Originally Posted by
snafu21
You have to think hard abut the cat. The ride on the back of a bike is rarely cushioned, and dear Kitty will be bounced around. Cats also suffer from motion sickness, and while some don't mind being taken to the park, others find it stress inducing. They respond by climbing the nearest tree when let out, even on a leash, and you're there for four hours trying to coax them down. If the leash ties around a branch, you may have to get up there and cut the cat free.
In parks on a leash, cats don't have anywhere to hide if they see a threat like a dog or hear a loud noise like children, and they can panic which can cause accidents. Or they panic, pull out of the harness and disappear.
If the cat associates being put in the basket with going to the vet, it's also going to be stressed.
I honestly don't think it's a good idea after being owned by cats for 30 years.
I would agree with the above with my own cats. They don't like change (like visitors, new pets, and sudden loud noises). And I am much too afraid to lose them. I don't even like to take the dogs even on the leash. I have only taken one cat to the veterinarian by bicycle-on my former Dahon Piccolo's rear rack. I strapped it securely on. That was
after I transported her amputated tail that fell off unexpectedly after a cast iron skillet fell directly on her tail. It can be done, but as a rule, I don't care to bike them anywhere.
Originally Posted by
snafu21
They respond by climbing the nearest tree when let out, even on a leash, and you're there for four hours trying to coax them down. If the leash ties around a branch, you may have to get up there and cut the cat free.*
Originally Posted by
kamtsa
That's why we have firefighters.
Around here, you will be laughed off as stupid for requesting assistance for something like that from our firefighters-unless you stupidly dialed the 911 for non life threatening problems. Then you would be in real trouble with the law. But to be fair, there are plenty of cases when pets are in danger, the firefighters have saved them from severe injury or even death.
Originally Posted by
badmother
You peopel make it sound like cats are nerous wrecks and that the OP is cruel to ewen think of taking the cat to the park. Cats are animals that are intended to look after themselves in the wild and get bored in a apartment. Locking a cat in a flat in a city without taking it to the park is cruel and they panic if you suddenly take them out. Most prisoners would.
Most of my cats would behave like old dogs. I could take them camping or ride a bike with them. Also peopel is going to have problems with motion sickness when they are not used to cars. I have seen this lots of times when giving refugees a lift just after they arrived here.
A folding bike with a rear rack is great for carrying a cat cage since there is plenty space between the rack and the seat (unless you have wery short legs). Use rubber straps w hoock to strap it to the rack. Later when you trust your cat not to panic you can go for something like this:
http://www.thorusa.com/accessories/baskets.htm , scroll down to "doggybag".
You can make animals do almost anything if you can make them trust you. You can transfer your fear onto the animal or you can transfer confidence.
This is lnik to the only one I follow on Twitter: Cykeling Peppy. As far as I remember she is a "Norwegian Forrest" cat, just like my Tarzan.
http://twitter.com/CyclingPeppy
I keep cats and dogs together in a small house. They have plenty to do (they are all working animals and are expected to do real jobs in exchange for room & board) so boredom is not an issue here. And they mostly live very long and active lives with gusto as they are not "pretty little ornaments" or window dressing for the house. And they are so loved here.