Getting pets used to the AS way of life

[C Johnson]

Hi all, I have two cats and I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how to get them used to living in the trailer for a week or two at a time. Thanks in advance for your replies.

Chris

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by C Johnson

Hi all, I have two cats and I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how to get them used to living in the trailer for a week or two at a time. Thanks in advance for your replies.

Chris

Chris, we have had this issue with our cat, and what seemed to work best was to put him in his pet carrier, take him out to the trailer, with no other distractions, and with a few kitty treats. Coax him out of the carrier with the treats, and let him explore. It would be a good idea if all the curtains were pulled back, in case he panics and tries to climb them, they are expensive.
After a while, when he has calmed down, put him back in the carrier and take him back to the house. Repeat this for several days, until he becomes comfortable with the trailer. At this point, it would be good if you left him by himself briefly in the trailer, then increase the time he is alone in the trailer.
The alternative is to stick the cat in the carrier at the last moment, put the carrier in the trailer, and take off for a far away place with the trailer. He will either become used to the trailer, and traveling, or not.
Good luck with the cats, umm, you DO have pet carriers for them?
Terry

[Silvertwinkie]

I know dogs and cats are as different as men and women, but when it came to getting our pooch use to the coach, we slowly introduced her to the coach, little by little so it began to become familar. First was the intro walk through while going outside, a few more visits here and there, then a few 15 minute times with her alone in the coach, 30 minutes, an hour a few times and it was easy to go camping with her and have her be comfy and not freaked out when we'd leave to go exploring.

[flamingo-kid1]

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

I know dogs and cats are as different as men and women, but when it came to getting our pooch use to the coach, we slowly introduced her to the coach, little by little so it began to become familar. First was the intro walk through while going outside, a few more visits here and there, then a few 15 minute times with her alone in the coach, 30 minutes, an hour a few times and it was easy to go camping with her and have her be comfy and not freaked out when we'd leave to go exploring.

I agree with Steph.. we first let our doggie visit the AS, then a little longer visit, then finally an overnight on the driveway. One dog made it, the other didn't. The young dog was fine, but the elderly rat terrier can't handle it. So he gets to go to the doggie hotel while we go camping.

I now have the new dog to train, but she's happy to go anywhere, anytime.

Cats are explorers by nature.. make a party out of it, and just go sit in the trailer and watch TV or read while the kitties explore ;-) You should be fine!

.

[flamingo-kid1]

Besides carriers, you should also have kitty harnesses.. they slip collars too easily. They might like to sit around the picnic table and check out the campfire. You can tie a lead to the harness

[Ultradog]

Originally Posted by flamingo-kid1

but the elderly rat terrier can't handle it. So he gets to go to the doggie hotel while we go camping.
.

Funny how dogs of the same breed can be so different.
My little Rat just loves to go wherever I go. I've had her with me in the sidecar of my buddy's motorcycle, spent lots of hours fishing with her in the boat, had her on my lap while doing field work with the tractor and of course she loves the AS.

[markdoane]

And here's a picture of Ultradog's little rat.

[flamingo-kid1]

Ultradog.. what a BEAST you own!

I'm SKEERED :-)

MY Rat was a rescue and has been kenneled all of his earlier life and is afraid of a lot of things. He's a happy dude just to have a home, and he doesn't like to leave it.

When we camp, he stands "on guard" on TOP of me all night long. And I really don't want to medicate him. So, because of his extenuating rescue circumstances, he gets to go to the vet, which he happens to LOVE.

[flamingo-kid1]

Check into the thread we had going on pet E-tags for identification if, God forbid, your pet should become lost...... they are pretty cool!

P.s. only a hundred more posts till I get to be a Rivet Master!! yee haw!

[kposey]

I think my cats think they are dogs. They get in the Airstream by themselves and stay. In fact, I have to do a do a search for them before closing it up. I have found one of them the next morning curled up on the bed asleep!

As for my dogs, if the Airstream gets packed, they load up too! They will only get out of the trailer to get in the truck!

[jcanavera]

Our dogs have always liked camping. I think its the new smells and the fact that they get lots of leash time. We really didn't have to do anything to accept the trailer. To them its the "house". They tend to sleep while we are towing and usually wake up and start yipping excitedly (cause they know its leash time) as we pull off the road to a rest stop or our campground.

The thing we need to watch is the jumping on the sofa. Our newest pooch likes to "dig" and root around as he makes gets ready to lie down. Little claws can do major damage to soft leather (like our sofa in the Classic) or loose weave seating materials.

When we leave them alone we usually place something on the sofa which discourages either of them from jumping up.

One caution is that some of the single step Safari's and Bambi's have round holes in the step that can catch a nail or small paw. So be careful when letting them use the step.

Jack

[Pahaska]

Our big old indoor/outdoor cat will go into the trailer and go to sleep if I have it parked at the house with the door open. He took to the trailer immediately and seems to understand that he can't go out while away from home.

Our 2 1/2 year old bobtail has travelled since she was a couple of months old. She wears a figure-eight harness all of the time and walks on a leash fairly well wherever we go. She attends all of the happy hours with us and has won two blue ribbons at the Region 9 rally pet show. She can lead me back to our trailer in a whole park full of silver trailers.

