House Cat

I have a friend who has a cat and always brings her cat along with her on any extended trip she takes. She puts her in a carrier and tucks her under the seat in front of her. No sedation. Nothing. And apparently the cat is quiet and hasn't sparked any air rage incidents yet.

I'm not about to take a flight anywhere, but I am getting the urge to take a roadtrip. Somewhere. Anywhere. Maybe nowhere. Just go. Get in the car and go. Everything I need to do what I've been doing lately is right at my fingertips. Laptop. Cell phone. Internet access as long as I'm in a somewhat populated area. Of course it could get kind of expensive traveling across the US. But I did stay in a hostel in New York once and it wasn't that bad. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't accept cats though.

Dogs seem to require a lot more responsibility than cats. You constantly need to check on them. People I know who have dogs have to go straight home from work to let the thing out. And they can't stay out too late either. Forget about spending the night. But you add in a family to the mix and the problem is solved. Maybe not completely, but it's a lot easier. Yet, with all of this responsibility, dogs are a lot easier when it comes to road trips. Who can resist the image of a dog sticking it's head out the window as you speed down the highway on a gorgeous summer day? They like riding in cars. You ask them if they want to go for a ride and it's like they've won the doggy lottery.

The same can't be said for cats. Or can it? I'm starting to wish I had taken my cat for a ride as a kitten and gotten her used to it. I wonder if I could still do it. Would it be too late to get my cat accustomed to riding in my car? Or would it be a torturous experience for both of us? Howling down the highway. Black fur everywhere. Jumps out the window at toll booths.

Then there's the litter box. You can tuck it away in a remote closet at home, but it's more difficult to hide in a compact car, which in a way makes a good argument for an SUV. Sure you may only get 14 miles per gallon, but is that too steep of a price to pay for the distance between your sensitive nose and the box of shit you're packing for your road trip? I think not.

But I'm not about to get an SUV. And the idea of doing a test run to say, the outer limits of Anoka County with my feline friend doesn't seem that appealing either. Maybe they're known as house cats because with rare exception, that's exactly where they plan on being. I mean, you never really hear of a house dog, do you?