Hi folks, We hope this video is useful to anyone contemplating bringing there cat with them, or anyone thinking of getting a furry travel Co-pilot. We still had more stuff we wanted to talk about, so if there is sufficient interest in this video, maybe we'll release a second part, looking into pet passports, crossing borders etc. Hope you enjoy.
incredibly helpful! and a note for North American van dwellers going to our deserts, I lived for a long time in the desert (my cat was born in Joshua Tree) and it's not safe to let your cat roam there. we have coyotes who are very fast and unafraid of humans (in fact a pack used to cut through my backyard) in all the SW deserts so keep your fur-friends indoors.
Thanks for watching. Balancing our cat's safety is our number 1 priority and we will always put their needs ahead of our own. We try to ensure they always have a safe place to explore, but sadly this isn't always possible. Busy roads, predators. Fortunately, these times don't happen very often ❤
im about to go to joshua tree with my pretty well trained roamer of a cat. so glad I read this! Im nervous about going there, do you recommend any spots?
I’ve just moved into my van with my 14 year old cat. She doesn’t like being walked on a lead but I have been able to let her out free range if I know I’ll be there for a while..
We try to pick spots where we can let the cats roam free. Sadly, just after Christmas last year, our beloved rescue cat Lizzy went out in what we thought was a safe spot amd never returned. It's hard to balance keeping them safe and allowing them freedom to be truly happy. We are currently trialing trackers, starting with Air Tags.
I'm about to go on a 6 month trip in my campervan with my cat around the UK coast. This is a very helpful video. I bought a cat backpack, but chose not to go for the one you have because I was worried there is no protection from the sun for her. I have one with mesh sides and flaps and the top can be opened. I'm also concerned about dogs. If dogs are loose then I'm concerned that on the harness and lead or in the backpack then she won't be able to escape if a dog chases her.
Sounds amazing. Hope.you guys have an amazing trip. Since filming this video, we have swapped to a slightly different style backpack. We never planned on driving to South America, so it gets a lot hotter than we were expecting. Loose dogs are a massive pain. To cat and dog owners. It's something you need to prepared for but I would still say having you cat on a lead so they can't run too far and get themselves lost if they ever meet a dog. They will still be able to climb to higher ground, especially if you buy a lead with a long leash.
Teach them to jump up onto your shoulder? Used to work with a cat i had but now i have 2. So we use a pram...some are too low for curious or aggressive dogs so a higher one is better or put pet back onto your front? Unleashed dogs in my neighbourhood r a pain
10:51 I had my cat for 2 years and she was always indoors. Then I went to go visit my brother and his roommate had a dog so she escaped through the doggy door and it was below freezing, raining and she was gone for 3 days, so I cried and cried. When my brother got home from work at 1AM he said she was hiding behind a bush next to his front door.
In our experience, cats are very adaptable. We have met other travelers with cats as well. We would recommend slowly getting them used to it of you have time. Get them used to the camper first of all. Let them just sit inside and get used to it. Then start driving them around the block. Then take them a little further. Obviously not all cats will like traveling (same goes with people). Our cats adapted really quickly and love exploring safe new places ❤
We love travelling with our cats and couldn’t picture a life on the road without them. For any pet owner, whether it is a dog or a cat and whether you live in a house or a camper… there are dangers. All we can try to do is minimise them and ensure that our loved ones are safe, confiable and happy ☺️
We recorded this video a few years ago via our phone when we were still pretty new to making RU-vid videos. We have been travelling ever since and have another cat travelling with us as well as Aimee. Soon we plan on recording a follow up to this video, hopefully with better sound (although we still are recording via a mic and a phone 😂). Aimee has travelled across two continents and 14 countries. It's amazing how chill she is with van life ❤️
She is a cutie and one well travelled kitty. We recently got a kitten in Ecuador as well. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-o2sOJNoWPtE.html The backpack is really useful for bringing them along 😊 Thanks for watching. Be sure to follow Aimee on her Pan American adventure ❤️
Awe what a cute terror 😻 what a sweetie! We love our kitty boy too. We only tried him in the van when we were in the process of moving. He loved the front dashboard! Wish our kitty boy would sleep in a bed. He likes sleeping somewhere new every night. Ohhh the litter tray…yours is very smart! Looks like she gets to go on all kinds of adventures.
