ArchaicArcane

Oh yeah! I went there.

We have 2 cats, geriatric. Neither loves the car, but I think with Rescue Remedy, thundershirts and good crating we might be OK. We'll ease into it. Any tips?

The reason I want to look at the possibility of doing this is that one of the ladies needs meds (chronic kidney disease), and they've been switched to a homemade meal which needs to be fed several times a day. I can't see asking a neighbor to pill the queen. She barely tolerates me doing it, and DH thinks if he had to do it that she'd kill him. Yeah, she's a bit of a scrapper. And I can't ask the neighbor to come in several times a day to feed them. Boarding them is a less than attractive option, they're very set in their ways, and very bonded to their family (other than the dog. They can take or leave her, with the preference on leaving her.) they stop eating if they're "displaced".

We have a travel trailer with AC and a furnace and a generator for no power situations, so climate control shouldn't be too much of an issue. While I know that this isn't a "fun" getaway, perhaps at least we -can- get away for a bit if they can travel...

Some CKD cats live for many years with their illnesses, I can't see us never doing more than a day trip from now until the end. The kitty slave needs to detox sometimes from home to be a better kitty slave...

Does anyone do this? Any tips on getting the started? Things to watch out for? I was thinking (DH was groaning and rolling his eyes) that we could do a short trip this long weekend to try it out.

tessagin

Sorry. Other than having some one come in and pet sit/house sit.

nativetexan

we used to travel with a fifth wheel behind a truck. my Loki stayed in the fifth wheel. he wasn't happy and only relaxed when we parked. later we got a motor home. better by far. still he wasn't much of a traveler. Good luck.

Jingle

I have not taken my cats camping. We don't camp either. It should work as long as they don't get away from you. You will need a crate large enough for a litterbox. Good luck, I would rather stay home and tend to them. I would not ask a neighbor.

ArchaicArcane

The last time we took -any- vacation was over 2 years ago. The people who took care of the animals didn't see stormi (the queen) the whole time we were gone. They assumed (and it's all I could ask them to do) that things were fine, because the food was disappearing. With her having the kidney issues now, that's not something we can do anymore (not that I was comfortable with it before)

The only other thing I could come up with is there are vet techs who will sometimes come and check on them, but few of them will want to chase the queen down to pill her twice a day and then try to get her to eat.

She's been a tough cookie since the day she adopted me. It took her 16 years to finally accept DH.

The girls would ride up front with us, front seat for kitties, and back for the dog. Trailering them has always scared me. My mom did it with her dog, but I couldn't tell if they were having problems, and that would make me crazy. It's possible I'm too attached too.

Diannia

I lived in our 5th wheel for almost 6 months. I have 2 cats. 1 adjusted just fine but the other never did. She would run around all night. I think the air/heat scared her. It was in the floor and whenever it started she'd take off running around and meowing. I didn't try traveling with them...good luck!

KarenR

I had a cat who loved to travel. One time to the vet was all it took to get her hooked. She would get into vehicles and leave without announcing her presence. One time it was a 3 hour drive before she made herself known. Went and got her and then she sneaked in with someone else- and preceded to have her kittens in their camper before we could go and get her. We finally decided that she liked traveling way to much and she went with a friend who had a camper- She is a QUEEN know.
Traveled with a cat to Alaska- He always tried to escape the vehicle. Crate him before getting out, or we would be playing catch the kitty when we stopped. That one hated to travel.
Go and see how it goes. Every cat is different.

tesspug

Why don't you try "camping" in the yard. Drive kitties around a little bit so they get to know the feel and then stay close to home in case things go wrong. You can abort the trip if stress gets too much. My DB and DSIL had to live with their old kitty for seven months in an RV. She adjusted OK.

ArchaicArcane

Ha! Your kitty sounds like so much fun. My first kitty didn't mind the car at all. She loved going for burgers. I'd call her and say "let's go for burgers!!" She come running, tail up in the air, and wait for me to pick her up. I'd carry her to the car, and she'd ride on the console or the cargo cover in the back. I didn't even own a crate for her at the time, she was such a good traveler. Her last recreational ride in the car, she rode on the back deck in the Mustang to McDonalds for a burger. She ate 2/3 of a patty.

All of our kitties have been strictly indoor kitties, and don't seem to want to go outside, which I think will make this adjustment easier. Less escape attempts. They've never really wanted to see the outdoors.

I was thinking of doing that tonight. See part of the problem I'm trying to escape temporarily is bad neighbors. They like to party most weekends in the summer, and it's always outdoors. Loud music, screaming and yelling until all hours of the morning. We went over the one time to ask them to turn it down, and they threatened DH with physical violence. And after that, the police still took 1 week to even call me back. And no, it's not a bad neighborhood. It was really enjoyable til these people moved in about 3 years ago. I can probably get away with camping in the yard during the week, but weekends are becoming intolerable and this one's a long weekend, which promises to be worse. I will see if I can find somewhere, provided the overnight goes well, that we can go within 45 mins to an hour of home. The one kitty is fine with the truck, because of her vet visits. The other one hasn't been as far as this new vet, only to the one closer, so she's had less adjustment time. I will put them both in the truck when DH gets home and go for a bit of a drive.

momto5

No help with the cats, but I do have three poodles who stay at home when I go somewhere, very happily, with their "come to my home" sitters. These folks are very good, but I can't remember if I've ever had to have them give meds or do anything radical to mine...but they surely would and they would do very well with it, I'm sure. Is there no one in your area who could do this? If they're professionals, as mine are, they can handle it all and you don't need to worry about it! Good luck!