Taking my cat on the trail.

[tolkien]

Hear me out here, I'm serious. This isn't a joke. I'm contimplating taking my cat. He's healthy and friendly enough for it.

I'd put a torso harness on it because they slip out of colars.

I'd haul food for it, it eats far less than the dog even though they're the same size. The food weight wouldn't be much.

I'd keep it out of shelters (unless people wanted it to eat mice) and burry any waste.

I'd only take it on a three day hike, to test it out.

Advice?

[d.o.c]

go for it... sgt meowstein would like an adventure.

[sbhikes]

You should bring a dog and a rat, too.

[Mags]

Talk to Jim Adams here on WB. He brought his cat Ziggy with him on the AT back in '93 or so I believe. Seriously.

[Scratch]

search youtube for backpacking kitty. You'll find a couple who backpacked from Florida to South America with a cat. I think it's an awesome idea. If I thought my cats could handle it, I'd do the same.

[10-K]

Do it, why not. You might even stand a chance in a shelter at night.

[scope]

Bear bait?

[Rocket Jones]

Not sure, but didn't I read something about felines being highly sensitive to Premethrin? Could be an issue if kitty is near someone wearing treated clothing.

[Dogwood]

How much wt can an avg house cat haul? Humm! I might have an idea.

PACK CATS!

I'll dangle a live mouse in front of them to keep them moving.

[Nean]

Talk to Jim Adams here on WB. He brought his cat Ziggy with him on the AT back in '93 or so I believe. Seriously.

I think it was 90 or 91 but no matter- Ziggy made the trip- but didn't hike, rather rode atop Geeks pack...

[Sterling]

Thats a sacked idea, contimplated it myself
no advice other than good luck!

[Prov]

Last year while tenting it at Greasy Creek Gap during a thunderstorm, I was awakened by a horrible, horrible noise. I opened up my tent to find a cat sitting on a log, looking right at me and letting out the most pitiful noise I have ever heard. This was a well-fed, non-scraggly cat. I tried to get it to come into the vestibule, so at least it could be dry, but it wouldn't budge. It continued making this loud howling all night. In the morning it was gone.

I told this story to a hiker that I met at a shelter two days later. When he had walked through the gap, he was hit with a terrible smell. There was a man burning a bag of cat food in the fire ring.

I have no idea what this has to do with hiking with a cat, it is just one of my more unusual moments on the trail.

[Knocky]

if things go wrong, you can always just eat it.

[Jim Adams]

I would try the 3 day hike but thru hiking...that's a whole other ordeal.

I got Ziggy by accident...it wasn't a planned thing and after the river trip I was going to send him home but decided I would try the hike for a little while to see how he did....and he did great ....BUT, Ziggy grew up in the camps on the river and didn't know about having a house other than the occassional hotel room. He was neutered and wouldn't "roam" much. He knew how to handle himself in the woods, how to protect himself and the easiest way to accomplish things. I had a great trip. I miss Ziggy terribly and wish he were still around. He was one of the best friends that I ever had but I doubt if I would do it again. The stars were right for Ziggy's hike. It would be next to impossible to find another cat to be, act and live the same. I'm not trying to sound like it couldn't be done but it will be far more difficult than you think.
I carried a pound of dry cat food and an a small water bowl. I gave Ziggy a can of moist cat food every day that we were in town...he also had alot of fresh meat in mice. The biggest problem is getting used to sleeping on top of a pack all day...or the lack of sleep. Most cats sleep 18-20 hours per day. Ziggy learned to be awake 16 hours per day and sleep on the pack when ever he wanted to. If you are planning on the cat hiking (walking) forget it. They hide under stuff if it is raining. They chase bugs, snakes and birds and don't hike your speed. An external pack with a cedar shingle across the top of the frame will give the cat something to dig their claws into and you can pull a rain cover over the frame in rain to keep them dry. I also put Ziggy on a short leash so that he couldn't fall off the pack while sleeping. He could climb all over the pack but couldn't fall off making it easy to climb back to the top...he would slide off while sleeping about once every 3 days and catch himself.

