Travelling with a Moggy (1 Viewer)

Tincataylor

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Never leave a campsite with your clothes line tied to a lamp post.
We would love to hear from anybody who has successfully travelled with a cat in the UK and Europe. Our beloved moggy is the single biggest hurdle to overcome regarding spending extended time away. He plays up merry hell in the car when he has to go into the cattery for a week or so, but we are hoping that he would eventually get used to life on the road and that the van would become an extension to his regular home. Any experiences that readers may have, both positive and negative, would be most welcome,

All the Best

Richard & Lynne
 

Don Quixote

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We would love to hear from anybody who has successfully travelled with a cat in the UK and Europe. Our beloved moggy is the single biggest hurdle to overcome regarding spending extended time away. He plays up merry hell in the car when he has to go into the cattery for a week or so, but we are hoping that he would eventually get used to life on the road and that the van would become an extension to his regular home. Any experiences that readers may have, both positive and negative, would be most welcome,

All the Best

Richard & Lynne

We have been traveling with two cats one is 18 years old and the other 4 years old, off and on for nearly 3 years. When on the move they are in boxes and when parked up they have free run on MH and do not go out. We have trackers fitted to collar so if they got out we can find them. To date UK, France, Germany, Spain and Portugal and all places in-between.....
 

Moodybrook

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I hope this thread develops as I had just PM'd a member who couldn't help me much then she pointed out this thread.

I am assuming procedure is all similar to taking a dog abroad, electronic chip and jabs, vet should really get her hooks into me with that.

I am interested in your tracker, as cats do have independant minds at times, usually when least wanted :Smile:

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dylan

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We have had several campers come with their cats. Never lost any yet or had any problems. One lady did say she had lost her cat but he was found asleep right by her van and was ignoring her calls. There is a lovely funster from France who came here with her two dogs and two cats and they travel everywhere with her. Give it a try :thumb:
 

slimbob

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hi we also have a cat it was our late daughter's cat so we feel that we have to look after her .
the cat is 18 yrs old and sleeps most of the time .
but put her in the m/home and she goes mad .
we have tried to take her with us a few times now but each time have had to come home .not yet spent a night in the m/home with the cat .
so good luck to you hope it works ok for you
please let us know how you get on
 

hilldweller

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We would love to hear from anybody who has successfully travelled with a cat in the UK and Europe.
Richard & Lynne

One of the strangest sights we've seen was a Welshman walking his cat on a lead along the Moselle.

It even beats Geo's cat stuck up a tree by the Ouze.

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Tincataylor

Tincataylor

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Never leave a campsite with your clothes line tied to a lamp post.
The plan, if you can call it that, is to have the van in the drive with the door open as much as possible so the said moggy can go in and out and generally get used to the thing. With a bit of luck he might even take to taking one of his many naps in the camper so that it is not a foreign environment. We then plan to do nothing more than go for a drive for a hour or so with him running loose in the van (he REALLY hates the cat box) with a litter tray so we can judge if he will settle down and stop the incessant mewling we normally get on the way to the vets. Training him to a lead is also a possibility, however I think it might take more patience than I have.:Doh:

Thanks for the replies so far,

Richard & Lynne
 

Hollyberry

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I lived in the motorhome ( inadvertently, due to prem granddaughter ) last year, with 2 dogs and 2 cats.
So far this year we've been travelling since May, up through France and around UK.

I've not really had any problems with the cats. One is 19 now, the other 8.

I'd say:

Get the cat used to the m.home gradually, sit in it with him/ her, feed them in there. Just sit and watch TV for an hour.
Go for short trip with cat secured in a crate. A cat leaping round a home is a risk.

I have 2 large folding crates, don't weigh much. Look on Ebay, search folding dog crate and ignore all the metal ones. They are made of nylon with mesh panels.

When cat is used to travelling spend couple of days away. Take all cats usual items, food, bowls, litter and tray, don't give them anything different or new.

Mine use the litter tray placed in the shower tray ( luckily have sliding door) shower tray is lined with large piece of vinyl cloth. Use Catsan litter, best at odour control

Take a packet of poo bags or nappy sacks so you can remove any poo immediately.

Litter ray can be cleaned with wipes. If any urine smell does build up Surgical Spirit on a piece of kitchen towel wiped over tray will get rid of it.

