Cats

[splitty67]

I know that many take their dogs away with them when wildcamping but does anyone have experience with taking cats? We have a ten year old long haired tabby called Tinker that our daughter has often looked after when we've gone away for a break. But she now has her hands full with a Hungarian Puli (that's the one with the dreadlocks) and a Staffy Bull,so she can no longer help out. We once left her in a cattery (the cat that is,not the daughter) while we went to Skegness for four days and it was just like being in a prison for her,so we'll never do that again. I've looked online for advice but most of it comes from people with opinions,rather than from personal experience,so we don't need any more of that. If there are any members who do take their cat with them and they can offer any helpful advice,then that would be appreciated. Just noticed I've posted this in the wrong place and I don't know how to move it,oh well,someone might read it.

 

[oldish hippy]

get intouch with jess white van women she does it with cat and dog

 

[Rockerboots]

We take our cat Yogi with us from time to time & he loves it. We have a cat lead so that when we park up he can go outside as we have one of those metal corkscrew things that pushes into the ground and put the loop end of the lead on it so he can`t run off. if he did get away put the food dish out & they`ll soon come back. I took him for a walk along Huttoft car terrace one year and he was the center of attraction (smug little git was loving it :lol-053.
At night he stayed in and kipped on the dash. Take a scratch post if your cat`s the scratcher type and a litter tray for night use & a few favorite toys for entertainment if still a playful cat.


Andy

 

[bru]

i have a friend who takes 2 away but they dont let them out as they are scared they will try to find there way home

 

[yorkieowl]

We took ours a couple of times, with litter tray, he was 12 at the time and not too happy with the travelling, but was fine once we got there, we also had a lead to take him out for walks, only thing to watch for was our door if left open when it was a bit windy would blow shut, but thats easily sorted. If you take their bed or a cat basket they have a little 'den' to hide in, ours loved going on the bed above the cab. Wished I'd taken him along when he was younger. If I got another cat now I would defo take it with me from the start. My dad also had a cat and for many years they took the cat with them to their caravan most weekends without any problems. Hope this helps.

 

[splitty67]

Thanks guys for all the helpful advice,Brenda feels a bit more confident about taking her with us now. She's already used to travelling as when we lived in Cumbria we were up and down the M6 for hospital appointments etc. more times than I can remember,and she always came with us,so she's probably the most travelled cat in the UK. I've always felt she deserves a holiday as much as we do,but knowing that others have done this has been of enormous help,so thanks again.

 

[maingate]

We will have to keep in touch if there is a chance we are both attending the same meet.

My 4 Whippets don't like Cats and can smell them a mile off. :scared:

 

[stepaway]

My uncle, who has lived in southern France for the last decade, used to take his 21 year old tomcat Bruce with him wherever he wilded in his Renault Master van before he passed away. This included jaunts to Biarritz for some beachside relaxing, and plenty of mountain runs up into the Pyrenees and through into the Basque region of Spain. He even managed a run to Andorra one summer. There is a small shallow river down the lane from my uncles house, and Bruce used to come down in the evenings and we would all go for a swim!

He was quite happy cruising around in the van, and would often go off for wanders into the wild when we parked up, but always came back for his supper and a lap or two of beer to help settle him in for the night, no leads were ever required. (he was 21 years old with arthritis, he had earnt it, an ex farm cat who I saw hunt and kill a rabbit once, then drag it up a farm track backwards to eat it)

 

[witzend]

These 2 French Cats seemed to like the life style

 

[sss]

We take one of ours with us. She does not like the traveling too much at first but then settles either in the door well or in her box which sits in a void in the back. We put a litter tray for her in the shower which is fine. At night she either sleeps under the bed on the drivers seat back or in a corner of our bed.

She does go out but never more than a few feet from the van as she is a bit of a scared cat.

 

[iveco4x4]

Ours would hate it, but shes a real scardy cat

This is worth a read

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Travelling-...qid=1365971496&sr=1-2&keywords=travelling+cat

 

[Gerry941]

Hi - just joined and saw this thread. If it helps - as caravanners (now a motor home) we took our Siamese cats with us for many years and they loved it. The sites were mainly close to home (New Forest etc), but on retiring and having just the one cat we ventured abroad - literally.

Countries included: France, Germany, Denmark etc. and like others above we found that she wasn't too keen on the journeys, but on arrival she was fine. So we found plenty of stops on the way helped, plus of course food and a litter tray to hand. A harness took a bit of getting used to - but once on she enjoyed walks and the occasional chew of grass!

We always used the tunnel after taking the ferry just the once - I went down to the deck to see her, a car alarm had gone off and she was terrified. It may be that a motor home might suit a cat better than a van - but we'll not know now, as she went to the big cat basket in the sky a few years ago.

And the photo - it's Harriet on the ferry twixt Germany and Denmark (where you can take animals with you in a specially designated area)

 

[77W]

Great thred

I would be tempted to take our cat away with us but trouble is we have 2 , 1 who loves the camper & the other who likes it but only to hop in have a quick sniff about & then quickly jumps out again & I would feel really mean just taking only one away with us

 

[lebesset]

polish joe and his wife [ moments silence ] used to take their 9 cats with them in a camper van ...the cats especially liked morocco !

talking to a number of people who take their cats they all say the important thing is to move the cat into the motorhome while still at home ...then THAT becomes part of their home wherever they are