Cats in the Cab January 03, 2021, 09:31:37 am We have had discussions in the past regarding traveling with cats but I don’t recall this particular question coming up. Bossa Nova came with the faux leather seats which probably don’t mix well with cat claws. So, our solution is to keep the cats out of the cab, especially when driving. Has anyone come up with a good way to do that, other than caging them? 1 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #1 – January 03, 2021, 09:50:43 am We travel with the monster pictured in my avatar. If I were you, I would put seat covers on those faux leather seats. Beats listening to the little beast crying in a crate all day. We find the big challenge is preventing escape when a door is opened. We have seen many rest areas with missing cat and dog signs posted. I know one person who lost a cat that escaped in Alaska, not a pretty ending for that cat.Steve K. 1 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #2 – January 03, 2021, 09:51:29 am You don't want pets wandering unsecured while driving AT ALL. They can be a distraction, get into the pedal area, and become projectiles in panic maneuvers/sudden stops. Please consider a secured crate or a pet seat belt harness/tether to keep them and you safe while in motion.For dogs, we like Sleepypod harnesses since they are crash-tested. 7 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #3 – January 03, 2021, 10:28:17 am We have traveled with cats for years. Crating the cats has NEVER been a successful endeavor. By and large, cats will soon adapt to a resting location where they feel secure, so guarding against driving interference is a short-lived precaution. Our current cat started traveling on the passenger's lap or right side of the dash - still does some, or further back in the coach. Keep a cardboard cutout blocking access to the driver's floor area in place enroute.One security item to note - cats accessing the dash or peering out cab windows will occasionally lock or unlock the cab doors. This can be a real problem when camped, so I added a bypass switch to disable the power door locks as needed.Steve 3 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #4 – January 03, 2021, 10:41:37 am Quote from: Michelle C - January 03, 2021, 09:51:29 amFor dogs, we like Sleepypod harnesses since they are crash-tested.We used a travel harness for our previous Basenji (the one in my avatar picture) and it worked out great. However, our current Basenji chewed through several -- expensive -- travel harnesses before we finally bought a cage to keep him and our other dog in when we travel. 2 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #5 – January 03, 2021, 10:55:05 am Tux (our tuxedo cat) rides and sleeps in his own cat bed in the Upper Cab berth. Shades open of course!When Dianne pulls out the level (to level the coach) as we stop, he knows we are here for the night.Stays put until we are literally stopped, other than occasionally traveling to the rear of our OD to his litter box.IMO Cats, will be cats - so all do not have to be treated equally. Our experience has been to gently lift him from the front area of the coach if he wanders there, put him in a safe place and give him a treat (Greenies). No exception to our rule for this. We never intentionally let him enter the cab area. Somehow he has learned that this is off limits.Respectfully, Tony R. (aka codefour) 7 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #6 – January 03, 2021, 12:11:19 pm We have traveled with two cats for as long as we have owned our LD. At first (and I mean the very first) ride they meowed a bit but within two minutes they both found a 'safe' place to sleep or observe. Syman settles into some spot in/on the overhead. We keep one or both of the back seats open a bit so Dylan will at times settle back behind the rear wheel well. Yup I know the loudest and bumpiest place in the rv. The biggest problems are food, water and potty box. There is no way that we know of to stop a cat from exercising their claws. They do that to remove old growth. We use seat covers and cat tape. Amazon.com : 4" X 30 Yards Anti Cat Scratch Deterrent Tape - Sticky Paws...It's basically double side tape. ps -- yup that's dylan in his fav sleeping spot when we are on long stretches of highway. In the city he is tossed off. He will go 'upstairs' at that point. 8 Likes As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #7 – January 03, 2021, 12:20:49 pm I posted yesterday about Waterhog mats in the LD "Improvements" forum; an additional feature of these mats is that my old cat finds them very appealing to maintain his claws in peak shredding condition. 