Traveling with a cat

[travelinjoan]

Hi everyone.  Happy New Year.

Well I have been watching a lot of videos on compost toilets.  Was wondering if anyone out there traveling with a cat could tell me if it is o.k. to put the cats solid waste into the compost toilet.

Also if you are boondocking in a remote area can you bury the soiled cat liter.

Any information or suggestions greatly appreciated.



Thank you

 

[dawnann7]

I'm not a pro and I'll be watching others' comments with interest, but it seems to me the answer could be yes on both counts.

In the first scenario, cat droppings should compost exactly the same as human ones. In the second scenario, you'd just be returning animal waste to nature; it should be no different than deer or bear droppings, or even those of the "big" cats.

Someone may know of some reasons that would not be allowed, though.

 

[VanKitten]

If you are using kitty litter...then do not bury it, the chemicals are a problem.
As for throwing it into the composting head...sure...but it will fill up just that much faster...requiring you to make more runs to the dump station anyway.

Do not think that a composting head actually does the whole job of composting. Do not just dump it in a bush. Even a hole would have to be pretty big. Pine shavings take a long time to begin to break down. Straw is faster, but much harder to find and use. Coco coir is just a pain to find and breakup for use.

My composting toilet requires I empty it about once a month. I have to do a trash run about once a week...the bag with the used litter can be included at that time. I clean the box every day...open and reclose the same bag until it goes to the dump station.

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

Is traveling with a cat difficult? It seems like they would try to jump out and make noise when stealth camping. I would love to have one as a companion though.

 

[Cammalu]

This one travels well

 

[VanKitten]

Smidge is doing great as a traveling cat.   
Walks on a leash, and is learning that going out means putting on the harness first.

No so sure that living in a van and not getting outside would suit most cats

 

[BigT]

I wish my cat would travel with me. It would save me tons in kennel bills ($210 - $300 a week!), but she pees all over the place if I so much as try taking her to the vet. (she's pretty good at working her way out of the carrier).

 

[2017letgo]

Big t, when you attempted to have your cat in the vehicle, did you bring some dirty litter several deposits of both? Sounds counter productive but cats want their scent on everything from bedding to potty.
BTW hydrogen peroxide ( I use it straight on the walls of my litter boxes...got one boy that wasn't taught to squat pee) can help neutralize cat urine smell. I have one btl outside my front door as a roving unaltered Tom seems to like marking my storm door...guess he smells my boys and girls. But use a test spot on fabric to see if it will alter the color....ask me how I know that lol!
When you tried before to take your kitty did you let her investigate the vehicle? Without it being on or moving...Again smells are comfy, toss a few small towels she's slept on around. Her food water bowls, toy or two if she has favorite and her bed ( if she's anything like mine she'll find her own napping spots.

Here's steps: for some it's a process, for others they are just switch key cats.
Quick method
Day one morning: Introduce cat to vehicle (with her in kitty carrier getting used to being loaded up but not going to vet) with pm let her explore start with 15 min exposures . First 5 mins with door closed and carrier covered ( dark place safe place)
Have a litter box set up ( you can buy a cheap plastic container with a lid from Walmart and canit store in garage outside after training session)with unused litter on bottom and the used pile on top evening ( another quick get to know her new home session) feed her ( special little treat so she learns vehicle equal tasty tidbit...may be excessive but you want her co-operation... two morning and two night sessions. Lots of reassuring petting and a special treat for being a good girl. I have food motivated cats so I use canned chicken as treat.

Day three 30 minutes in vehicle ( starting it so she becomes accustomed to sound and vibration about the last five minutes), lots of petting, talking to, etc. New surroundings lots of things to see hear smell. More nummy treats as reward for being such a good girl.

Day five load her up drive around the block. Several times a day (Ideally she would learn that getting into the carrier means if she goes in willingly... she gets treat, I have two that will volunteer get into kennel when I get it out, one hides and cries like he's being tortured) mine has a special blanket and riding harness for riding copilot in passenger seat.
condensed version to get cat training for travel.

 

[sub2rainEN]

Thanks for this. Mine is getting used to her harness. My RV needs work before hitting the road, so this would make great use of downtime.

