Travelling With a Cat

Halfwaythere · Veteran Member

Travelling With a Cat

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Travelling with any pet will eliminate you from visiting National Parks which are some of the most spectacular parts of the country.
Cats are possibly the biggest threat to native wild life in this country. Leave it home.
Cheers,
Peter

Halfwaythere · Veteran Member

Thanks Peter, we know National Parks are out of bounds, and the curfew he's lived in means he hasn't been out and about at all.

As for leaving him at home, to us that would be like leaving a child on their own.

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Possum3 · Guru

As long as the cat is neutered and kept on a leash whilst outside the van, I don't see any problems.
Like Peter advised cats are a menace to all forms of native wildlife and you may meet many people on the road that will not be backward in informing you of that, some not too politely. I understand the attachment some people have to their fur babies, I personally love dogs but I am no longer permitted to have one (the child-bride doesn't want one in the van).

Halfwaythere · Veteran Member

Yes, he's neutered, and won't be outside (unless we set up the annex, which can be his domain. We've also got a 14 year old dog on her last legs. If we had any sense, we'd delay a couple of years, but hey ho!

SoloMC · Senior Member

Ive seen plenty of cats on leads around the place so it is possible but Unless you can ENSURE 100% of the time that your cat will never 'roam', it should not travel with you

I love big cats but definitely not a fan of the moggy unless its ALWAYS kept inside.

Any cat that isnt restricted is to be treated as feral.

So many well-fed domestic cats kill wildlife, its just in their nature. Its not the cats fault,its the owners fault
Cats are 2nd only to cane toads when it comes to environmental destruction.
.
There is a 'pussy willow' tree that is the final home for hundreds of feral cats that didnt see the .223 calibre coming

Halfwaythere · Veteran Member

His definition of "roaming" is walking from his bed to his food bowl biggrin

I'm hoping there's at least one member that travels with a cat for handy tips. I'd rather that Murphy never sees the Pussy Willow!

Craig1 · Guru

It is constant vigilance Dave, obviously a correct fitting lead at all times and a close lookout for free roamin dogs. That was our experience from weekend camping and taking the moggie.

I would think that some attitudes to cats have gotten worse in the last few years also.

Tony Bev · Guru

We purchased the motorhome, as the wife said that the back seat of the car, while towing a caravan, was too small for the cat

The cat had been fixed up, and microchipped

It was kept in a harness, with two normal leads tied together

With the handle of the lead on the leg of the table, the cat could roam just about anywhere except under the pedals, and onto the bed

We kept the food and water bowls near the shower room, and the dirt box behind the passenger seat

The cat was not smart enough to realise, that a good tug, would probably pull the table leg off

Some people have claimed, that their cat talks to them

Our cat was a comedian, each time I would tell it to do something, it would just reply, "me how", with a funny look on its face

The only time it left the motorhome, it was in the arms of the wife

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

Desexing a cat doesn't stop it from killing native fauna.

It seems that the OP is keeping the cat fully controlled which is commendable.

hokianga · Senior Member

I travelled on and off with my elderly cat and very old dog, sadly Bobby my dog passed away an dnow I have a large puppy, so my next travel plan entails getting a house sitter for my elderly cat and taking pup with me. Puss started travelling with me when she was 17 years old, she is now 19 and went from being shut in the van ensuite while travelling to now happily curled up on the couch. I never let her outside the motorhome, I feel she would have been too vulnerable to wandering dogs. She would just sit and look out the window when parked up anywhere or just sleep.

Possum3 · Guru

Buzz Lightbulb wrote:
Desexing a cat doesn't stop it from killing native fauna.

But it stops it from breeding with other feral cats if it escapes - neutering should be made compulsory.

Mike Harding · Guru

Tamsun travels with a cat, she regularly posts video blogs to the travel forum.

Macka1706 · Member

HiWe lost our Cornish Rex last Sunday. 19 yrs in Sep't 4th.
He had a great life and cost a fortune. He and his brother (long diseases) Spent their first 13 yrs of life travelling 3 months of Central Qland Winter,
in a 6.5mtr van. Up to Darwin and surrounds. Harnesses for walk. and a big stick for dogs. We had a Large collapsable Galv, 1 mtr + Cubed Dog cage outside van under roll out. With water/tray etc inside the floor was a plastic tray.
Blanket covering rear half or side to stop dogs being interested and some sun shade.
I also had a rope across the roll out legs with 6 ft leads to harnesses so they had a good run across front of van when we out the front.
They were quite happy inside and when travelling, Slept under the pillows poking heads out when we stopped to see if we finished. Then back under again.
Even when we stopped at layby's they only got out van. nipped under for relief then nip back up step to safety.
My prev Cornish lived with me on Yacht for 10 yrs. he was the same. and when he went over the side chasing dolphins there is always a loong towel hanging over Port stern quarter for him. He was Really quick at bolting back up that.

Most importantly. Get them used to time in van first. In YOUR back yard. Then a coupla short trips to get them used to the travel.
I spent 5km IN our van with them the first coupla times we started with them. Makes all the difference.
And ALWAYS KEEP THEM UNDER CONTROL. At all times.

yobarr · Guru

Possum3 wrote:
Buzz Lightbulb wrote:
Desexing a cat doesn't stop it from killing native fauna.
But it stops it from breeding with other feral cats if it escapes - neutering should be made compulsory.

This is the only type of Cat worth having? At least it is useful! Cheers

KJB · Guru

yobarr wrote:
Possum3 wrote:
Buzz Lightbulb wrote:
Desexing a cat doesn't stop it from killing native fauna.
But it stops it from breeding with other feral cats if it escapes - neutering should be made compulsory.
This is the only type of Cat worth having? At least it is useful! Cheers

Good to see it properly restrained ........roaming cats (neutered or not) kill our wildlife..... KB

Macka1706 · Member

Ha, a baby CAT(erpillar).
Last job b4 retiring I had one of those, a 60 ton standing by to clean out my bucket when I hit clay. (Kobelco 975 140 tonner)
Digging out Townsville second lake back in early '90's. 2 1/2 buckets to a CAT 777 dump trucks tray. Good old days.
Nice little machine, but the big Leibhers were smoother and stronger.
I drove one of Leibher first ever Excavators back in '64. In UK. a model 360. then a 700. ended up demonstrating them.
They were a latest offshoot from "Star Tower cranes. Germany, in those days.