Peace & Purrs: Managing Multiple Cats in Our RV Adventure How We Avoided “Cat Wars” on the Road (Mostly!)

Kim Martinez
Apr 30
2 min read

Updated: May 1

Traveling the country in an RV with three cats sounds like a dream—until you realize two of them are sworn enemies. Meet our feline crew: Thumper (the peacekeeper), Bandit (the overenthusiastic charmer), and Twix (our 15-year-old queen who’d prefer her subjects to vanish). At home, Twix tolerated Thumper but declared Bandit public enemy #1. Cue the hissing, growling, and midnight showdowns. So, how did we survive a three-month RV trip without fur flying? Here’s our story.

The Challenge: Close Quarters & Clashing Personalities

In a house, cats can escape drama by claiming separate rooms. But in a 44-foot RV? Personal space is a luxury. Bandit’s mission to win Twix’s affection (read: relentless personal space invasions) turned our home-on-wheels into a potential warzone. Pre-trip, I stocked up on every “calming” product known to cat-kind, praying for miracles.

What Worked (Mostly!)

1. Pheromone Collars: The MVP

After testing multiple brands, we landed on pheromone collars designed for calming (not just bonding). The effect wasn’t instant, but over time, the constant snippiness faded. Pro tip: Use them year-round! We notice immediate tension when the collars come off or expire.

2. Territory = Sanity

Bandit’s Cat Tree Our bedroom houses a massive, 3-story cat tree that Bandit claims as his kingdom. The other cats ignore it, but for him, it’s a stress-relief fortress.

Twix’s Throne: She commandeered the driver’s seat within days. Bandit learned to respect her domain (mostly).

Three Litter Boxes: Non-negotiable. We tucked them into corners, under tables, and even in the shower (when parked!). Fewer turf battles = happier cats.

3. Duplicate Resources

Two food/water stations prevented mealtime squabbles. Bonus: Hydration doubled in the dry RV air!

What Kind Of Worked

Calming Chews

They worked… briefly. The downside? Our cats hated the taste. Cutting chews into pill-sized pieces and hiding them in wet food became a chore, and they hardened fast. A last-resort option for rough days.

Pheromone Diffusers

Plug-in diffusers might have helped, but RV outlets are scarce. Constantly unplugging them for appliances (and dealing with oily residue) made them more trouble than they’re worth. We retired them after two trips.

What Flopped

Calming Sprays

The scent was overpowering (to humans and cats), and zero reduction in hisses. Skip these!

The Bedtime Battle

Twix and Bandit still feud over our queen-sized bed. Midnight ambushes are… a work in progress. We’re experimenting with heated pads in separate zones—stay tuned!