Escaping Cat - RV-Dreams Community Forum

AloraDanin · RV-Dreams Community Member

Escaping Cat

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

All cats are different but we found that if we walk our cat every day on a leash using a harness, she won't try to escape. My in-laws picked up a stray and were not able to keep him from playing escape artist. But he stayed close and always came back.

GENECOP · RV-Dreams Family Member

Barbara, the first thing is choose carefully who will take care of your cat while you are away, sometimes a Kennel is a safer bet. People who don't own cats don't understand just how slippery they can be if they want to escape. If you are stationary for a few months a small screen room outside the main door is a nice safety measure. Glad your kitty came back....Happy Holidays and welcome to the Forum.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Barbara,

If I may ask, how many kitties do you have? How do they travel when you hit the road (do you keep them in the 5'er or put them in a carrier in the tow vehicle? Where do you keep the litter box? What do you do about veterinary needs? What do you do when you want to leave the rv for the day in hot weather -- do you keep the ac on for them?

Just asking because when I'm finally able to hit the road (when I sell the house), I have 3 kitties who have never been outdoors (except for one who is also an escape artist!!) and I'm not really sure how to manage taking them with us (plus, one of them is 12 years old, has started peeing everywhere, and all of them tend to scratch up the furniture and carpet in addition to all the scratching posts they have. I don't want this to happen in a new rv!)

Thanks!

Cheryl

AloraDanin · RV-Dreams Community Member

cherylbrv wrote:
Hi Barbara,

If I may ask, how many kitties do you have? How do they travel when you hit the road (do you keep them in the 5'er or put them in a carrier in the tow vehicle? Where do you keep the litter box? What do you do about veterinary needs? What do you do when you want to leave the rv for the day in hot weather -- do you keep the ac on for them?

Just asking because when I'm finally able to hit the road (when I sell the house), I have 3 kitties who have never been outdoors (except for one who is also an escape artist!!) and I'm not really sure how to manage taking them with us (plus, one of them is 12 years old, has started peeing everywhere, and all of them tend to scratch up the furniture and carpet in addition to all the scratching posts they have. I don't want this to happen in a new rv!)

Thanks!

Cheryl

Hi Cheryl,

We have two cats...Poe and Silly Sausage. When we first started they travelled in the truck with us, but now they travel in the 5th Wheel. It's way easier for us and them...and they seem to enjoy it. When we stop for the day we find them sleeping...usually on the bed.

We keep the litter box in one of the closets in the bedroom. Vets...we take them wherever we happen to be. Yes, we keep the ac on for them in hot weather.

Our little one tends to scratch the furniture and the carpet...she still does it in the 5th Wheel, but not as much as she used to in the house. We just put up with it.

Good luck with your future travels.

Barbara

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

Easy cure for escaping cat..........park next to me , Nikki will watch for them and chase them back in!!!!!!!!

TheHarveys · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cheryl,
You mentioned that you have an older cat that has started "peeing everywhere". We had an older cat that started to do the same thing. After several months she started to lose weight and when we took her to the vet, we discovered that she was in full renal shutdown. Her liver and kidneys had failed and we ended up having to put her down.
My point is, if "peeing everywhere" is out of character for your cat, then it may be an early sign of liver or kidney problems. I would encourage you to take your cat to the vet to be checked out.

WAYGONE · RV-Dreams Community Member

Hello Cheryl,
I am a new member here and have not yet posted other than an intro. I would like to impart to you a recommendation for your older cat. This information was given to me by my Sister inlaw last evening for a friend of mine with two cats with this kidney/renal problem. She SIL (sister in law) has a 16 year old cat who had developed this problem about a year and 9 months ago. The Vet instructed her to use a special type of cat food called KD. Her cat would not eat this formula at all. SIL researched many cat food brands and found that the ingredients in Trader Joe's brand (excluding tuna because of the high protein content, which is inpart, cause of this condition) was very similar to the KD ingredients. Her cat loves this Trader Joe's food,, Turkey and Giblets Dinner/Ocean Fish,Samon & Rice/Chicken Turkey & Rice...flavors...@69 cents per can VS $1.40 per can of the KD> Her (SIL) cat "Sophie" had her problem clear up within 3 months and no longer has this condition for over a year now. And all tests now show correctly at the Vet. She has conversed this to the vet and the Vet now recommends this to her other customers whose cats will not eat the KD...
I have hope that this will help others here with a cat(s) having this condition that all may enjoy their loved kitties for a longer time and relieve the stress this can cause dear owners. I nor My SIL have any relation to to Trader Joe's in any way...She is a retired teacher 73 years of age and has had many dear cats all her life and this is her oldest ever cat at 16 years.

May the New Year Bring You Peace and Joy!

~David~

soos · RV-Dreams Family Member

We travel with one cat. He goes outside with a harness and leash, but we have never let him walk out the door on his own 4 feet. we always carry him. It helps keep him a little unsure of himself. I have also resorted to scaring him a little if he looks like he is going to bolt. He has gotten out a couple of times in 4 years of fulltiming, but he is too cautious to run off anywhere.
Sue

2riker2go · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have two cats, and so far we have had no problems with either of them getting out. We don't leave the door open for any amount of time though. We open it to move through it, and then close it right behind us. I don't know what kind of experience your neighbor has with cats, but I have noticed sometimes that when people come into our rig for a visit, sometimes they will stand there in the doorway holding the door open a bit and I have to say something about closing the door. They aren't used to having to think about a possible escapee. smile

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

I saw someone with a portable folding greyco play pen/crib that had made a elastic top to fit it.....they would place the cat in it when outside ........the cat looked happy to have fresh air, a cozy pillow and a room with a view!!!!!

WestWardHo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Our cat travels in her pet carrier which is lashed in the truck. We put a harness on her when she was a kitten and leave it on always. She is also an escape artist and if we get close we can grab her by the harness. We keep a water bottle by the door and give her a little squirt if she doesn't back off. She sees it and runs now so we usually don't even have to squirt. This also works for her scratching things she shouldn't. Wish I could walk her but mostly it's "drag her" if she's outside on a leash unless I let her lead where ever she likes to go. Like the portable folding play pen idea Mike. In our new 5th wheel the letterbox has to go in the bathroom.