Long before we set out on our grand adventure, we had pets, two cats to be exact. And while we were daydreaming and planning our escape, there was never a version that didn’t include them. Our future home had to comfortable for us and comfortable for them. They needed places to hide, places to perch, scratching places and a place to potty. I needed an out-of-the-way spot where litter boxes could live that wouldn’t drive me crazy. Thus began the quest to find the perfect rig for all of us.
When Two Became Three
As it happened, we started fostering kittens the same summer we were rig shopping. Max was an emergency case. Our local shelter was in the middle of a tragic panleukopenia outbreak and wasn’t taking in new cats when I got an emergency call to come grab him. He turned out to be the family member we didn’t know we needed and just like that, two became three.
Yes three cats. Now our future home needed sufficient room for five bodies – one of whom needed plenty of room to zoom.
Rving with Cats: Creating Custom Spaces
As soon as we met George, we knew we found our home. George had it all, all the places for all the things, including that coveted litter box space. Once we brought him home, it was time to start working.
Perches, Windows and Vertical Territory
One of the easiest problems to solve was perches. George has a lot of windows, so making sure there were sitting places at all the windows was fairly easy. From sofa and chair backs, to the table and dash, most of the windows already came with good vertical cat seats. We only had to create a couple of custom spots. We added a fold-down tabletop along the passenger side that was honestly built for me. That just left one cat-sized, wall-mounted shelf to be added below the bedroom window.
Hiding Places
Cats need to feel safe, so having good hiding spots was a necessity. George came with two old style tube TVs. Pulling those out added extra storage for us, and created open cabinets that they could climb into. We also removed two drawers, which gave them more escape space, and cats being cats, they claimed their own “me time” areas under chair flaps and the bedspread.
Scratching Solutions
We started out using the same cardboard scratching pads we had always used, sitting in the middle of the floor and taking up prime real estate. I’m a little embarrassed to admit we were on the road for nearly a year before it dawned on us we could go double duty and make use of our kitchen table. We now wrap the legs in sisal rope using a hangman’s knot, so we can easily loosen and re-wrap when necessary. It works perfectly.
The Litter Box Problem and Solution that Changed Everything
If you have cats, then you know one of the biggest issues is where to put the litter box. It’s a challenge in a house and an even bigger concern in an Rv. After a lot of research, I came across one guy that suggested putting it underneath. Holy Moly! This was the answer I needed.
One of the first things that we noticed about George were the full pass-through bays across the underbelly, plenty of room to store our things. But he also had two bays that were walled off at the back for the fuel tank.
Boom. We had our litter box hideaway.
The RV Litter Box “Box”
We had our space but we still needed to figure out how to make it all work. David landed on a custom insert with two shelves and high sides, designed to keep litter and cats contained. Cats are curious creatures and, as we all know, curiosity kills the cat. We didn’t want to give them any opportunity to get out and explore the underbelly.
The first version was too tall to fit in the bay, but that was to fix and gave us a nice safely enclosed place to put litter boxes. They live on the top shelf. We use the lower shelf for extra storage.
The only task left was to cut a hole in the floor so the cats could reach it. I don’t want to minimize the angst one feels when drilling a hole through the floor of your RV, but it is necessary. David traced wires multiple times before starting. The final step was to frame the opening.
The result? No litter (clean or dirty) comes inside our living space. It’s been a dream.
We improved it recently when David added a second bottom and drawer wheels so we can pull the shelf out, making it even easier to clean.
Using the New Litter Box
The boys checked it out and used it immediately; easy peasy. Our girl was harder. The concept of a moving home completely unnerved her, and jumping down into a dark hole on top of it wasn’t happening. We had a few messy days.
We ended up stalking her to make sure she couldn’t potty in unapproved places. Once we knew she needed to go, we put her down the hole. That’s all she needed to realized it was just the new litter box place. No issues since that day.
Have Cats Adjusted to Full Time Travel?
There have been challenges of course. Travel Days are loud and scary. They all hate it, and Lunabelle gets car sick sometimes. We put them in kennels to move, for everyone’s safety.
The Upside? There is always new sights, smells and sounds to keep them interested and they have plenty of room to exercise and play in our 39 foot motor-home.
We also make the outdoors accessible. Cinnamon and I leash-trained each other before we left Charlotte. Now we go out, explore and meet people most days. Max goes out on occasion, but stays close to home just in case. Belle sits on the bottom step taking in the views. If she ever decides she’s brave enough to explore, we’ll be happy to take her.
We planned to bring our pets on this adventure from the beginning, and by thinking through all of our needs, especially the dreaded litter box problem, the adjustment has gone well. We get to spend more time with them than we did at home and overall, full-time RVing with our cats has been incredibly rewarding. We couldn’t imagine doing this journey without them.
If you are exploring a full-time RV lifestyle and want to know how we make it all work, check out our other blogs: “Downsizing into an RV Part 1: Kitchen Space Savers” and “RV Storage Part 2: Maximizing Bed & Baths.”