Both cats ride in the trailer while underway (weather permitting) and seem to prefer that to the truck. With the 2 Fantastic Fans, we can leave them back there until it gets to about 95, then we treat them to AC in the truck. The young cat rides between the curtain and the front quarter window, watching the world go by. The big old cat wedges himself behind the queen bed.

We carry the litter box in the shower. It has a flapper door and a filter on top that keeps odors under control. It is extra deep to discourage tracking of litter. I use a degradable wheat-based litter that will dissolve if some gets into the holding tanks.

[C Johnson]

Yes both cats have been chipped and have tags. That was the first thing I did when I figured out I wanted to take them along on trips.

[MarkE]

My cat enjoys exploring and just 'hangin out' in the trailer. I often take her with me when I am working, or just relaxing, in the Airstream and this is just fine with her: as long as the trailer remains stationary, in the driveway.
BUT she HATES to travel!
I have tried taking her in a pet-taxi and without (allowing her 'free range' in the vehicle). I have tried different vehicles. I have tried the tow vehicle, both with and without the Airstream. No go, as far as she is concerned.
So, I can attest that there are some cats (one, at least) who like the Airstream experience but just don't like to TRAVEL.
Although I've never tried it (due to her freaking-out during the ride) I feel sure my cat would do fine inside the trailer, for a few days, at a campsite.
But....
Oh well, at least she's a good 'watch kitty' for the house while I am gone Airstreaming.
So, Chris, if your cat enjoys the ride you have 1/2 of the problem 'licked' (to use cat terms).

[silverback]

We tried a similar approach to what Terry described, but times two. First we got them used to riding in the truck (in their well padded mobile units, AKA Pet Taxi), then we introduced them to the trailer at the storage facility a couple of times. Then we went out for a quick overnight. We travel with the cats in the truck (it's almost always too hot in AZ) and stop every couple of hours at rest areas and bring them back to the trailer to use the litter box and have some food and water. Like Pahaska the litter box is in the shower. We have the CCD with the wrap around front windows and that's gato territory when we're camped. They can see out and watch all the critters, but nobody can see in. Cats are very territorial so there is some swatting now and then (one is a girl over 10 and the other is a boy around 2) in the limited space, but they both end up sleeping with us. We are still working on the leash training...
-Ken

[Turtle]

C Johnson, We had a cat adopt us several months ago. We didn't want a pet in our lives because we travel. We are taking our first trip soon and are leaving the little critter home with a professional pet-sitter to check on him every day. We're new to cats. How do they do on their own for weeks at a time. This guy hung around our house for over a year with us assuming he belonged to someone in the neighborhood. Not so. So he has about 1 1/2 years of living on his own in our yard. But took to being inside rather fast. Tell us he'd rather be home alone then on the road with us. Please! Jamie

[C Johnson]

Originally Posted by Turtle

C Johnson, We had a cat adopt us several months ago. We didn't want a pet in our lives because we travel. We are taking our first trip soon and are leaving the little critter home with a professional pet-sitter to check on him every day. We're new to cats. How do they do on their own for weeks at a time. This guy hung around our house for over a year with us assuming he belonged to someone in the neighborhood. Not so. So he has about 1 1/2 years of living on his own in our yard. But took to being inside rather fast. Tell us he'd rather be home alone then on the road with us. Please! Jamie

Hi Jamie, My cats usually stay home in the house and do just fine with the neighbor looking in on them twice everyday. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon. The reason I want to take my cats along is that I am planning some rather long trips for late this summer and next year. Bones does very well in the truck, but my older cat OC doesn't care for it too much. But, he will walk on a leash tho ! Bones won't he just lays down. lol. Read some of the other replies here. Your kitty might just take to the trailer. Ya never know. If not, I am sure he would be happy to have you out of his house! lol. Good luck.

Chris

[Pahaska]

We leave our 3rd cat (our paranoid schitzofraidycat) at home for weeks at a time with a neighbor girl checking on her about every 3rd day. We have 2 gravity feeders and 2 gravity waterers, but so far she has never had to refill any of them.

Before our oldest cat was diabetic, we would leave the two of them home together. Now, we have to take the diabetic cat with us to give him his daily shots and feed him his (expensive) special diet.

[PWRSTRK]

Maybe this is the difference between cats and dogs or maybe we're just lucky.

Brittany loves the trailer and our motorhome, too. In fact, if the Airstream is in the garage and we let her out, she usually runs to the door of the Airstream. We have to explain that we're not going on a trip and she needs to do something else. :-)

One of the reasons we decided to take up 'streamin' was that we could vacation with the dog -- and we're very glad she loves it!

[C Johnson]

Wanted to say thanks to all who posted a reply to this tread. I am going to start with baby steps and get the cats aclimated to the AS little by little. I think they will be fine after that. I don't feel comfortible enough to have them ride in there tho. They do fine in the cab of the truck. My kitten just lays down and my big orange cat always wants to drive, lol.

Chris