Cats on travel days

[Ran n Jo]

Hi! We were wondering where your kitties ride on travel days, especially those of you with HDTs? I will be driving our chase car and Ran will be driving our Volvo 780. If you put them in the HDT, are they in their carriers? Thanks,

Jo

[Randyretired]

Our cats ride best in our 5er. They have learned that when the slides come in they head for our bed. Neither accepted the carriers and it raised their stress to unacceptable levels. Both cats will ride in the car if necessary but not as comfortably as the 5er.

[rynosback]

I do not have a HDT, but our two boys travel in the chase vehicle. They are placed in a large crate so they have some room. We give them a drop of Rescue Remedy on a soft treat. It is a natural homeopathic formula. They don't travelin the 5ver as I think it is illegal for live animals to travel in one. But most importantly I had read stories were fury friends were hurt. If you had to jack on the brakes, they have hit a wall and were hurt. They have been getting better in the 6 months that we have been full timing. As before the only time they got in the car was to go to the vet. I think they are starting to understand that they are just moving. But only time will really tell if this will be true. This was one of my biggest concerns when we started. Would our two boys adapt to life on the road. And we came from a 2400 square foot home to a 40 foot 5ver. Best of luck.

[remoandiris]

My cat usually travels on my wife's lap or on the dually's center console. Initially, she is in a carrier with a litter box on the floor with the back seat flipped up. Once we get going, she is allowed out of the crate. She let's her displeasure known if she isn't out fast enough.

[accumack]

We have a class A our cat goes under the couch and magically appears as soon as the engine is shut down.

[Big Greg]

_{We travel the same as Randy retired. Our cat has traveled in the fifth wheel over 5 years, she knows when we pack up it's time to get on the bed for the trip. We always see where she is before we bring the slides in. We tried taking her in the truck but she told us no. If there were to be an accident she could be tossed around inside the truck about as bad as in the 5W. Greg}

[Ronbo]

In carriers belted to the rear seat in the hdt

[Onthego]

When we went fulltime 4 years ago our 2 cats were 12 years old. They were brother and sister. She road on the bed in the back and he road on my wife's lap. The morning of each travel day they got their harness' on. The girl cat got sick a year ago and we had to put her down. He will be 16 soon and going strong. Cats can travel better than dogs. We also had 2 older dogs when we started. Now a 1 year old pup and the old cat traveling with us.

 

Jeff

[dzwiss]

How do you know your cats are enjoying their travels while they are in the 5th wheel? We preferred to travel with our cats in the tow vehicle so we could suffer with them, probably out of guilt.

[skp51443]

Ours were almost never stressed when riding in the fiver, one kitten got a bit motion sick on 95 north of Blythe but every other time we checked on them they seemed happy. We rode with them a couple times when we wanted to ride in the fiver for other reasons and after they investigated why we were there they returned to their usual travel spots.

 

In the truck they were not happy, in carriers or out and getting out of the truck without one of them escaping was not easy.

[Ronbo]

One of our cats doesn't come out of her carrier. She just wants the door open. The other cat comes out and sleeps on the floor. When we stop she takes her rightful place, the DW's seat and looks out the window.

[gjhunter01]

Our cats ride in our fifth wheel just fine, usually under the sofa. When we bought our camper we did a test run with 2 cats in the pickup in a cage. All I can say is they will never ride in my truck again at least not alive, it was a stinky screaming mess. Since then they have done fine in the camper. Someone said they thought it was illegal to transport a live animal in a fifth wheel, really?? Another was worried about what would happen in the event of a accident, at that point I am not worried about the cat anymore. Sorry, just the farm boy in me coming out.

Greg

[Ran n Jo]

Thanks everyone for the info. We 're thinking in the HDT in their carriers, fastened to the bed harnesses as Bill mentioned. That should give the the smoothest ride. I also liked the suggestion of putting them in their carriers and in the truck before we start moving slides. By mid-spring we should have the coach!

[Ronbo]

If it were illegal for animals to ride in the 5th wheel, how do you justify horse trailers or stock trailers.

[rynosback]

If it were illegal for animals to ride in the 5th wheel, how do you justify horse trailers or stock trailers.

I stated "I think it is illegal". But horse trailers and cattle trailers are designed for it. There are not mirrors, tvs and comforts for people in them. Not to mention they do not slide in and out. But I will spend about 10 minutes Googling it.

[jerryneal]

We have two cats that travel in the back of the dually with us. We found this thing called a Pet Tube (think we bought it online at Camping World) that we put on the back seat. It's large, goes from door to door. Gives them a ton of room, much more than a cramped carrier. Keeps them from crawling under our feet when we drive, they don't heat up in the hot summer months, and we don't have to worry about an escape attempt at a rest stop or fuel station. They're a little chatty when we first pullout, but settle soon.

