Our Oops discovery

Our last adventure in the PC was a learning experience.  Tom, being the sweetie that he is, put towel bars on the sliding bathroom door.  Good idea, unless you travel with T-REX, a cat who expects he servants to run water in the shower anytime he wants it day or night.  Being good servants, we leave the shower door open so T can claim his rightful place back on the bed after his drink.

The campground had one of those incredibly bright at 2 am mercury vapor lights putting out enough light to read a book in the bathroom.  The logical solution is to slide the door closed.  Of course, T-Rex enjoyed his midnight drink at the shower oasis, so the door was open.  All was good until morning and we wanted to get back into the bathroom. The sliding door would only open a few inches...the shower door prevented the bathroom door from opening.

It was a 30 minute battle with the door, using the mirror on the closet door to guide a spring rod and a few choice cowboy words, processing contortion poses that would befuddle a yoga instructor, the door slide back.  The lesson --  let T-rex join the masses and drink water from a bowl and keep the shower door closed.     

We learned that lesson shortly after getting the Phoenix. We were showing it off to family and someone left the shower door open then closed the bathroom door. The two locked together at the wall. We are lucky that we have jacks. Hold the bathroom door all the way open when the partner lifts the front and driver's side of the rig and, VOILA, gravity swings the shower door back enough to get in and lock the shower. You can also use a very small child. They have to be small enough to fit through the gap but big enough to follow directions. You might have to borrow one of those. If only you could train the cat.

We traveled with a cat who loved her Drinkwell fountain at the old house but we wouldn't take that huge thing on the road. We SWORE we would . NOT . buy . a . fountain . for . the . cat... So, here's a link to the fountain that we bought that works really well in the Phoenix https://smile.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-Stainless-Fountain-Raindrop/dp/B0037NKDSG/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1484652450&sr=1-4&keywords=pet+fountain. It sat against the short wall in front of the stove and plugged in to the outlet for the passenger bed. It is short enough that cabinets and drawers open above it. The cat can drink from the open reservoir or the sliding water or the bubbler. It is not overly loud and has a pleasant sound. We put a little rectangle of rubber backed carpet under it to keep her from licking it across the floor. We dumped and stored it for travel.

We also had a spill free pet bowl that has velcro on the bottom so it stuck to that little carpet https://smile.amazon.com/Pow-Products-Road-Refresher-Bowl/dp/B001GULX04/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1484653234&sr=1-1&keywords=road+refresher+water+bowl This bowl was used in the same place in the rig during travel and on the floor in the back seat of the car when the cat rode with us there.

The carpet was recommended by Ron Ditmer for our interior step. Home Depot has it on a big roll and sells it by the foot. It is ribbed gray on top and black rubber on the bottom. We had it on our interior step, under the cat bowl and under our trash can. It didn't stop the can from falling over on hard turns but it did stop it from sliding up to visit us in the cab on downhill drives or quick stops.  

Enjoy travelling with your cats. Our senior kitty adapted quickly and was truly the Camper House Queen. Her servants were ever at her beck and call.

We use the Drinkwell at the house, but T-Rex is so spoiled at 14 years old that he sits in the bathtub and demands his waterfall be turned on.  The other two cats are happy with the Drinkwell and use the water bowl in the PC.  Had not thought about one for the PC.  Thinks for the idea. The cats picks their designated ride spots on their first outing.  T-Rex is navigator sleeping in the from window on a small Ikea bath mat with a rubberized backing. Ms. Allie sleeps on the passenger's lap and QUIC (queen ultimately in charge) sits in the back window staring out of the kitchen window...or sleeping in her travel cage. The all wear a bunny harness with a 6 foot lead.  The bunny harness is harder for them to back out of.  The lead makes it easier for us to catch them if they dart out of the door.  It is easier to step on the lead than to grab a panicked cat. Plus they are set for walks.