Touring in an RV affords a singular freedom, and bringing your cat alongside could make the journey much more particular. Whereas RVing with a cat requires some additional planning, it’s solely doable to make sure their security, consolation, and happiness on the street. Listed below are a number of concepts on make the expertise satisfying for each you and your feline companion.
Making ready for the Full-Time RVing with a Cat
- Veterinary Checkup: Earlier than hitting the street, guarantee your cat is updated on vaccinations and focus on your journey plans together with your vet. This helps affirm they’re wholesome and ready for the journey. Many campgrounds require vaccination information for pets, so make sure you get a duplicate to maintain available whereas touring. Moreover, think about microchipping your cat as an added security measure in case they escape—this could simply be carried out at your vet’s workplace.
- Monitoring Collar: Whereas microchipping is all the time a wise concept, a monitoring collar supplies a extra quick method to find your pet. Choices embody: GPS trackers that supply real-time location monitoring and exercise monitoring through an app (although these usually require expensive subscriptions) Bluetooth trackers like Apple AirTag and Tile Mate that are extra inexpensive and work nicely for short-range monitoring, and Radio Frequency (RF) trackers which don’t require subscriptions and are perfect for areas with out mobile protection. We personally use an Apple AirTag with a collar attachment for our cat, Louie, who loves sitting exterior. It’s an economical resolution that helps us rapidly find him if he wanders off. Every choice has its professionals and cons, so think about your pet’s habits, your finances, and the specified monitoring vary when selecting the very best tracker.
- Ticks/ Illnesses: When RVing together with your cat, it’s vital to make sure they’re shielded from ticks and different potential illnesses. Make sure that your cat is updated on preventative therapies for ticks, fleas, and parasites, particularly for those who’ll be in wooded or grassy areas. Seek the advice of together with your vet about appropriate therapies, corresponding to tick collars or topical medicines, to maintain your cat protected throughout outside adventures. Commonly test your cat for ticks after outside excursions to catch any points early and forestall sickness.
Setting Up a Cat-Pleasant RV
- Protected Areas: Create devoted areas to your cat to loosen up and conceal. Cats really feel safer after they have a spot to retreat to. Particularly for those who’re in such a small house with little ones round or different pets, it’s vital that they’ve their very own space to run to.
- Safe Surroundings: Examine your RV for hazards like open home windows, free wires, or areas the place a curious cat may get caught. Louie is a fairly large senior cat who’s extra into sleeping than exploring so this was one factor we didn’t actually have to fret about, but it surely’s nonetheless all the time a good suggestion to maintain an eye fixed out for potential hazards.
- Litter Field: Discovering a spot to your cat’s litter field will be difficult in such a small residing house. It’s vital to decide on someplace secure and accessible, ideally in a ventilated space. That is very depending on private desire and your RV’s structure. We maintain ours within the bathe tub since we regularly boondock and don’t use the bathe each day, so it’s not a lot of an inconvenience. To make Louie’s litter field extra accessible, we put in a cat cutout within the lavatory door, permitting him to get out and in of the toilet even when the door is closed. We love our top-entry litter field as a result of it’s simple to maneuver out and in of our bathe and helps reduce litter monitoring all through the camper.
- Different necessities: One other vital consideration is the place to put your cat’s meals, water dishes, and scratching pad. We use a small scratching pad that matches neatly underneath our dinette desk, which helps stop Louie from scratching the camper’s furnishings. For his meals and water, we use a mixed dish with built-in storage for his cat meals—good for small areas! Test it out right here, It retains every thing organized and contained in a compact field, making it extremely handy for RV life.
On the Highway
- Driving Safely: Hold your cat safe throughout journey to make sure their security and reduce distractions. A provider is commonly the most secure choice for a lot of cats, however preferences differ. For instance, our 12-year-old cat, Louie, prefers touring in his mattress underneath one of many boys’ seats as a substitute of being in a provider, so we adjusted to his consolation.
- Important Gear: Pack gadgets like a travel-friendly litter field (if crucial), meals, toys, and a comfortable mattress to make your cat’s journey snug. In case your cat will get anxious throughout journey, think about using calming sprays or pheromone diffusers to assist them loosen up.
