Can your Cat Camp? A Guide To Feline Friendly RV’ing
You’re loading up the RV for another great adventure! The whole family has everything packed up, and ready to go. The only member who is being left behind is your furry feline friend. When one of the kids ask, “Can’t we just bring Mittens along?” Your instinct is to say, “No, that won’t work.” But the more you think about this question, you begin to wonder, “Can I bring my feline along for the ride?”
With some preparation and the right cat, the answer is yes! You definitely can bring your furry friend along in your RV.
Before you throw Mittens in the car and hit the road, there are a few things to consider. One of the main things is to understand is your cat’s personality. Some furry friends simply aren’t cut out for the traveling lifestyle. Some cats are just more adventurous than others.
If your cat is an inside-only cat that has been declawed, you will probably need to warm your cat up to the idea of RV travel by having some leash training. You don’t want to give your indoor cat anxiety by placing them in a new, unknown environment, so make sure you ease them into it.
You might think having an outdoor cat is a big plus when it comes to traveling, and to an extent, you’re right. The only problem is, your outdoor cat won’t be too happy if it’s cooped up inside for long periods of time. In preparation of bridging an outdoor cat on an RV trip, make sure you bring your cat inside so they can get used to life indoors before you pack them up in the RV for a long road trip. Along with this, make sure that you know the toys, treats (or special calls) that bring your pawed adventurer back to the RV when it’s time to leave.
Regardless of your cat’s personality, all cats need a little time to get used to traveling on the road. Have a couple of practice sessions where you load your cat into a hard-sided pet carrier and bring them along for a few short trips. They might be upset by this in the beginning, but once they get used to the feeling of being on the road they will get less fussy.
Many of the tips we provided in our blog about bringing your K9 friend RVing still apply when it’s time to bring your kitty camping too. Our pawed friends need these essentials when traveling:
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Health and vaccination records
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Medications
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ID tags (preferably on your pet in case they get separated.)
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Leash (because most campgrounds require a leash)
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Food, treats and water (for maintaining your pet’s normal schedule)
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Favorite toys (are better for Chewy to chew on than the leg of your dining room table)
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Crates, beds or blankets (for familiarity and comfort)
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Litter
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Cleaning supplies (for the accidents that might happen along the way)
The biggest difference between bringing your cat camping as opposed to a dog, is that you must have a litter area. Since your RV space is small, make sure you invest in the best odor-fighting litter you can find. Finding a litter that has less dust is always a good thing. We also suggest to store your cat’s food in an airtight container to keep the food fresh and keep pests out. Before you bring Mittens, make sure you look into the campground rules before you pull up and let your kitty friend roam free.
Now that you know how to take Mittens along on your RV trip, you should have the engine purring and ready to roll in no time!
