for Georgia before June 10th or so, we hope you'll look us up in Alabama. Maybe we can meet you somewhere if you're close.

Now, more on topic, the picture of the kitties basking in the sunshine is so beautiful. In our trailer, it's our 40 pound dog who uses the back of the couch as her perch.

Wordsmith · 04-15-2006, 02:41 AM

Gary, A 23 year old cat! now THAT is getting on up in the years. When I was growing up, we had a cat that lived to be nineteen, passing away after I was married, but that pales next to yours.

Our two also really took to chairs on either side of the dining table where they could both look out the window there.

Wrenchtraveller · 04-15-2006, 03:31 AM

Daisy, our 11 year old tabby female has made many RV trips along with our dogs and she liked the Fifth wheel. I made a special spot for her litter box and she was fine if we just left her in the Fifth wheel or kept her on a leash under the awning.
The one time my Daughter was going to bring her for a walk to a play area , the cat spazzed out and was going nuts. She was close to throwing her halter leash off and we would have lost her for sure. I heard the racket and ran and was able to get Daisy into a carry bag we had. How I never got cut up was a miracle because the cat was completely out of control.

Anyway, after that close call , we kept her inside the RV or Truck and never had a problem.

Wordsmith, your two cats are beautiful.

jrgwdenner · 04-15-2006, 04:19 AM

We had friends who traveled with their cats in a motor home. They cut a hole under the inside steps so the cats could go into the basement to use their litter box. I think the opening was covered, like a doggie door.

Wordsmith · 04-16-2006, 02:46 AM

The desk area of the 3295 makes a good area for us to put the litter box. Marsha even bought a spring rod and sewed a curtain for the area, though with the cover on, it is a little big for the curtain to hang straight.

When I was a teenager, we had a cat that always camped with us. At that time we camped at a campground that did not have electricity, so we would open the windows to keep everything cool. One day, my father did not pull the screen back after opening it for some reason, and our cat jumped out. She was gone for over a week—we were there for the summer as my parents were campground hosts—when someone said they thought they saw her in the woods nearby. My father and I went to look, tromping through the woods, and, luckily, I almost stepped on her before she bolted, managing to grab her tail. We were very fortunate. She was the cat that lived to be nineteen!

That cat wanted no more part of the great outdoors after that. If we took her outside for any reason, she would make a straight line for the door! I suppose she had learned her lesson.

Dustytuu · 04-18-2006, 04:13 PM

Beautiful picture of your cats. One looks a little like our "Nino" He travels with us and the two Schnauzers. He doesn't seem to mind. He usually rides between the two dogs in the back seat of pickup. They all three have pet seat belts.

Longwell · 05-04-2006, 08:12 PM

When we hit the road fulltime, we will probably have our 3 cats to take with us.
April is concerned about how to make the transition from our stick house to the RV work for them.
They are inside/outside cats. They come and go as they want through a swinging pet door. They are very good inside with the litter box but really want to go outside daily to hunt, explore, etc.
Have any of you had experience with transitioning cats from this type of living to RV living?
Do you think they will be OK with not going outside by themselves? Have you had trouble getting cats to accept leashes / collars / harnesses? Do any of you have outside enclosures the cats can stay in without being leashed? What other problems may we encounter?
Any and all suggestions, experiences or ideas will put her mind at ease.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

jrgwdenner · 05-05-2006, 01:34 AM

I'll be interested in the answer to your question, Longwell, as we may need to transition our outdoor kitty, Max, to our son's house in Illinois when we leave in June. It will be a two week trip for his first time in the Monty. He loves to come inside when we're working in the trailer so hopefully that will diminish his adjustment. We know we'll have to test out the harness/leash thing before we go.

Montana_2005 · 05-06-2006, 02:16 PM

My cats all did ok with the leash... the oldest better than the youngest. she wouldn't spazz out or anything, just lay down and wouldn't walk for a while... so you had to kinda scoot her along till she would get up again..
she was getting better and better... her continuing to insist on houdini'ing the door every time we opened it was was what decided us to get her into a stick house where it wouldnt be a big deal if she wanted to go out.

ragdoll · 05-13-2006, 06:54 PM

We travel with 2 cats and they both adapt to being in the trailer just fine. Infact, our oldest who is 10 knows when we start taking things out to load up. Molly is 6 and tolerates going. Neither come out until they know we have stopped for the day - they sleep up between the bed and closet. Neither Simba or Molly are leash trained - our first one was and loved being outside (he passed away in Nov '03). We do have a fold down cage we took our first year out but left it at home last year. Simba does like to escape once in a while but fortunately we haven't lost him over night. Here at home they have a nice screened patio to enjoy. We are only on the road 4 - 6 months - don't know if they would tolerate more than that.
Longwell, notice you are from PA - I was curious with the kachina icon. We are usually back there for about 3 months around Philpsburg, Clearfield and Lock Haven area - Jack is from there.

Safe travels.
Lorraine

Dustytuu · 05-16-2006, 07:24 AM

Our cat has started trying to get out door when opened. We keep a spray bottle of water near the door and when we step outside we take it with us so to be ready when we open the door to get back in the Monty. It is working most of the time. He hates the water. So I hope this can teach him to not get out.
He does OK on a leash if at home and going where he wants to go. Still working on that. Ordered a cat harness that does quite well. He hasn't wiggled out of it yet. Ordered it from this site.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/Shop.cfm?N=2002

WACOT · 08-09-2006, 01:45 PM

We have a cat that goes when we go. A trip to the west coast two years ago wasn't to bad, he tends to cry/howl/mew or whatever it is he does for the first day or so, then he improves. He always travels inside a soft cage else he would want to be in my lap or under my feet. We did give him a tranqulizer at first but I decided that was not fair or even good for him so we just endure. On trips to our local campgrounds we just listen to him as its only 30 min. or so. Once we get set-up he is all to happy to be out in the fresh air,but in the cage still. He is over three years of age and he has never been on the ground, we do not want the fleas, ticks or intestinal worms that come with being in the dirt and running loose outside. For better or not, he is strickly an inside kitty. He does not attempt to run out the door when it opens as he has never been allowed to go out, at times I will put him on the park picnic table, but only inside the soft cage. Other than not being allowed in the dirt, he owns the joint.

Ozz · 08-10-2006, 03:05 AM

We bring out Two cats, Rowdy and JR, they both love South Padre. The Sea gulls, ocean smells and different sights excite them. The travelling is hard for them, but we enjoy bringing them with us.
They are lap cats, and we have Two for Two.

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'07 3400RL 2nd RTU
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LCD 12 Volt Amp gauge
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On Board Air; 12 Volt Viair 450C compressor
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Jim and Marcia · 08-11-2006, 02:41 PM

Really enjoyed reading about the traveling cats. We have a 2 year old tiger named "Kat". She is a very good traveler. Sits in a bed on the console between us and usually sleeps as long as the truck is moving. At first, she got car sick but she got over that quickly. She likes the camper and thinks it is her domain. We have a covered litter box in the w/d closet, under a shelf made to hold our small freezer. Works real well. She went with us for 6 weeks last fall and will go with us to Texas this winter. We call her the "Kamper Kat". We're trying to get her to walk with a harness on, but she is not too crazy about that. She will sit with us outside with her leash on. It's fun taking her with us.

Jim and Marcia
Southeast Iowa
2005 3295RK
2006 Chevrolet Silverado Extended Cab, Diesel, 6 speed Allison Automatic, Line-X, PullRite Super Glide Hitch, Prodigy Brake Controller

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