Camping... with a kitten?

[KittiesInsane]

i think I need to put this on the Litter Tray as well for a range of views.

Has anyone tried camping with a kitten? We were just about to take the plunge with the local rescue centre (currently inundated with kittens). Then I did the sums and realised their current litters would all be under 6 months during the annual camping trip. I can't see the neighbours being keen on being responsible for keeping New Kitten in the house for two weeks.

We probably just have to resist until we get back, don't we? But if there is a way to make it work...

I can't imagine making it work. We have a 14 week old kitten and left him for two dats over the weekend. We had a neighbour come in twice a day to feed him and play. He's pretty scatty now we are back

Cattery?

Nup, won't work.
We get a house sitter, suppose that's not an option?

I would just wait til after the camping trip. There are always more kittens.

Hmm, that's what I suspected, Clueless. I certainly wouldn't be prepared to leave home that long. Actually, I think the kids would probably refuse to go anyway! I was trying to work out whether kitten+tent+littertray+airbeds (oh god)=any possible outcome other than disaster.

I think I've probably answered my own question...

you'd be absolutely crazy to do this. How stressful for the kitten and probably for you! Yes, just wait until after - there's always kittens.

Righto! Sanity is restored. Now I'm wondering if there's a way of 'registering interest' with the cats home so we can get a kitten shortly after we get back, which would be a brilliant way to combat the usual post-holiday fedupness.

So glad I had this thought now and not next week, post-cat-visit. Phew.

Our cat stays on a harness and comes camping with us with no problems, his reaction to the harness is to turn into the laziest cat ever. I can say it works for us and did when he was still a kitten but I can't guarantee it would be ok for anyone else there are too many factors to take into account including what will you do with the cat all day? My own recommendation would be to leave getting a cat till after.

My brother has just reminded me that he tried this with his (older) cat once and ended up with an unintended catflap in the tent wall.

We met a lovely family in a camper van last week with a ferocious looking dog .... and a cat wearing a harness. He seemed very chilled, not sure where he was most of the time tbh as the doors were open and he wasn't on show - probably in a cage.

I couldn't imagine it personally in a tent, cage and litter tray and just the cat food smell in a small space.

I think it would be stressful for everyone - you would be worried sick about losing it and it would be worried sick by camping.

I went camping as a child with a family who took their cat. The cat went off and didn't return. My friends cried all the way back from Wales.

Bonkerz.

The short answer is don't be so silly.

What age are kittens allowed outside anyway? Does the rescue centre release them before they can go out? I seem to remember having to keep kittens in for a number of weeks, and even then a little while after vaccinations.

Does anyone have a cat who is ok with car journeys?
And would anyone actually want a litter tray in a tent?
And what about when you go out.... Leaving a kitten in a tent?

BikeRunSki -- I wouldn't let one out in the garden till about 6 months, fully vaxed and neutered. Hence, as I say, I'd only just twigged that getting a two-month-old kitten this weekend would be a bit of a complication for camping in August.

So, everyone thinks it's a great idea then? Good!

If you're sleeping on air beds the kitten would puncture them with its claws!

Not sure how much a cattery costs but I have a lovely pet sitting lady who comes and stays at the house when we don't want to take the dog away with us - £20 a night including a 90 min walk ... and she vacuums before we get home and changes the sheets she has used taking them home and washing and ironing them.

A gem.

Speak to the cats home. They may consider taking the young one back in for a few days whilst you are away as they will be keen to rehomed if they have a glut of kittens at the moment.

I think the biggest risk of camping with a kitten, is the likelihood it will escape and be impossible to find.

I've just remembered our friends' ginger Tom who was last seen disappearing down the m11 slip road from Cambridge services in about 1985 en route from Londonto Norfolk ....

SilverBirch, that is a stellar idea. I'll ask them.

Many options-

Get an older cat (really do consider this, everyone wants kittens, and older cats are much less trouble. Trained etc and you know what you're getting personality wise). Still don't take it camping though!

Get a pet sitter

Get the kitten after hol

We have an older cat. We have, indeed, a houseful of adopted/rehomed/creaky pets of various species, and the neighbours are quite happy to pop round and sort them all out as they lounge around in the warmest spots. For once, though, I'd quite like the DCs to have the fun and bonkersness of a skippy young thing in their lives.

Then they can all sod off to university and leave me with my ancient, creaky, decrepit houseful probably waving my broom at passersby from my tent doorway

I briefly considered doing this at Easter as we were away for 6 nights for the first time since getting our kitten 6 months previously. Thankfully reason prevailed and my parents popped in every day to feed and play with him and let him out for a bit of a run round.

So you're not alone in thinking about it KittiesInsane, but I agree that, at the very least, it would be terrifying for the kitten even if you did manage to prevent them getting lost.

I'm glad you've talked yourself out of taking a kitten camping. There are too many disastrous scenarios to list!

Get the cat home to take it back for a donation or reserve one until you get back.

Glad to hear it kitties

In that case sorry for getting cat-lady preachy at you.