You can get a Feliway spray or plug in, or your cat might like a cat nip spray.

My old cat goes out by herself, she's very slow now so just has a toddle around under the van mostly. Freddie goes out on a harness and lead.
Again, it's a case of building up gradually. I put just the harness on him, gave him some Dreamies, left the harness on for a while, built up gradually to the lead.

Today the weathers really rough so neither cat wants to go to, both curled up asleep, one on my bed, one sleeping with one of the dogs.

Good luck..... Gradual introduction is the key.

P.S just read previous post to mine. Don't leave door open on your vehicle for cat just to go in and out--- I left locker door open on mine at home in France. Feral cat went in locker and sprayed! Had to scrub whole locker with Surgical spirit to get rid of smell.
 
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Wilderbeast

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I lived in the motorhome ( inadvertently, due to prem granddaughter ) last year, with 2 dogs and 2 cats.
So far this year we've been travelling since May, up through France and around UK.

I've not really had any problems with the cats. One is 19 now, the other 8.

I'd say:

Get the cat used to the m.home gradually, sit in it with him/ her, feed them in there. Just sit and watch TV for an hour.
Go for short trip with cat secured in a crate. A cat leaping round a home is a risk.

I have 2 large folding crates, don't weigh much. Look on Ebay, search folding dog crate and ignore all the metal ones. They are made of nylon with mesh panels.

When cat is used to travelling spend couple of days away. Take all cats usual items, food, bowls, litter and tray, don't give them anything different or new.

Mine use the litter tray placed in the shower tray ( luckily have sliding door) shower tray is lined with large piece of vinyl cloth. Use Catsan litter, best at odour control

Take a packet of poo bags or nappy sacks so you can remove any poo immediately.

Litter ray can be cleaned with wipes. If any urine smell does build up Surgical Spirit on a piece of kitchen towel wiped over tray will get rid of it.

You can get a Feliway spray or plug in, or your cat might like a cat nip spray.

My old cat goes out by herself, she's very slow now so just has a toddle around under the van mostly. Freddie goes out on a harness and lead.
Again, it's a case of building up gradually. I put just the harness on him, gave him some Dreamies, left the harness on for a while, built up gradually to the lead.

Today the weathers really rough so neither cat wants to go to, both curled up asleep, one on my bed, one sleeping with one of the dogs.

Good luck..... Gradual introduction is the key.

P.S just read previous post to mine. Don't leave door open on your vehicle for cat just to go in and out--- I left locker door open on mine at home in France. Feral cat went in locker and sprayed! Had to scrub whole locker with Surgical spirit to get rid of smell.

We took our cat this year for a seven week tour of France.
She is getting on so not too adventures but a harness and lead is tolerated.

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Jul 29, 2007
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One of the strangest sights we've seen was a Welshman walking his cat on a lead along the Moselle.

It even beats Geo's cat stuck up a tree by the Ouze.

Here's the grandson walking one of our cats at Cambridge CC site, only site I have been on that insisted cats had to be on a lead.

Ian
 

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Moodybrook

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Your posts look promising so may have a go.
I did meet one moho team that had a cat flap on their door ! and they were saying that after a day or two on a site their cat got to using it fine. Maybe something to try at home for a while before setting sail. :Smile:
 

barearse

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Pets At Home prescribed "Kalm Aid" for our Molly a couple of years ago pre bonfire night season. We use this when travelling too. As others say, it takes time & patience. Just returned from Chatham and she is getting more used to being driven.

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Minxy

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As has been said, treat the MH as your 'home', you need to use it for an hour or so, do things in it you would normally do at home, so that the cat gets familiar with it and treats it like home too.

Think about how you will keep the cat in when you open the door - do you need some sort of 'barrier' to prevent him/her from quickly nipping out as soon as you do? I know they can jump but I'm thinking more of a gate with narrow gaps, or made of fabric on a frame, something that he/she can't easily get through.

I used to take a pet rat out on a lead but he did NOT like the harness so used to just stop dead and refuse to move! In the end as he was such a slow-poke I didn't need to bother as I could easily keep up just pottering along after him! He used to enjoy snuffling around in the sand dunes, pottering around ruined castles and forts, and even going for a paddle in the sea! ::bigsmile:
 

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