Well, I can beat ya on cat-totin’ mileage! We moved from Colorado to Ireland with three cats!!! It was hell on air! Don’t ever do that. Luckily, our diabetic cat wasn’t diagnosed til a year later. Just lost him last month😿
Thanks, Adam. We have been so sad. He was our sweetest cat and he so appreciated all of our nursing and care. He stayed alive for us as long as he could. It’s a great relief not to have to draw cat blood every few hours, but he was so worth it.
Our guy was extremely sensitive to insulin and his blood sugar would often drop dramatically after insulin, even on .5 unit! It was a horrible rollercoaster keeping up with him and feeding him at all hours. Fingers crossed our other two don’t get it. They are totally non cooperative spiky beasts. Well done getting your boy to 20!!! I’d say enjoy him while he lasts and don’t worry. We switched all of ours to low carb food, so hopefully that will keep them stable.
It was a while ago - over 22 years, I’ve been in L.A. a long time - but it’s burned into my memory, just like you! One of our cats (not the traveling ones) became diabetic recently and it’s been stressful, so I can relate. But he’s hanging in there and so are we! Your writing is the best, not just anyone could make me laugh like that. I’m forwarding this to my husband and some friends!
It’s so hard taking care of a diabetic cat. We think our twenty year old (who is still with us from the trip!!) might have diabetes now, but we don’t think he can handle the shots.
This made me laugh sooo hard! One, we have a diabetic cat. Two, I’ve also moved across the entire United States - from one coast all the way to the opposite coast - in a car with two cats. Three, I’ve had a very similar hotel experience, and it was definitely not intentional and it also had looked great in the photo!!!
Oh, man, Reda, is the worst. It was over ten years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. We did not prep appropriately for this move. You went even further than us?? Yikes. Horror. And the hotels that allow cats in Montana were like seedy Motel 6s. NEVER AGAIN!! :-)
No doubt. I've watched every Coen Brothers movie, and Frances MCDormand's since I saw "Fargo". Brilliance in filmmaking. I sure would be a thrill to see the ol' wood chipper.
Your wife is right, wine in Oregon is far better than wine in California. I won’t let Cali wine touch my tongue.
I’ve made that trek from MN to Oregon. I did do it in 3 days, with a week break to visit my brother in Montana. I was driving with a sorority sister and a puppy, not a diabetic cat. And I know those seedy motels oh so well.
The fact that the Saturn Vue made it that far is a feat in itself. I still shake my head at my desire to own a Saturn. Worst car I ever had.
Wow seven days driving with cats 😱 I moved an hour away (in the UK that feels far to me) and driving my 3 here on the motorways was a nightmare. Well done.
What a trek, what a story! Glad you all made it. As for your weather - no thank you. I’m such a weather centric person I need more stability to operate normally. Oh, wait… I live in Wisconsin… well, never mind.
I had a traveling cat once. She was great in the car - just gave her a shot of some liquid in her mouth, packed her in the car and off we went. Slept for six hours straight, not a peep. But when we got to our destination she acted like she was in the car. 🙃 We’d make the trip twice a year but she never got used to my brother’s home. Current cat - I have to get a cat sitter. Too much trouble otherwise.
My cats don’t like the ride in the car either. Got a trip on Monday to the vet. It’s about a 35-40 minute trip and our girl will yelp and screech all the way, both ways. I think our male will make some noise at the start then he usually settles down. I really think he gets into the music and just chills. It seems whenever we go to the vet or to see the gal who trims their claws, he seems to know we’re headed back home. He totally chills out.
Uch, cats are the worst in the car. Before our move, we even did some test runs and they were fine! But after driving about two hours they started screeching. I don't remember which is which, but they took turns, one in the crappy hotels that would let us have cats, and one in the car. It was truly awful.
Cleaning up my substack inbox and just read this absolute gem of a travelogue. If you want a pick me up - read this one.
Thank you Bethany, so glad that you enjoyed it!!
Well, I can beat ya on cat-totin’ mileage! We moved from Colorado to Ireland with three cats!!! It was hell on air! Don’t ever do that. Luckily, our diabetic cat wasn’t diagnosed til a year later. Just lost him last month😿
Sorry about your loss!! It’s always difficult 😿
Thanks, Adam. We have been so sad. He was our sweetest cat and he so appreciated all of our nursing and care. He stayed alive for us as long as he could. It’s a great relief not to have to draw cat blood every few hours, but he was so worth it.