Big t, when you attempted to have your cat in the vehicle, did you bring some dirty litter several deposits of both? Sounds counter productive but cats want their scent on everything from bedding to potty.
BTW hydrogen peroxide ( I use it straight on the walls of my litter boxes...got one boy that wasn't taught to squat pee) can help neutralize cat urine smell. I have one btl outside my front door as a roving unaltered Tom seems to like marking my storm door...guess he smells my boys and girls. But use a test spot on fabric to see if it will alter the color....ask me how I know that lol!
When you tried before to take your kitty did you let her investigate the vehicle? Without it being on or moving...Again smells are comfy, toss a few small towels she's slept on around. Her food water bowls, toy or two if she has favorite and her bed ( if she's anything like mine she'll find her own napping spots.

Here's steps: for some it's a process, for others they are just switch key cats.
Quick method
Day one morning: Introduce cat to vehicle (with her in kitty carrier getting used to being loaded up but not going to vet) with pm let her explore start with 15 min exposures . First 5 mins with door closed and carrier covered ( dark place safe place)
Have a litter box set up ( you can buy a cheap plastic container with a lid from Walmart and canit store in garage outside after training session)with unused litter on bottom and the used pile on top evening ( another quick get to know her new home session) feed her ( special little treat so she learns vehicle equal tasty tidbit...may be excessive but you want her co-operation... two morning and two night sessions. Lots of reassuring petting and a special treat for being a good girl. I have food motivated cats so I use canned chicken as treat.

Day three 30 minutes in vehicle ( starting it so she becomes accustomed to sound and vibration about the last five minutes), lots of petting, talking to, etc. New surroundings lots of things to see hear smell. More nummy treats as reward for being such a good girl.

Day five load her up drive around the block. Several times a day (Ideally she would learn that getting into the carrier means if she goes in willingly... she gets treat, I have two that will volunteer get into kennel when I get it out, one hides and cries like he's being tortured) mine has a special blanket and riding harness for riding copilot in passenger seat.
condensed version to get cat training for travel.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[travelinjoan]

Is traveling with a cat difficult? It seems like they would try to jump out and make noise when stealth camping. I would love to have one as a companion though.

Will let you know.  I have not gotten on the road yet.  I have taken short trips to the keys by car, but the cat is contained in a carry bag.  Would not recommend open windows while traveling with a cat.

 

[travelinjoan]

Big t, when you attempted to have  your cat in the vehicle, did you bring some dirty litter several deposits of both? Sounds counter productive but cats want their scent on everything from bedding to potty.  
BTW hydrogen peroxide ( I use it straight on the walls of my litter boxes...got one boy that wasn't taught to squat pee) can help neutralize  cat urine smell. I have one btl outside my front door as a roving unaltered Tom seems to like marking my storm door...guess he smells my boys and girls.   But use a test spot on fabric to see if it will alter the color....ask me how I know that lol!
When you tried before to take your kitty did you let her investigate the vehicle? Without it being on or moving...Again smells are comfy, toss a few small towels she's slept on around. Her food water bowls, toy or two if she has favorite and her bed ( if she's anything like mine she'll find her own napping spots.

Here's steps: for some it's a process, for others they are just switch key cats.
Quick method
Day one morning: Introduce cat to vehicle (with her in kitty carrier getting used to being loaded up but not going to vet)  with pm let her explore start with  15 min exposures . First 5 mins with door closed and carrier covered ( dark place safe place)
Have a litter box set up ( you can buy a cheap plastic container with a lid from Walmart and canit store in garage outside after training session)with unused litter on bottom and the used pile on top  evening ( another quick get to know her new home session) feed her ( special little treat so she learns vehicle equal tasty tidbit...may be excessive but you want her co-operation...  two morning and two night sessions. Lots of reassuring petting and a special treat for being a good girl.  I have food motivated cats so I use canned chicken as treat.

Day three  30 minutes in vehicle ( starting it so she becomes accustomed to sound and vibration about the last five minutes), lots of petting, talking to, etc. New surroundings lots of things to see hear smell. More nummy treats as reward  for being such a good girl.

Day five     load her up drive around the block. Several times a day (Ideally she would learn that getting into the carrier means if she goes in willingly... she gets treat, I have two that will volunteer get into kennel when I get it out,  one hides and cries like he's being tortured)  mine has a special blanket and riding harness for riding copilot in passenger seat.
condensed version to get cat training for travel.  