- Routine Stops: Plan common breaks to test in your cat, guarantee their litter field is clear, and supply meals or water as wanted. As an alternative of utilizing a transportable litter field whereas driving, we cease periodically for gasoline, meals, and sights and can let Louie into the camper for his lavatory breaks and meals. He even meows to tell us when he wants a cease if it’s pressing. Each cat is exclusive, so take time to determine what setup works greatest to your furry journey companion.
Dwelling Collectively within the RV
- Litter Administration: One among my greatest issues when shifting into our small camper was the potential odor of Louie’s litter field. I by no means actually seen the odor once we lived in a home, however I anxious that in such a small house, it might be insufferable. Fortuitously, these fears had been unfounded. By utilizing a multi-cat clumping litter and scooping incessantly to manage odors, we’ve been in a position to maintain issues recent, and we actually haven’t seen any disagreeable smells within the confined house of the RV. Every day Enrichment: Hold your cat mentally stimulated with toys, climbing areas, and interactive play. If protected, allow them to discover the outside on a leash or no less than shut by with supervision in case your furry pal received’t adapt to a leash. Even with all of the toys now we have for Louie his favourite is crinkled-up receipts. He additionally loves getting up on the boys’ bunks and looking the high-up window.
- Adjusting to RV Life: Don’t get discouraged in case your cat takes time to regulate to life in an RV. Begin with quick journeys and step by step enhance the period of journey till they turn into seasoned vacationers. It might take time, however they’ll finally get used to the motion and new surroundings.
- Monitor Their Conduct: At all times maintain an eye fixed out for indicators of stress, corresponding to hiding, lack of urge for food, or extreme grooming. If any points come up, there are veterinary clinics and hospitals nationwide the place you may take your cat for assist.
Cat Pleasant Adventures
- Harness Coaching: In case your cat enjoys the outside, spend money on a well-fitting harness and leash for supervised outside time. This may add pleasure to their day, but it surely’s simpler in case your cat is youthful. Our 12-year-old cat, Louie, by no means fairly obtained the cling of carrying a harness—he would simply lie there, unwilling to maneuver. Whereas we may have finally labored on it, we now let him benefit from the open air by sitting close to the camper and go away him house whereas we discover, reasonably than forcing him into harness coaching. We do have his harness all the time in our truck in case of emergencies.
- Pet-Pleasant Campgrounds: Analysis RV parks and campgrounds that welcome pets and supply facilities like trails or open areas for leashed walks. In over two years of full-time journey, we’ve solely encountered one campground that didn’t enable pets! Insurance policies can differ, with some campgrounds requiring proof of vaccination information and others working on the dignity system
Monitoring When Away
- Air flow & Local weather Management: Hold the RV well-ventilated and at a cushty temperature. Cats are delicate to warmth and chilly, so ensure that they’ve entry to a shaded and comfy space particularly whereas boondocking.
- Pet Displays: If you happen to go away the RV with out your cat, think about using a pet monitoring system to maintain monitor of temperature and situations contained in the RV. There are numerous choices on the market however we use the Waggle Pet Monitor as our journey important, making certain our pet cat’s security and luxury whereas we exit exploring and are away from our RV. With its real-time monitoring options, we are able to loosen up and revel in our travels, understanding that our furry feline is protected from excessive warmth or chilly. Waggle retains us related to our pet’s well-being, permitting us to benefit from each journey with none worries!
Learn extra about the very best RV pet displays.
Advantages of RVing with a Cat
- Security, Safety, and Companionship: Touring together with your cat ensures their security and well-being, as you may monitor them carefully and keep away from the stress or dangers of boarding or leaving them with a sitter. Whether or not you’re touring short-term or full-time, bringing your pet alongside lets you share your adventures collectively. Louie, for instance, hates being away from us and loves spending our days and nights cuddled up with the household, making him the right journey companion. Having your cat with you supplies fixed companionship, which provides consolation and pleasure to your travels, particularly throughout lengthy drives or distant stays.
RVing with a cat provides a brand new dimension to life on the street, making your travels extra fulfilling. With correct planning, persistence, and care, you may create a life-style the place each you and your feline thrive in your adventures. Protected travels!
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