Yeah that blood work is hard. And keeping it stable.
We have a twenty year old cat now (he made the trip!) but we don’t know at his age what to do if he gets diabetes….
Our guy was extremely sensitive to insulin and his blood sugar would often drop dramatically after insulin, even on .5 unit! It was a horrible rollercoaster keeping up with him and feeding him at all hours. Fingers crossed our other two don’t get it. They are totally non cooperative spiky beasts. Well done getting your boy to 20!!! I’d say enjoy him while he lasts and don’t worry. We switched all of ours to low carb food, so hopefully that will keep them stable.
Great piece! The wood chipper was worth the price of admission.
Haha! Thanks, Bill, appreciate it!! :-)
It was a while ago - over 22 years, I’ve been in L.A. a long time - but it’s burned into my memory, just like you! One of our cats (not the traveling ones) became diabetic recently and it’s been stressful, so I can relate. But he’s hanging in there and so are we! Your writing is the best, not just anyone could make me laugh like that. I’m forwarding this to my husband and some friends!
Thanks for saying that, Reda. That’s so nice 😄
It’s so hard taking care of a diabetic cat. We think our twenty year old (who is still with us from the trip!!) might have diabetes now, but we don’t think he can handle the shots.
Thank god for cat tranquilizers.
This made me laugh sooo hard! One, we have a diabetic cat. Two, I’ve also moved across the entire United States - from one coast all the way to the opposite coast - in a car with two cats. Three, I’ve had a very similar hotel experience, and it was definitely not intentional and it also had looked great in the photo!!!
Oh, man, Reda, is the worst. It was over ten years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. We did not prep appropriately for this move. You went even further than us?? Yikes. Horror. And the hotels that allow cats in Montana were like seedy Motel 6s. NEVER AGAIN!! :-)
FARGO !!!! The Coen Brothers! Frances McDormand ! :)
It almost made the whole move worth it!
No doubt. I've watched every Coen Brothers movie, and Frances MCDormand's since I saw "Fargo". Brilliance in filmmaking. I sure would be a thrill to see the ol' wood chipper.
The Scablands!! Yikes!
I know, it sounds like they all have a disease out there or something.
Your wife is right, wine in Oregon is far better than wine in California. I won’t let Cali wine touch my tongue.
I’ve made that trek from MN to Oregon. I did do it in 3 days, with a week break to visit my brother in Montana. I was driving with a sorority sister and a puppy, not a diabetic cat. And I know those seedy motels oh so well.
The fact that the Saturn Vue made it that far is a feat in itself. I still shake my head at my desire to own a Saturn. Worst car I ever had.
I won’t say I’ll never do the drive again… but if I do it again it’ll be without cats!🐱
That Saturn died a horrible death a month later
Wow seven days driving with cats 😱 I moved an hour away (in the UK that feels far to me) and driving my 3 here on the motorways was a nightmare. Well done.
So good. When's the movie coming out? 😊
The horror version on Vacation 😆
😂
Wonderful read!!
What a trek, what a story! Glad you all made it. As for your weather - no thank you. I’m such a weather centric person I need more stability to operate normally. Oh, wait… I live in Wisconsin… well, never mind.
I had a traveling cat once. She was great in the car - just gave her a shot of some liquid in her mouth, packed her in the car and off we went. Slept for six hours straight, not a peep. But when we got to our destination she acted like she was in the car. 🙃 We’d make the trip twice a year but she never got used to my brother’s home. Current cat - I have to get a cat sitter. Too much trouble otherwise.
One of them actually went really nuts in the hotel room too. Plus, the hotels that let us have cats were pretty bad.
I’ll take the Oregon coast weather with all its faults and looming possible tsunamis over WI winters 😁😅
My cats don’t like the ride in the car either. Got a trip on Monday to the vet. It’s about a 35-40 minute trip and our girl will yelp and screech all the way, both ways. I think our male will make some noise at the start then he usually settles down. I really think he gets into the music and just chills. It seems whenever we go to the vet or to see the gal who trims their claws, he seems to know we’re headed back home. He totally chills out.
Uch, cats are the worst in the car. Before our move, we even did some test runs and they were fine! But after driving about two hours they started screeching. I don't remember which is which, but they took turns, one in the crappy hotels that would let us have cats, and one in the car. It was truly awful.