Would love to know where you got the special blanket and riding harness.  Think my cat would lilke that

 

[CLOUD WOMAN]

Is traveling with a cat difficult? It seems like they would try to jump out and make noise when stealth camping. I would love to have one as a companion though.

Hi GeorgiePorgie, 

I've been traveling with my cat/s (not many at once, but different ones at different times) and it works out just fine so far. Cats are quiet, especially when they are nervous or afraid, and more likely to hide than run. Neither of my cats were exposed to long term travel all at once. We built up on the travel hours. My cat now, Ina, has been riding with me on longer and longer trips for the last 2 years. She gets ever more comfortable for which I am very glad. During travel time I usually don't see her at all during the day, but as soon as the van stops moving she comes out, uses the bathroom and drinks water and a bite to eat. After watching her do this many times, I came to realize I have to take longer stops during the middle of a run so she can feel relaxed enough to do her self care. I can't expect her to eat or drink or go to the bathroom when the van is moving at 60+ mph, or when I'm stopped long enough to go to the bathroom and gas up. 

She is getting more and more comfortable, coming out on my lap when the van is moving and talking to me. I even saw her standing on the rim of my front window one evening when I was at camp in my cook tent. This kinda made me nervous because if she had jumped out and got spooked that might be it. It is a matter of trust and I have to be willing to take the time with her, which I am. Eventually I believe she will be willing to be on a harness with a run line. If not, we will work it out together. I won't give up my dream, Van living, or my cat!  :heart:

CLOUD WOMAN

 

[CLOUD WOMAN]

This one travels well

Well, YEA, when being treated like a ROCK STAR! LOL This pic is so adorable!  :heart:

 

[CLOUD WOMAN]

I wish my cat would travel with me.  It would save me tons in kennel bills ($210 - $300 a week!), but she pees all over the place if I so much as try taking her to the vet.  (she's pretty good at working her way out of the carrier).

Hi Tim, 

How about ordering some herbal essences from Jackson Galaxy's site, the guy from, "My Cat from Hell," show on t.v.? Sometimes we just have to go through the unpleasant stuff for our loved ones to realize they AREN'T BEING TORTURED OR LED TO THEIR DEATH! In any case, you many ask your vet how to get your kitty to settle down. Begin taking her out in your vehicle and just staying with her in the quiet. Pet her and give her treats. Do this for a couple weeks. Then do this and turn the motor on the entire time, still give her lots of praise and treats. Do that for a couple weeks. Last, begin adding short trips around the block for a couple weeks, then further and further. Cats are pretty darn resilient. Make sure you have lots of her stuff with HER smell on them in your vehicle. Towels, blankets, sleeping bed, water and food bowls, toys, etc.

This will take time, so just stick with the plan and always giver her praise, even if she has an accident or whatever happens. STAY CALM...don't let on that you are at all upset with her or her behavior. She should come around eventually. 

GOOD LUCK!
CLOUD WOMAN 

 

[tripper]

Hi everyone.  Happy New Year.

Well I have been watching a lot of videos on compost toilets.  Was wondering if anyone out there traveling with a cat could tell me if it is o.k. to put the cats solid waste into the compost toilet.

Also if you are boondocking in a remote area can you bury the soiled cat liter.

Any information or suggestions greatly appreciated.



Thank you

I find that if I use a lot of clumping cat litter, i.e. a very large size litter box, that the waste gets dried out fast and loses its odor fast. I clean it 2-3 times a day, stir the litter around a lot and keep it in a well ventilated and airy spot. I put the waste into those plastic grocery bags, tie a knot and put those bags into a heavy duty normal trash bag, there is no smell and it takes a while before I need to throw the trash bag away. Kitty poo seems to dry out really fast in clumping litter as long as there is good airflow. I travel with 2-4 cats. I have never buried the soiled cat litter, but I would think it is ok as long as you bury it deep enough, however it is easy enough to bag and throw away.
I wouldn't put the cat waste in a composting toilet.

 

[Cammalu]

Well, YEA, when being treated like a ROCK STAR! LOL This pic is so adorable!  :heart:

Haha. I got the goggles when I saw that he kept squinting a lot when he was out in the sun and especially when he's riding on the UTV. He hasn't tried to take them off yet so I guess he's good with them. He's very easy to travel with and stays right around the camper within eye sight when he's let out.