The second biggest problem is keeping them from over heating in exposed areas...sunny and cool was not a problem (Whites) but sunny and hot was a major problem (open fields)...and he "told" me everytime it was a problem. He also had a different meow when he had to urinate or have a bowel movement...you need to learn how to talk to your cat and what it is saying.

Foxes and coyotes LOVE cat...Ziggy didn't take any $hit from dogs, in fact most times he acted more like a dog than a cat but he knew what was dangerous and what wasn't. There were plenty of nights that he sat around the fire watching "things" out in the dark that I could never see.
He loved to swim. He obeyed commands. I learned about 15 different meows so that I knew what he wanted and HE CAME EVERYTIME I CALLED HIM!
Try the 3 day thing and have alot of fun with your cat but be advised...it ain't like hiking with a dog!
Good luck and let me know how it went.

geek

[Chubbs4U]

I would try the 3 day hike but thru hiking...that's a whole other ordeal.

I got Ziggy by accident...it wasn't a planned thing and after the river trip I was going to send him home but decided I would try the hike for a little while to see how he did....and he did great ....BUT, Ziggy grew up in the camps on the river and didn't know about having a house other than the occassional hotel room. He was neutered and wouldn't "roam" much. He knew how to handle himself in the woods, how to protect himself and the easiest way to accomplish things. I had a great trip. I miss Ziggy terribly and wish he were still around. He was one of the best friends that I ever had but I doubt if I would do it again. The stars were right for Ziggy's hike. It would be next to impossible to find another cat to be, act and live the same. I'm not trying to sound like it couldn't be done but it will be far more difficult than you think.
I carried a pound of dry cat food and an a small water bowl. I gave Ziggy a can of moist cat food every day that we were in town...he also had alot of fresh meat in mice. The biggest problem is getting used to sleeping on top of a pack all day...or the lack of sleep. Most cats sleep 18-20 hours per day. Ziggy learned to be awake 16 hours per day and sleep on the pack when ever he wanted to. If you are planning on the cat hiking (walking) forget it. They hide under stuff if it is raining. They chase bugs, snakes and birds and don't hike your speed. An external pack with a cedar shingle across the top of the frame will give the cat something to dig their claws into and you can pull a rain cover over the frame in rain to keep them dry. I also put Ziggy on a short leash so that he couldn't fall off the pack while sleeping. He could climb all over the pack but couldn't fall off making it easy to climb back to the top...he would slide off while sleeping about once every 3 days and catch himself.

The second biggest problem is keeping them from over heating in exposed areas...sunny and cool was not a problem (Whites) but sunny and hot was a major problem (open fields)...and he "told" me everytime it was a problem. He also had a different meow when he had to urinate or have a bowel movement...you need to learn how to talk to your cat and what it is saying.

Foxes and coyotes LOVE cat...Ziggy didn't take any $hit from dogs, in fact most times he acted more like a dog than a cat but he knew what was dangerous and what wasn't. There were plenty of nights that he sat around the fire watching "things" out in the dark that I could never see.
He loved to swim. He obeyed commands. I learned about 15 different meows so that I knew what he wanted and HE CAME EVERYTIME I CALLED HIM!
Try the 3 day thing and have alot of fun with your cat but be advised...it ain't like hiking with a dog!
Good luck and let me know how it went.

geek

Awesome...

[WILLIAM HAYES]

leave it at home dont want a cat peeing on my backpack

[tolkien]

Yea, my cat is a bit of a suburbanite-yuppie cat. I don't think he would make it. I'll leave it at home.

[Lilred]

I doubt you'd have to bury it's poop. They do that all on their own.

[blackbird04217]

Geek - I am typically more a dog person, but find your experience with Ziggy quite amazing. I know my cat, although she acts like a puppy, would not handle outside / camping very well. Like you said, the kitten would have to be conditioned that way from the start. That said, inspiring.

[Dogwood]

That was a great story Jim. It also brings up issues that many who want to hike with their pets/animals fail to think about.

I also enjoyed many of the well written and hopefully enlightening posts by Baltimore Jack, and others, about some of the things to consider when desiring to hike with a dog.