The following week, I heard Mom and Dad talking about ways to keep me safe. Mom was concerned that because I could only see out of one eye, a dog might come up on my blindside and do something awful to me. She mentioned someone named Iggy and someone else named Segia. I didn’t know who that was, but knew I could ask Fred.

Later that day Mom went to the store, and came home with something she called a harness. She put part of it around my neck and another part of it around my tummy. It felt funny, but she said that soon I would be too big to just walk with Fred in the backyard, and would need to be on a leash. That is when I asked Fred about Iggy and Segia.

He said that they were both cats who were with Mom and Dad when he was first adopted. All three of them were part of the family when they moved into this house. Iggy had been a big tuxedo boy that Dad picked out at the Humane Society. Dad’s lap was one of his favorite places to sleep. One day, he had shown people all of the good things to buy at a yard sale here at our house. Everyone admired him, and asked if he was for sale. They all laughed. The next day he was gone and never came back. Both Mom and Dad were devastated. They said they hoped he was taken to a loving family.

Segia was a female tabby that had been part of the family since she was a baby.  She loved to lay on the back of Dad’s chair. She also followed him everywhere. He even told me stories about the way Segia was by his side as he worked on his old Camaro. He said she kept putting her arm in the opening as he tried to adjust the hinge on the sunroof.

Mom often told people that Segia was twelve-years old. Later Mom would tell the story of how she found an old picture of baby Segia with the one-year-old granddaughter. Granddaughter had just turned nineteen years old. Segia passed away shortly thereafter at the ripe age of eighteen! Mom and Dad were devastated again. That might have been the reason they were okay at adopting me when I showed up. Iggy’s story was also why Mom was concerned about keeping me safe. I wish I could have met Iggy and Segia; I know I would have liked them because Mom and Dad loved them so much.

I’ve worn the harness for a couple of weeks, but I still can’t say I like it. It seems every few days Mom takes it off me and then puts it right back on. She says I’m growing so fast that she has to adjust the strap that goes around my tummy. She also checks that she can put a couple of fingers in the strap around my neck. My first thought is that if a cat was designed to wear a harness, the darn thing should just grow with me. I’m also not sure I like the color. It’s purple. I think it should be red or bright blue to reflect the fact that I am a strong male kitten. I guess it could be worse; it could be pink!

I asked Fred if he has ever worn a harness. He looks over my head with a smile on his face as if he is remembering very good memories. Then his smile droops as he looks sad. There is clearly a story here that I want to hear. He lays down with his front legs out. I quietly lay down on his legs and ask him to tell me. “It was a long time ago. I had not lived with Mom and Dad for very long. Dad had adopted me from the animal shelter. Mom had sent him to look at a female terrier, and he brought me home instead. They had another dog named Jazzy. She was very beautiful and very sweet. She accepted me instantly. She even told me not to worry when we went to see the vet there. Mom had said we needed health certificates because we were going on a long trip.

“About a month later Mom loaded both of us into their Camper Van. Mom and Dad drove us all the way to the Washington coast at the Strait of San Juan de Fuca. After a long wait Dad drove us into a big dark part of a ferry boat. There were really strange noises and smells. Mom checked our food and water, and told us they would be back as soon as they could. I knew when the boat moved. I didn’t like the way it made me feel. It seemed like forever before Mom and Dad came back. They put us on leashes and we walked up and down beside lots of cars, trucks, and even other dogs. In what seemed like just a few minutes, they put us back in the van and left us there all night long, alone. I hated it. The next day Mom put on our harnesses, and we were allowed to walk outside of the ferry. I was not happy when we had to get back in the van. We would only get to see Mom and Dad a couple of times a day. Each night we were alone. Two days later Dad drove the van off the ferry. He stopped at a small park where we got to get out and go to the bathroom. Mom said we were driving the rest of the way to Anchorage, Alaska. She also said that we would have to wear our harnesses until we got back home. After that the only time we ever wore a harness was when Mom would tell us we were starting a long trip.” I wonder if she is planning another trip. I really hope it isn’t on a ferry boat.

We are going on a trip! Fred has been patiently explaining what that means. He says Mom and Dad will drive, but it won’t be in the little car like when they took me to the vet. It will be in the big van that is parked in the driveway. He said that it is like our house on wheels. Mom and Dad will sleep in the van, and Mom cooks. We will have our food and our water bowls so we can eat or drink as we go down the road. Mom also ordered a special kind of litter box that she hopes will work well for me in the van. She took me outside and clipped a dog lead from my harness to the clothesline. She told me she didn’t want me to run away while she was making trips to and from the van to pack it. Fred said that we would be on the road for three nights before we get to Illinois. He explained that while we were on the road, he jumps up to sleep in mom’s bed. At night he has to sleep on the floor. Mom has one bed and Dad has another so there is room on the floor for Fred in between. I will have to decide where I want to sleep. I might want to sleep with Mom, or with Dad, or even on one of the front seats. It all sounds scary, but yet I am excited.

The morning that we start on our trip, Mom takes me out to the van. She attaches my harness to a cord that goes from the back of the van. She explains that I won’t be able to reach her or Dad at the front seat while they are driving. She explains that this is another way to keep me safe because I won’t be able to run away whenever they stop to let Fred out.

The van makes different noises than the little car had made. This really scares me. I really would like to curl up on Mom’s lap, but that cord is too short for me to reach her. I yell at them. Mom tells me that it will be okay. I’m not sure I believe her, but I don’t want to keep yelling. Fred has settled himself on the couch/bed as he said he planned to do. I try to curl up next to him, but the noise is still too scary. I find a place under the pillows that makes me feel safe again. All of the excitement has worn me out. The blankets under me are soft, and the pillows over me muffle the noise.

I don’t know how long I slept, but the scary noises have stopped, and Fred has left his spot on the bed. I crawl out when I hear the side van door open. I see Fred on a leash with Dad walking in the grass. The cord is long enough for me to go to the door, but I realize I would need a leash to actually go outside. Mom scoops me up to cuddle me before she puts me back on the bed. She starts pulling things out of the refrigerator to put in a bag along with bread and potato chips. I think I’m going to be left all alone when she takes the bag and goes out the door. I am so happy when a minute later she comes back to put me on a leash! We walk over to a funny table that is in the shade. She takes things out of the bag. Dad and Fred join us. Fred says this is called a picnic. Mom and Dad talk about what they want on sandwiches. Fred says sandwiches are great. I don’t think they sound good, but I climb up on the table to watch what’s going on.

After lunch Mom packs everything back into the bag. She clips me back on that inside cord and then unpacks that bag again in the van. Fred jumps back on the bed, and the noises from the van start again. I find my place back under the pillows and go back to sleep. So far, I’m not sure if I like the idea of a trip.