Cats On Trucks

I would like to know how long it should take my cat to get used to being on the truck, since he is 10 years old and has never left the apartment in his life. He is also scared of everybody except my wife and myself. I figured he would get used to the truck, but I don't know how long it should take, or what steps we can take to make the transition easier for him. We are bringing the fabric off his favorite chair. and all his catnip toys

Man have you got a Pair on you.

The real question is how long before you or your wife can last before throwing the cat out the window. That thing is going to be jumping, scratching, and ****ing from coast to coast.

You need to have a real laid back cat to do this and it's best to start now with getting him used to the changes. Get a cat harness and leash and start with walks. You'll want these items as he gets used to the truck so that he doesn't jump and run in a brave moment during a stop. Go to YouTube and find Jackson Galaxy how to walk a cat. Then start taking him on short car rides. Then longer car rides. You've got the right idea with taking familiar items with you. Cats hate changes and he may never adjust. Good luck.

I would like to know how long it should take my cat to get used to being on the truck, since he is 10 years old and has never left the apartment in his life. He is also scared of everybody except my wife and myself. I figured he would get used to the truck, but I don't know how long it should take, or what steps we can take to make the transition easier for him. We are bringing the fabric off his favorite chair. and all his catnip toys

I have a very large Maine Coon (30+ lb). My cat started riding with me OTR about 7 months ago. My company allows pets provided you pay a reasonable deposit and keep it clean. Here is my advice:

You need to think about what the cat will do while you are away from the cab and the truck is off. Do you have an APU or a way to keep the temp warm/cool? How about when you are having maintenance done?

Claws? My cat has claws - but does not shred the seats - most cats love the corrugated cardboard scratch pads - mine will shred a 3" thick pad in a month - doesn't try to shred anything else.

Cat Box - My cat needs a big cat box, and takes a rather large poop. She has a tendency to try to dig to China as well. You can't expect a cat to use a tiny cat box when they are used to something bigger. I've also found it to be absolutely necessary to keep the cat box as clean as possible - no smell is my policy.

I have an upper/lower bunk - but keep the lower as my table (volvo 780). The cat enjoys jumping from the front seat to the upper bunk. Hiding space - cats like this a lot - mine will get into the upper cubbies when I am driving or hang out on the passengers seat.

Food - I use paper plates for her food (less mess)

Fur - yah....about that fur...The never ending battle of living with a 30 pound ball of fur.

I try to park close to trees or stuff the cat will want to watch at night - this is something that will keep your cat entertained for hours.

Screens for your windows are great as well for days that you want to air out the cab.

Walking a cat. I'm pretty lucky in this respect. Maine Coons are like dogs. Generally they will take to walking on a leash with no problem. I do not let her jump out at a truck stop - too much going on - the cat has information overload and can't take it - freaks out. If there is an open area at a drop location or I'm waiting for an unload or at a rest stop with few people I'll take her out. The more isolated the better. Some cats will walk on a leash - some would rather hack a fur-ball on your bed than to suffer the indignity of walking on a leash. Really depends on the cat. Use a harness. Leave it around the cats favorite sleeping place for a few days. Gradually get the cat used to wearing the harness - then step up to hooking it to the leash. Go slow. Give treats. Associate the harness with treats or play. It will not happen in a day - more like about 10 days.

Cats have a tendency to want to be as close to you as possible when driving. They are worried/scared of being in motion - i.e. - laying on your feet, trying to get under the seat, crawling up the backrest and sitting on your shoulder - they do this so you can protect them. Some cats have a real problem with being in motion - some cats could care less.

My cat couldn't stand riding in my car - howled, cried, tried to attach itself to my head...I was really worried she would absolutely hate being in the truck. I introduced her to the truck slowly while I was at home for a few days - thinking she'd absolutely hate it. I had her bed, several toys, a perch on the passengers seat, and a place on the dashboard she could sit. I let her explore, leave her scent around, etc. while I was outside cleaning. I fed her in the truck each day as well and had the APU on and or idled the engine. Third day I put her inside, got in, started up and drove off. I've been quite surprised how well she took to the truck. I think she likes being higher up and the motion of the cab is not unpleasant to her - not sure. Still hates being in the car though.

She does have a bad habit of trying to flop out on the dashboard right in front of me while I'm driving. Good luck to you - just take it slow.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

That's like when you're on the computer, the kitty will come and flop down right on the keyboard, wanting some attention.

So getting on the dash in front while you are driving sounds about right.