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Many RV travelers and full-time RVers take their cats on the road. However, limited space at campgrounds and safety concerns often confine cats to the inside of the camper.
Fortunately, there are great ways to turn an RV into a playground for your kitties. Below are 8 unique RV modifications for cats that help them feel happy and safe while traveling.
RV Modifications for Cats to Play
One of the most important ways to make cats feel comfortable in an RV is to create a space that is only for them. Installing a cat condo, cat cubby or other personalized space will give your cat a place they feel comfortable playing and relaxing.
Custom Cat Window Perch
All RV cats love looking out the window and watching people and critters in the campground. Window areas also provide a great sunning spot for cats on cooler days. Full-time RVer, Krista Ann of Knitsy Knits, purchased a floating bookshelf to create a custom window perch for her cat, Phinny.
To create the perch, Krista simply painted the shelf teal and mounted it under a window. Krista says Phinny “loves to sit there and survey her new surroundings, watch the wildlife and judge people walking by or trying to park their rigs.”
DIY RV “Catio”
While fun indoor space is sufficient for some RV cats, other kitties prefer spending time in the great outdoors. Ashley of RV Inspiration created a “catio” for her cat, Professor Theodore William Rochester, in her RV’s basement storage area.
Ashley installed a tunnel in her fifth wheel’s stairs, so Professor Theodore could access the basement. Then, she screened in the storage area’s door, so her kitty could hang out in the safety of the basement while still enjoying some fresh air.
Wall-Mounted Cat Trees
Since many RVs have limited floor space, wall-mounted cat trees are a great way to provide cats with a cozy hangout spot. Fukumara makes a variety of wall-mounted cat furniture that fits well in tiny spaces.
Our favorite piece for RVs is their cat hammock, which is only 16 by 12 inches and includes tools and instructions for easy installation. Fukumara also makes wall-mounted scratching posts and shelves. When hanging anything in an RV, locate studs and always pre-drill holes to ensure you do not crack the walls.
Kitty Slide Out Space
If you prefer to avoid DIY projects and hanging things on your walls, simply removing furniture is one of the easiest RV modifications for cats. When we first moved into our RV, we could not find a space large enough for a cat condo and food bowls.
To solve this problem, we removed the dinette table located in our fifth wheel’s slide out. Half the space is used for my desk, and the other half is reserved for Mr. Man’s condo and bowls. He loves having his personal space by a big window, and usually hangs out with me while I work.
Click here to see more RV dinette replacement ideas.
Hanging Feline Fun House
Another easy to install RV modifications for cats is K&H Pet Products’ Hanging Feline Funhouse. The funhouse is easily installed over any interior door. Of course, it is most practical to install on doors that are not frequently used throughout the day.
If your RV has available door space, the funhouse has multiple levels and several peepholes that will keep your cats entertained for hours.
Cat-Proof RV Screen Door Locks
While all of the above RV modifications for cats are for the cats’ pleasure, there are also modifications needed to keep RV cats safe. Many RV cats, including mine, have figured out how to open the screen door latch to let themselves outside.
Of course, campground traffic and local wildlife can be very dangerous to RV cats. To prevent your kitty from escaping, simply install a lock on the inside of your screen door to better secure it while still allowing a breeze to flow into your RV.
RV Modifications for Cats’ Litter Boxes
Many campers also make RV modifications for cats’ litter boxes. RVs have limited interior space, so custom modifications are needed to hide the sight and odor of litter boxes. Click here for more RV cat litter box ideas.
Tunnel through RV Stairs
Most fifth wheels have stairs that sit directly above the basement storage bay. Therefore, it is super easy to create a point of entry through the stairs and place the litter box in the storage area.
For example, Ashley of RV Inspiration made a DIY cat tunnel in her fifth wheel’s stairs. First, she removed the vent cover on the backside of a stair, then used a sturdy cardboard tube to create a tunnel through the wires and pipes that were located under the stairs. Her cat, can now simply walk through the tunnel to access his litter box.
Litter Box Room in Basement Storage
For RVs that do not have interior stairs, there are still other ways to create cat access to the basement storage area. For example, Krista Ann found that the wall next to her bed connected to the storage bay.
She installed a pet door in the wall for access, then built a room in the storage bay to house the litter box. Now Phinny has easy access to her box and complete privacy when using it. In your own RV, look inside the storage bay to determine likely access points inside and have someone knock on the wall from the bay to confirm the exact location.
If you are new to RV travel with cats, see our complete guide to RV living with cats for more tips and tricks to make camping with cats easier. We have lived and traveled in our RV for over five years, and our cat, Mr. Man, loves being in our fifth wheel.
Now that your RV is ready for your kitties, here are 41 RV upgrades that will make your RV more comfortable for you.
Have you made any RV modifications for cats? Share your favorite projects with us in the comments sections below.
Christina Pate is a seasoned full-time RVer who, along with her husband Justin, has journeyed across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Drawing from her extensive travels, RV repairs and RV renovations, she founded Travels with Ted to guide and inspire fellow RV enthusiasts. Christina is also the co-author of The Owner’s Guide to RV Maintenance and the creator of My RV Log Book.