Cats are quite adaptable. We've since rescued Lizzy as well. She just took to living in a camper and random people instantly ❤️ Couldn't imagine van life without them now. This was them both joining us for a walk in a Colombian desert 🥰 ru-vid.comNhQtaZJWM6A?feature=share
👆🏽 That's mum she doesn't speak English she just clicked on the video and subscribed to the channel because she loves cats 😄❤️ she asked me to comment from her account, can you please leave her a nice response? 😄
It's so unbelievable cool that you guys taking your cats with you. Love it! I'd do so too. but there is space missing for five furry Co pilots so that they have to wait in the flat for my returning after a weekend trip😂🙈❤️
It completely changed our way of life. We missed having cats in our life. Maybe you could so a weekend rota and alternate the cats who go away with you for the weekend 😊
Love taking the cats for a walk. This was my favourite hike with them. ru-vid.comNhQtaZJWM6A?si=DKtsKlISSwk0Qn5O Now all my clothes are from supermarkets 😬
@@TheKombiChronicles yah! that was a nice moist cat hike:) supermarkets? I try to fill my wardrobe from places/concerts I've been or people/things I like. Helps me remember both everytime I wear them :). looking forward to wearing one of your 80's fluorescent bright green XXL Ruby shirts while placing a Kombi Chronicles sticker on Constance...Should be in the mail any day now :) Nooice! 😎 STOC
@SundryTalesOfConstance79WESTY man, I used to love buying band merch outside of concerts. Haven't been to a gig since Charlotte. Hoping to change that in Peru 👍 Merch should be with you in a couple of days 🤞
@@TheKombiChronicles Nooice! Me too...a hugging reminder of the experience :) Looking forward to belly billboarding Ruby :) Honestly there is a shortage of Bay Window shirts out there!....when I mentioned supermarkets I was hoping you might school me on some cool supermarket clothing You've discovered somewhere... 😎 STOC
Absolutely wonderful and a great help. I will be in a van full time soon and am working on how best to set it up for my 13 year old cat and 1 year old 8# dog. She's been free all her life, not even a collar, so baby steps with the halter, then leash, then a two day road trip in my car. So far, so good. Next, I'm going to replace her litter box with your design. I just got the van and plan to set it up and "practice" in the backyard until it's time to go next spring. I hope to go to Mexico, too, so would love to know about your experiences crossing borders. THANK YOU!
Amazing. Glad the video helped. We are hoping of releasing another one soon as we have been using a cat flap for almost the past year and the cats love it. Slowly introducing them to the vehicle is the best way. We're sure they will grow to love it 😊 We had an amazing time in Mexico. Would love to return one day. Do you know where you will be crossing and if you will make a trip to Baja?
@@TheKombiChronicles I don't know where I'll go first or where I'll cross. I do want to spend time in Baja, but also the mainland and I have to have time in the desert again. I'm in FL now and I miss the west. I'm planning to get my temporary residency so I can come and go for at least 4 years before I decide what's next. I'm a little concerned about safety being a solo senior female... We did an emergency trip ahead of Hurricane Ian in my Volt to a Motel 6. ChinCat and Betty were FABULOUS., but that was only 4.5 hours in the car each way and then a motel room. It was good that I'd been getting Chin used to the halter for a few weeks and her crate is in the living room for both to use. Since then, she's taken over Betty's bed and they've become siblings. Betty just joined us in August, terrified of being in the car. I have a big yard, so we drove back and forth and around a couple of times a day in the car for about a week - helped immensely. Now we'll be hanging around the van as I prepare for the trip, soon to be sleeping in it, camping in the back yard to test our systems. I'll be watching all your videos soon. THANK you so much!
@@TheKombiChronicles BTW, in the mid 1980s, I had a 1968 VW van when I lived in Santa Cruz, CA. I called him Bouncing Baja Bubba. It made me a bit - woozy - to drive some of the twisty mountain roads all along the coast so I didn't keep him long, switched to truck campers then an travel trailer and an RV, but it was fun to have a van for a while. Now I have a 2017 Caravan. It's red, too. :)
@@Nemo-yn1sp baja is a great introduction to Mexico and amazing for van life. We lived a year and a half there and mainland in the pandemic and we have never had any reason to feel unsafe. We know a lot of fellow travellers and the worst thing I know that happened to someone was they broke into the car and stole some clothes. Not great, but you know not that bad either. Just take general precautions like you would in any country. We felt the US was more dangerous to be honest. We have slept in Mexico with the keys in the door by accident and the bikes lying around unchained and no one did anything. It’s a fabulous country. Glad it’s working out for you with the cats, sounds like your doing a great job getting them adapted. Recommend using collars down there as there are a lot of strays around, you don’t want someone taking your cat by accident! Good luck with everything!
