It's a Team's Life

Traveling with a pet

Molly our beloved Cocker Spaniel helped us to survive our girls getting through high school and then leaving for universities. It was a difficult time but Molly was always by our side.

In 1999 when we decided to go trucking full time we knew Molly would be going with us. Molly had thousands of miles on her, she loved to travel, and she was well behaved. She went to many of the girl's track, cross-country, and softball tournaments and watching the kids show their sheep, pigs, and horses at events. She knew how to travel. What she did not know was how to travel in a truck and her reaction to the movement of the first truck was surprising.

When we first got into the truck Molly was petrified of all of the movement and sound. She sat on my lap for a week and bruised the tops of my legs, as she was afraid to lie down if we were not. Finally she figured out that she had the best of all worlds, she was with us constantly, and she was traveling. After twelve years with Molly in the truck she passed over the rainbow bridge. She was a huge part of our lives and we still miss her greatly.

After nearly four years of not having a pet with us, on a whim we rescued a kitten that was closer to death than we realized. The first week Squeaky slept a lot, ate a lot, and had trouble with his bowels. We finally were able to get into a Pet Smart to have tests performed. We signed up for the wellness program as we can get into a Pet Smart all over the country. The vet quickly got him straightened out and let us know he does not have any of the dreaded cat diseases.

He is getting his kitten shots, his wormer, and also protection from fleas and ticks. Since we travel all over the country he needs to be protected all year around. When we go home for Christmas he will be neutered and micro chipped. We have also made the decision to not declaw him.

Many drivers have stepped up with advice about traveling with a cat and here are some of their thoughts.

• Get a squirt gun - Say NO in a firm voice and if he does not stop squirt him with water. Squeaky learned very fast that he does not like to be squirted and a firm NO and he stops what he is doing.
• Keep lots of fresh water available as kittens can get dehydrated very quickly
• Use bottled are filtered water as the water varies all over the country
• Buy good food without fillers - more food that goes in stays in instead of coming out the other end. He also eats less.
• Keep litter box clean - no smell - and kitten likes a clean area
• The favorite toy will be a rolled up piece of tin foil or something not purchased. He does like the little stuffed mice as well
• Get him micro chipped just in case
• Teach him to wear a harness so that he can go outside
• Get a scratching mat for him
• Have a soft side kennel for him to stay in when we are searched or we have to take him inside a building.

What Squeaky has taught us:
• Kittens are gentler then puppies; he instinctively knows not to use his claws on us or to chew on our hands
• He knows that he likes to be held to sleep and he likes lots of attention
• He does not give up easily when he wants to be held it is up to us to figure out how to work around him.
• He brings a lot of joy as he has become healthier and plays more. How can we not smile watching him attack his mice, our shoes, and a feather.
• He lets us know quickly if his water or food dish is empty
• We did not realize how much we missed having a pet and he is perfect with the amount of attention he wants.

We have a lot more to learn about traveling with a cat vs. a dog and in many ways it is much easier. We do not have to stop to let Squeaky out to go potty and he is perfectly happy staying in the truck. Someday we will have a dog again but for now a little bitty undernourished kitten has stolen our hearts. Maybe in

some ways we saved each other.

Bob & Linda Caffee
TeamCaffeeSaint Louis MO
Expediters since January 2005
[email protected]

Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle;
Expediting isn't just a lifestyle, it's an adventure;
Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;
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