5 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #8 – January 03, 2021, 01:15:06 pm I really hate the dinette table leg that most RVs have sticking out in the way. I don’t know how many times I have kicked it so far so I put some pipe insulation around it for now. I was thinking if I could make up a scratching post for the cats around the table leg, that might be a good solution. Has anyone tried doing this? 4 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #9 – January 03, 2021, 01:25:48 pm Quote from: HiLola - January 03, 2021, 01:15:06 pmI really hate the dinette table leg that most RVs have sticking out in the way. I don’t know how many times I have kicked it so far so I put some pipe insulation around it for now. I was thinking if I could make up a scratching post for the cats around the table leg, that might be a good solution. Has anyone tried doing this?I seem to remember a photo of such a cat accommodation. Was it you, Andy?Chris 1 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #10 – January 03, 2021, 01:34:12 pm A web search will bring up many sites and videos of using a "table leg" as a base for a cat scratching post in RVs. 1 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #11 – January 03, 2021, 01:38:52 pm Greg, I understand your concern about that leg sticking out and getting in the way. You might want to check out my solution to that problem, as well as making that MB table much more useful at "Media - Albums - Rich Gort - MB Table". Never traveled with a cat, but your solution looks pretty good to me.Rich - Birch Bay, WA 1 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #12 – January 03, 2021, 01:45:30 pm You could always get another cat to guard the table leg!Problem with our Tux is keeping him awake while driving.Cheers!Tony R. (aka codefour) 5 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #13 – January 03, 2021, 01:59:20 pm We bought one of these to discourage rug damage at home:https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/you-and-me-sisal-cat-scratching-post-grey..then bought another one to replace it at home while putting the original in the rig. The sisal rope seems to be very attractive to cats, especially once it starts getting 'hairy'.Steve 1 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #14 – January 03, 2021, 02:03:20 pm Quote from: Steve - January 03, 2021, 01:59:20 pmWe bought one of these to discourage rug damage at home:https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/you-and-me-sisal-cat-scratching-post-grey..then bought another one to replace it at home while putting the original in the rig. The sisal rope seems to be very attractive to cats, especially once it starts getting 'hairy'.Wrapping the table leg with sisal rope should make a good scratching post.Larry 3 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #15 – January 03, 2021, 09:59:55 pm "Wrapping the table leg with sisal rope should make a good scratching post."Works for me. I wrapped my Trillium trailer's dinette table leg with sisal rope, and trained my cat to use it as a scratching post by giving her a couple of cat treats every time she used it. Once the habit was established, I scaled back to once in the morning and once in the evening. She now claws the scratching post, then looks at me expectantly.Caveats: 1) the attached photo shows the 1/4" sisal rope by itself, but I found it necessary to put bands of duck tape at the top and bottom to secure it. 2) After a few months the long sisal fibers were shedding so badly that cleaning them up each morning became a nuisance. I replaced the rope. I did try wrapping the leg with black nylon rope, which would have made less of a mess when shredded, but my cat didn't take to it. She loves the sisal, however.Notes: the apparatus on the underside of the table is a sliding mount that I made from aluminum bar stock and 1/4" StarBoard HDPE plastic. It let me slide the tabletop out of the way to get into the small dinette seat, then pull it toward me to a comfortable working distance.The blue box is a self-adhesive pencil drawer from Amazon. 3 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #16 – January 03, 2021, 10:50:53 pm Andy how is the other side of the table attached to the wall?
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #17 – January 03, 2021, 11:09:13 pm When our Zorro was still with us (and my Mom's old Butterball) they traveled in a medium size dog crate, which was strapped in with the seat belt on one of the sofas. They had a sling hammock, a litter box, food and water, from the sling they could look out the window. They didn't travel together, but the set up was the same for both. Anytime we were rolling they were locked up. At first they weren't happy, but they adapted. Even a fast stop will throw a kitty around... I know, sidekick slammed on the binders in my RB, I flew from the bathroom to between the sofas in the front. NEVER want to do that again!Another comment, a lesson from Butterball. If you have an RB, make sure you put hardware cloth between the closet wall /toilet where there is an opening so the water pump can breath. BB used to get under there and I'd have to take the closet drawers out to get her out. Those big drawers are a PITA to remove, reinstall. Also, kitties and small dogs like to hide under the pulled out sofas, even if they are out a few inches. Just for future reference. AND Zorro did in the faux vinyl dinette top covers on our 1990 MP, Blue.YMMV (thanks, Joan!)