[gjhunter01]

I stated "I think it is illegal". But horse trailers and cattle trailers are designed for it. There are not mirrors, tvs and comforts for people in them. Not to mention they do not slide in and out. But I will spend about 10 minutes Googling it.

You should have googled before your original post. Most states even allow people to ride in a fifth wheel trailer. Stock trailers usually have all kinds of tools in them not to mention other flying cattle/horses/hogs during a accident. If I had a choice of riding out a accident in a trailer, it would not be in a stock trailer full of cattle.

Greg

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Cats ride in the rv, dog in the truck. Every time we stopped and I have opened the rv door, both cats are on the bed, between the pillows content. For us it's more traumatic to move them to the truck. Plus they have access to the litter box, their food and water.

[rynosback]

You should have googled before your original post. Most states even allow people to ride in a fifth wheel trailer. Stock trailers usually have all kinds of tools in them not to mention other flying cattle/horses/hogs during a accident. If I had a choice of riding out a accident in a trailer, it would not be in a stock trailer full of cattle.Greg

Maybe I should PM the admin and have them add this to the list of rules for the forum.

Only facts are aloud to be posted. Even if you prefix it with I think, believe.

 

If you wanted to post, hey dude your thoughts were wrong. I know what the law is on this and it is legal for pets to travel in a 5th wheel while in motion. I would be good with that. But to tell me to only post facts and not what I might think is just rude. As I do not know you from Adam, and that is a fact.

 

I mean read my whole post below. I atleast I tried to be helpful and gave ideas.

 

Here is a good read, but there are some opinions in this article.

 

http://www.ehow.com/list_7472786_laws-pets-travel-trailers.html

 

I do not have a HDT, but our two boys travel in the chase vehicle. They are placed in a large crate so they have some room. We give them a drop of Rescue Remedy on a soft treat. It is a natural homeopathic formula. They don't travelin the 5ver as I think it is illegal for live animals to travel in one. But most importantly I had read stories were fury friends were hurt. If you had to jack on the brakes, they have hit a wall and were hurt. They have been getting better in the 6 months that we have been full timing. As before the only time they got in the car was to go to the vet. I think they are starting to understand that they are just moving. But only time will really tell if this will be true. This was one of my biggest concerns when we started. Would our two boys adapt to life on the road. And we came from a 2400 square foot home to a 40 foot 5ver. Best of luck.

[rocksbride]

Hi Jo! We met at the Rally in Hutch. Kitty was so terrified her first trip in the fifth wheel, we had to wait about 4 hours after we stopped to get her out from under the bed - which meant we couldn't open the bedroom slide. For the first 6 months, she'd jump at every settling crack or pop the trailer made even while we were parked. We have a 770 and Kitty has ridden with us in the truck ever since.

 

She knows when it's moving day and after so many years on the road, she parks herself in the traffic pattern until I put her in her carrier. Her harness and leash go in the carrier with her, and there are always snacks waiting for her inside. Now I know she won't try to escape the truck if we get out, so she doesn't have to wear her gear in the truck unless she's getting out for any reason except the direct trip to the fiver after we're set up again.

 

In the truck, the carrier rides on the bench behind the driver. I use the fold-down cup holder to hold her door open. She is free to roam the truck, but usually she just sleeps in her carrier or on my lap. It did not take long to train her to stay away from the driver's seat/floor, etc., and she's not allowed to ride on the dash. Some hdting cats get to, but one of our early trips, Kitty stepped on the window rocker coming back to me from the dash. She got scared and froze as the window opened. It was a close one - so no dash surfing in our truck.

 

Get your cat used to the harness and leash before you leave home. I also took Kitty on short rides in our pick-up before we moved, too. Always some happy event... no vet! ;-) usually involved picking up Rock and again, snacks. By the time the big truck rolled in, other than the scary noise of it, we had no problems with her. She's happy where we are.

 

The enclosed cat box rides between my seat and the ladder. There's plenty of room for all of us to still move around, even with her furniture.

 

Now I cover the table top in the 770 with thick rubber shelf liner, especially while we travel. Keeps the computers, etc. from sliding off the table, and Kitty doesn't skid across if she jumps from the back passenger window ledge to the table. I still don't like her to ride there, but she's usually just in transit from site seeing back to her carrier. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Duck-20-x-6-Select-Easy-Liner/16486847

 

You should talk to Jeff Beyer about his travels with Sunflower, and Rick & Alicia White and their hdting cats. Their Boy loves to dash surf.

