Traveling with a cat

[katvagrant]

There's a 99% chance that my baby, Miss Olivia Squashbottom of Underfoot, won't be able to live with the boyfriend, which means she's coming with me! Since I've never done this before, I'm trying to find out everything I can do to keep her happy and comfortable.<br><br>I plan to boondock about two-thirds of the time (or more!), but I'm going to be in cities, too. While Olivia is the kind of cat who likes to sleep all day, she does, of course, have periods of high activity. This would be easy while camping-- put her in a harness, tie her up close to the van, and just kinda keep an eye on her. But what about when I'm in the city? Having her on a leash right by the van for a while would destroy my stealth factor. Plus her safety would be threatened by all the moving vehicles. But I feel bad keeping her cooped up in the van 24 hours a day, especially if I'd have to be somewhere to work for a couple weeks.<br><br>Maybe I should try and focus on training her to walk on a leash like a dog. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>

 

[Imladris]

In your free time, you can drive to someplace out pf the way, or even a large half full parking lot like a lot of the walmarts aound here and tie her up outside the vehicle like when you are boondocking. Or walk her in a petsmart. That will occupy her energy.

 

[katvagrant]

Why didn't I think of Petsmart?! Thank you SO much, Imladris. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> <br>

 

[Imladris]

Well, y'know, every now and then I get lucky and and my noggin cranks out something worthwhile. ;-)

 

[MaximumRide]

I have a cat named Suzy, she is very sooky and does not like being away from me. Also for my sanity i need her with me for company. My concern is leaving her alone in the van in a hot ozzie day. can anyone help?

 

[MaximumRide]

I'd still worry about her. maybe i can get her a fan?

 

[Guest]

<i>How would you like to be tied naked to my trucks bumper, all alone, out in the woods, swamp, mountains or desert and me tell you, "Don't worry, I'll be on the computer or in the shower, but I'll *keep an eye*."<br><br></i>Dunno where, exactly, you plan to "boondock" or what your idea of boondocking is - <br>But unless you hate that cat, "tying her out and *keeping an eye*" <b>is the equivalent of making her BAIT......</b><br>For every territorial tom cat, every stray or loose dog, every coyote, snakes, every hungry wild animal who wants her/your food, or her<i> as</i> food. Fire ants, rattlesnakes, blood sucking mosquitoes.......<br>Basically - you're securing her to a vehicle, where she cannot escape or defend herself. <br>Is your cat an experienced fighter? Is she large and tough? Has she had to deal with wild or aggressive animals? How fast can <u>you</u> move? Faster than a Pitbull? Faster than a rattlesnake? What if you're in the toilet when you hear her screaming? Are you willing to get into the middle of an animal fight, knowing your own cat will probably be so terrified she bites and scratches you - never mind what the other animal might do to you?<br>How fast can you get her to the nearest vet for a emergency care? Will you have several hundred dollars to pay the vet or emergency services?<br>Will you have cell reception to call 911 for yourself?<br><br>Nothing that intends to harm your cat is going to loudly announce itself, wait for you to get dressed, grab a weapon, come outside and then politely take on a human...... before it rips off her head, swallows it, and then turns on you, since it's now full of adrenaline &amp; rushing on seratonin. Can you fight off a large dog? How about a wildcat or bear? You ever break up an animal fight? Kitty been rabies vacc'd?<br> <br>I'm not trying to be mean, but dude, <b>think about it.</b> You are setting out FOOD for wild &amp; stray animals, do you actually expect them to obey human society's rules and bypass a Free Furry Happy Meal?<br><br>I've been long term 'boondocking' in remote, unpopulated areas for over 20 years. I have had to stand up to moose, coyotes, black bear, feral dogs, bobcats, wild boar, groups of large, aggressive raccoons and a puma to defend my cats &amp; campsite.<br>I have never tied or leashed my cats (they stay right with me no matter where we are). I NEVER, EVER let them out of my sight no matter where we are - unless they are secure in my locked, alarmed truck, which happens to be 36" off the ground with tinted windows which keeps them out of sight.<br>NOT EVEN IN THE CITY where people can steal them, kids can torture them, dogs can eat them or other cats can tear them up.<br>and I NEVER allow them outside after sunset.<br><br>Miss Kitty relies on you for her life and safety. PLEASE Don't screw it up.<br><br><br>

 

[Guest]

"All cats can tolerate 133 sustained temps". Rly? Exactly what temps, for how long, at what humidity level, what breeds, what was their pedigree, what were their hydration levels and neuro response times on a time curve and where is this "common knowledge" test data and who did these tests???????<br> "All cats came from the desert" Yeah, well all humans came from Negros, so explain to me why white people still sunburn, why Asian people don't have round eyes and and why people in FL are wearing winter coats at 65 degrees but Mainers are running around in tshirts &amp; shorts at 40 degrees<br>EVOLUTION. Aquired Tolerance.<br>Please consult actual specialists before repeating hearsay or parroting online info when that parroted info can endanger or kill an animal.<br>I bet my truck that no domestic cat could survive an hour in a 133 degree vehicle, without permanent or fatal damage.<br>Ask a CAT veterinarian. Preferably a specialist, not just any money grubbing "vet".<br>SOME cats can tolerate higher temps <i>as compared to dogs</i>. But then again - so can reptiles, amphibians and birds. <br>Typically those cats are short haired, long muzzled, big eared and have built up a tolerance to high temps. <br>Keep in mind that this vague "high temps" does NOT state exact temps or humidity, wind speeds or heat index levels<br><u>ACTUAL FACTS </u>- My medium haired, gray Main Coon cat heat stroked out at 102 degrees in Phoenix's dry heat -<i> inside my house, with plenty of water, on a tile floor, in front of a fan </i>(the swamp cooler went out).<i> Lotta money at the Emergency Vet that day and a huge speeding ticket to get her there in time.<br></i>My current two Persians are all black with long, thick-hair and shoved-in tiny noses. Anything over an 88 degrees 'feels like' temp and they're borderline heat stroking. Lethargic, eyes dilated, panting, wheezing, vomiting......<br><br><br>