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #18 – January 03, 2021, 11:36:47 pm Quote from: Lisa T. - January 03, 2021, 11:09:13 pmIf you have an RB, make sure you put hardware cloth between the closet wall /toilet where there is an opening so the water pump can breath. BB used to get under there and I'd have to take the closet drawers out to get her out. Those big drawers are a PITA to remove, reinstall. Also, kitties and small dogs like to hide under the pulled out sofas, even if they are out a few inches. I have had my RB for 3 weeks now. I saw that opening when I winterized after the first week. I tried a piece of foam core from the outside to block it, but my sneaky kitty decided I shouldn't have put it there and clawed it out. I plan on stapling some hardware cloth from the inside. In the mean time, I discovered if I pull out and slam the bottom drawer 3 or 4 times, Zuli will peek his head out to see what the heck I'm doing. A bit of coaxing and a few more drawer slams and he comes out. 2 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #19 – January 04, 2021, 12:38:26 am "how is the other side of the table attached to the wall?"Sorry, I should have explained that. It isn't. In the Trillium, the backed of the table is pressed against the wall, which is covered with 1/2" thick foam-backed auto headliner fabric. There's enough friction to keep it from sliding around loosely, but not so much that I can't move it deliberately.This sliding-tabletop scheme obviously wouldn't work with a dinette table that's hinged to the wall, so I haven't attempted it in my Airstream. It isn't really needed there, but in the Trillium's cramped dinette space, it was a godsend. But wrapping the table leg in rope to make a scratching post works with any dinette table, as long as there is a leg. :-)
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #20 – January 04, 2021, 12:41:33 am "Also, kitties and small dogs like to hide under the pulled out sofas, even if they are out a few inches."So be sure to double-check before pushing them back in.(Similarly, I've read of serious injuries to pets who were trapped when slideouts were retracted.) 3 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #21 – January 04, 2021, 09:28:07 am I purchased a wall mounted scratch post mounted on the wall between the shower and Refrigerator doors for my cat Sage. I have been very fortunate when it comes to her scratching on things. If I ever catch her with her 22 talons hooked in something other than her scratch post, I HISS at her! Amazon.com: SmartCat Bootsie's Combination Scratcher: Kitchen & DiningAs for travel days, I tried crating her like I do the dogs, which was a disaster! She would get car sick! So I took a chance, left her loose. She finds a safe place to chill, usually in her "Catio" or under my chair in the living area. 3 Likes As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #22 – January 04, 2021, 01:53:03 pm I had a couple of heavier cardboard rolls from some shelf liner and had the idea that they might make a good foundation for some sisal. Andy, can I interest you in a sisal wrapping party? 1 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #23 – January 04, 2021, 01:53:42 pm Thanks for all the information on kitties. Where is your catico located and could you please post a picture of it?Someone mentioned concerns about the cat getting out when you open the door to the rig. That's our concern as well. Ideas about preventing that? We are considering leash training our cats and keeping them in the rig on their leashes until we close up for the night. I've also seen the lost cat/dog posters at rest areas and don't want that to happen to our two little girls.Thanks.JeanSilver Fox 2 Likes
Re: Cats in the Cab Reply #24 – January 04, 2021, 04:33:13 pm We have a 2014 Tk1. potty box - kept in shower stall - door is kept open with a custom door hook. This allows cats to come and go at will.2. Food and Water - somehow a red In&Out tray found its way into our RV. We do plan on returning it when we ever get back to CA.3. Escape proof RV - impossible. Never never forget to think about the cats. <smile> trust me they are ALWAYS planning to make a run for it.....4. Both cats are harness trained. Dylan loves it - Syman is only good for 30 or 40 seconds outside.glenps on image number 3 you'll see our attempt to protect screen from clawing cat. It's leaf gutter covers. They didn't work on my house so we put em on the LD's screen door. 2 Likes
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