 

We made sure that we had a travel routine for Kitty so she came to know what to expect. She never came back in the house till slides were out and her stuff was in place. Home is always the same for her, and she likes checking out the new scenery once we're parked. She even recognizes her favorite spots among the regular places we stay, especially in the RGV.

 

Whatever I'm asking her to do, I do my best to convey, "Hey, all the cats do it," and she's usually up for it. I'm sure your cat will enjoy traveling with you, too. Don't forget the snacks. ;^D

 

By the way, should your cat not feel like traveling when you're ready to go - a hairdryer set on high can dislodge a cat from behind a sofa, under a dresser, squashed behind the coffee table or anywhere else you can't reach. Usually works pretty fast, too. A hot blast applied to the rear of the cat works best.

[beyerjf]

I am the Jeff Beyer mentioned in the post above. As an active otr truck driver, Sunflower travels with me in the cab over 80,000 miles per year. Although I consider her an exceptional animal whose travel manners are impeccable, many drivers in our fleet also travel with cats. All the drivers I know handle their animals like I do. She also travels in my Chevy cargo van with the same freedom.

She has the run of the cab, and has been trained to stay out of the "controls area", brake and clutch. She has several favorite hiding places, but on my lap is one of her favorites. If weather or traffic conditions dictate I do put her in her carrier, induced by treats.

I would not let her travel my toyhauler trailer alone, either in the carrier or loose.

Imho an animal in a potentially a stressful situation needs to be near her protector, you. If you are not comfortable having the animal loose in the cab, then at least in a carrier within your sight, and more importantly smell. Having the animal in the trailer with you in the truck is kinda like the people who tie a dog outside while they are in the house. What's the point of having the animal?

I am sure there are going to be comments to the effect of how dangerous it might be to have an animal loose in an 80k lb vehicle traveling down the highway. As a pro with over 4 million accident free miles who is faced with dozens of "distractions" per hour of all types, this animal just doesn't present a hazard. Her ability to help me cope with the stresses of driving a truck far outweigh any negatives. Thousands of truck drivers have either dogs or cats with them everyday with millions of vehicle miles traveled without incident.

[justRich]

He rides wherever the heck he wants!

Although nowadays he prefers to ride in the camper, in a closet, sleeping.

[s106300]

Sorry I didn't see this earlier. First - My cats are my kids, and I would always make sure my kids were secure and safe. That means they do not roam free in the fifth wheel (where slides have been known to spontaneously come out) nor are they loose in our Volvo 670, where they might become loose projectiles when you have to jam on the brakes because yet another Prius cut over in front of you. After a bit of research, this is what I came up with for our 3 cats. We bought 3 "Sof-Krates" for medium to large dogs. Then we added 3 raised cat beds (same kind they use in shelters). Under each bed went a disposable cat box. Cat beds were placed on the raised beds and in front of the sand box. All cats are transported from the fiver to the Volvo in soft sided cat carriers - no chance of a loose, panicked kitty in the parking lot. Once in the truck with doors closed, each cat is placed in their specific carrier. After a couple of nervous first days - which was totally solved by the application of "Thundershirts" (a MUST for nervous cats they are awesome - order up a size as they run small) they became veteran traveller's. They seldom use their sandboxes enroute, and if I need to feed them, I have travel food/water dual bowls that I found at Bed, Bath, and Beyond very effective - and safe - set up.

[hokiephile]

We have two cats that travel in the back of the dually with us. We found this thing called a Pet Tube (think we bought it online at Camping World) that we put on the back seat. It's large, goes from door to door. Gives them a ton of room, much more than a cramped carrier. Keeps them from crawling under our feet when we drive, they don't heat up in the hot summer months, and we don't have to worry about an escape attempt at a rest stop or fuel station. They're a little chatty when we first pullout, but settle soon.

 

I have a Pet Tube, though no RV. (That's why I'm here. To learn.) Anyway, the Pet Tube is wonderful, except, the darn cats are smart enough to learn how to open the zippers. If you, too, have Phi Beta Kitty cats, best to use something to pin the zipper ends to each other. I had two 16 pound cats come over my shoulders on one trip demanding to be let out of the car. They had watched me open the zipper often enough that they figured out how to open it. Nearly got me killed, the little monsters.

[skp51443]

We sewed little snap hooks near the zipper so we could clip the handle into the hook, keeping the cats inside and frustrated.

 

https://smile.amazon.com/Moxx-Swivel-Lobster-Clasp-Bolt/dp/B0155TDDLS