 

[Guest]

Maryland huh? Wow. Not exactly the desert. Or even Florida, where a plastic steering wheel or dash board can give your hand a second degree burn. And where 90 degree temps are actually 104+ with the humidity/heat index.<br>Intellicast.com - look it up.<br><br>You are not a Licensed Veterinarian, let alone a Feline Specialist. <br>And this <span style="font-style: italic;">isn't</span> a dick measuring contest. It's about saving the lives of pets who could potentially be severely abused, tortured or killed based on your ridiculous post. <br>As far as "experience" (<u>which is completely irrelevant to actual FACT</u>) I've been stitching up with no anesthetic, neutering, medicating, vaccinating, pulling teeth, birthing and emergency first-aiding, rescuing and rehabbing wild and domestic animals nearly all my life. I'm 43. I grew up doing it. &lt;---Irrelevant to the facts but you seemed to need a ruler.<br><br>Google just came up with over 30,000 hits on a "cat dies heat" search. Most results start with "An easily preventable cause of DEATH in cats......"<br><br><b>You stated vague and isolated incidences as actual fact.</b> <br><b>You stated vague historical (and controversial) DNA references as actual fact.</b> <u>And I called you on it-&nbsp; <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">in hopes that CRV readers don't start locking pets in 100+ degree temp vehicles (which is illegal in many states and animal cruelty in all states) based on your ego tripping nonsense.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;"></u><br>Your logic is beyond ridicule.<br>One cat surviving the cruelty and abuse of a dryer ride is not proof that ALL CATS CAN SURVIVE SUSTAINED 133 DEGREE HOT VEHICLES AND FULL CYCLE DRYER RIDES<br><b></b>One baby surviving a fall out of a second story window is not proof that all babies can be safely tossed out of second (or even first story) windows.<br>One person surviving being shot in the face is not proof that all people will survive a face bullet.<br><br>If you've never "heard of" an animal being treated for heat exposure, heat stroke, severe dehydration, kidney failure due to dehydration due to high temps....you do not have the experience you'd like to believe you have.<br>Talk to an SPCA Mobile Rescue, The American Humane Society, Animal Cruelty Officers, and tell them if it's ok to leave cats in 100+ degree vehicles "because every cat on the planet is descended from desert cats thousands of years ago". See where that gets you - probably Investigated and put on the "Do not adopt to" lists.<br>Talk to some Fire departments/Cop shops who get called to bust the windows out of vehicles in parking lots and drag out half alive or dead animals (and babies), ask them what vet they take the abused animals to. Then call those vets and tell them&nbsp; they no longer need to treat animals for anything related to being locked in an oven, because "no cat ever died of too much heat".<br><br>How about you tell the vet office who pays you that you claim to be a vet, that you tell people, and post recommendations online that no one should ever seek veterinary help for their dying pets "because the vets won't treat them and because no cat ever died of being locked in a hot vehicle or a dryer."<br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">FACT:</span> Be happy to send your boss copies, OR POST IT RIGHT HERE of a $1,000 Emergency Vet bill for "severe dehydration, kidney failure and heat stroke", 24 hours of IV fluids, lactated ringer solutions, the full blood panels to find out her kidneys had quit and all the rest of the stuff they did for two days to keep her from <b>dying</b>.<br><span style="font-weight: bold;">FACT </span>: Also be happy to POST RIGHT HERE the 115 mph speeding ticket and the Phoenix Court Docs <i>showing how the judge dismissed the ticket based on the Highway Patrol officer following me with lights to the Phx Emergency Vet Center</i>, <i>pics of the cat's condition under their care and copies of everything they had to do to her to save her life - From too much HEAT.</i> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br>And how I had to to <span style="text-decoration: underline;">prove</span> to the judge, </span><span style="font-style: italic;">with a letter from my landlord and a dated, notarized copy of the swamp cooler repair bill. </span><span style="font-style: italic;">that NO, I did NOT lock my poor cat in a hot car.<br><br></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">FYI</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>She was a healthy, well taken care of, vaccinated, spayed cat, 7 years old at the time (and she lived to be 20 to die peacefully in her sleep, as all pets should).<br><br>

 

[twokniveskatie]

hi everyone<div><br></div><div>i have locked this topic.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>the health and well-being of the animals in our care needs to be one of our highest priorities.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>we can become passionate about things we care about</div><div><br></div><div>but</div><div><br></div><div>we can be passionate about what we believe without being rude or condescending.</div><div><br></div><div>we don't learn anything from pissing contests, we just get pissed.</div><div><br></div><div>i want to let this cool off for awhile. i feel it is important to provide factual, emotionally uncharged info here. i do not want any info potentially dangerous to any animal to remain on here.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>i have my very strong opinion in these matters, but will defer to professionals....</div><div><br></div><div>i am really busy, but will try to get with some vets today to clarify some of these issues.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>kate</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

 

[twokniveskatie]

addendum:<div><br></div><div>yikes, this is a pandora's box</div><div><br></div><div>i have 2 days until i move and 5 days worth of work to be ready.</div><div><br></div><div>until i can think about this, DON'T ANYBODY LEAVE A CAT IN A HOT PLACE WHERE THEY CANNOT ACTIVELY CHANGE THEIR SITUATION TO SAVE THEMSELVES. same thing with predators.....</div><div><br></div><div>please do research or consult a vet before acting on anything you read here.</div><div><br></div><div>kate</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>