This is amazing. I have 2 cats, 16 y/o and 1 y/o. I would love to take a road trip with my kitties especially the older one while I still have him in my life. I tried to do seasonal work earlier this year (Lake Powell and Martha's Vineyard) but I had to leave my fur babies behind. It was heart breaking. I said next time I try any type of seasonal job or go on a road trip on my own, the kids have got to go with me. Good luck to you!
No worries. We love traveling with cats. We've rescued a second one since that video and want to record a second video sharing some more. Recently took Aimee on a plane with the bag and she was as good as gold ❤
@@TheKombiChronicles hahahahah I'm not sure we can choose that feature while bying a cat hahah glad to have found you guys, just followed you, hope to cross path maybe someday 😊 stay on touch
Thinking of hitting the road in a van soon and I'd like to bring my kitty. She hates being in a car. Don't know how she would adapt but I'll give it a try.
Take it slow. Start getting them used to the van before you drive anywhere. If they have a bed, put it inside with them. Sit with them in the van with the engine on, so they get used to the noise. I am sure they will get used to it 👍
How do you mask the stink? I'd b keen to know cause I may need to live in my van due to homelessness and I even wondered could I have my 2 cats with me
Their litter tray has never really smelt bad. We use natural litter and change it daily, although sometimes they prefer to go outside anyway. Cats are purrfect for travelling (sorry for the pun 😂). You get amazing companionship and you can still take them on walks. Ours have loved evening walks in Chile and Argentina.
Sorry 1 other question what do you do and how do you secure her when your driving as I'd be worried about her getting under the pedals when driving - not mention roaming around to pount of dangerous and distracting?
We don't secure them whilst driving. Aimee has been on the road with us for almost four and a half years and we've never had any problems with her moving into dangerous positions. She has a spot she likes to sleep in the back when we are driving.
Hi, Nice video. I got a harness for my "Guizmo" but somehow he managed one time to free himself from it and run away (I live in a home). Did it ever happen to you? If not your harness may be what I need to get.
Oh wow, no... Ours have never gotten out of theirs. We have started using these GPS trackers from Tractive and have been really impressed by them. Might be worth considering as well in case they get away again ❤️ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P1jTTUPyYxE.htmlsi=330UJO-qKhKd-goM
We travel full time, so don't often leave our cats for long periods. Although, we have left them for overnight a few times when we have done long hikes. They have a litter tray and we normally give them extra water and biscuits.
@@Lydia-ws7hu our VW has a pop-top, so it is pretty well ventilated. If we are at a secure location or campground, we have a cat flat for them so they can just come in and out as they please ☺️
No worries. If you are on Facebook. Be sure to follow us on there as we post quite regularly about our travels with the girls (we have two cats now ❤️) facebook.com/thekombichronicles
My cat has allways been scared of people. He is allmost 3 and now I’m in van life he is slowly adjusting but I’m scared of him freaking out if I put a leash on on him and he bolts and squirm out of it and get lost
We understand that anxiety completely. All of the cats we have rescued have adjusted so well to van life and when we have let them out, even without a lead they always knew where their home/safe place was. However, we have lived through losing a cat and it is heartbreaking and something you never really get over. We would say that if you cats truly feel safe and comfortable in your camper, even if they were to get out, they would automatically just run away. We lost Lizzy in one of the worst storms that we'd seen in almost 4 years and it came out of nowhere. It was unfortunate timing and we were in the worst place for that to happen at the time. We've tried to not let that anxiety override how we let them live their lives, as we see every day how happy they are to be outside. We are currently testing trackers and hope to release a video about them before the end of the year, so keep an eye out, as they might be able to help with those worries ❤️
We r 2 rescue cats and one of us has really bad ptsd. Our human never thought she would ever get a collar on either of us...ever. but with patience, repetitive and rewarded learning and a few mishaps and 'cat'astrophies along the way, we now wait at the door for a daily walk either with collar or harness and long leash. Who would have thought? Meow
We always try to pick spots that are safe for her, away from predators and traffic, but you can never fully protect them. Whether you like in a house or a camper, if you let your cat out, you have to live with the fact that something may eventually happen to them 😥
Thats a big assumption to make. We have tried them multiple times on different food. They both refuse to eat straight up meat, beef included. It’d be better for them I know, but they don’t seem to care about that.
There is always a risk that they might get spooked, but cats are surprisingly good at direction and Ruby is her home. We are about to start testing Tractive trackers, which will give us even more peace of mind.
