We get tons of questions on what it's like to have Tora with us in the semi truck and traveling in a car! I hope this can help you have a better understanding of what it's like to travel with her.
How did you get your cat in a movie?
In late 2019, Mye (the director) reached out through Instagram asking us if we would like to be part of her documentary she was working on, Cat Daddies, exploring the relationship between men and their cats. To be totally transparent, we thought it was a scam, but figured it was worth it to respond anyway and see where it took us. We met them in Flagstaff and Sedona across 3 days of filming, where we hiked trails, ate on restaurant patios, took a Jeep off-roading, filmed at a truck stop, and met up with some of Tora's fans. She attended the red carpet opening night in New York City, then went to theaters in Dallas, San Francisco, San Diego, Sebastopol, Berkeley, and Lake Buena Vista alongside the documentary.
What's Tora up to now?
Tora is no longer trucking and not traveling nearly as often. She has settled down nicely as a lazy house cat, occasionally going for car rides and trips to pet stores and the local parks and trails. She is still just as fashionable as ever, and rocks a different scarf every day.
How can I give Tora a gift?
Tora is very spoiled by us and has pretty much everything she could ever want or need, but we do have lots of people who ask if they can send her treats or toys. If you would like to send her a gift, we have an Amazon Wishlist filled with things we are looking to buy for her but haven't quite gotten around to yet.
Outside of trucking, what cool places has Tora been to?
Sacramento, California Houston, Texas Dallas, Texas Mammoth Spring State Park, Arkansas Austin, Texas Disney Springs, Kissimmee Greeley, Colorado Sedona, Arizona Coconino National Forest, Arizona Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona White Sands National Monument, New Mexico New Orleans, Louisiana Saguaro National Forest, Arizona San Antonio, Texas New York City, New York Hollywood, California Sebastopol, California San Fransisco, California San Diego, California
What's the litter situation like?
Our litter is kept on the floor underneath a table in the back of the sleeper. Many drivers place their litter boxes on the passenger's seat, on the passenger's floorboard, between the two seats, or on the top bunk bed. We use Dr. Elsey's Clean Tracks litter. The most important thing for us to look for is litter that has less dust and is either unscented or has a pleasant fragrance, that will also help conceal the cat's smell since we're in a smaller space. We clean out our litter 3 times a day: once when we start our day, on our 30 minute break, and when we shut down for the night. As far as disposal goes, we use the Litter Genie that we clean out once a week.
How do you keep her out from under the pedals?
When Tora was a kitten, we lined a rug with a citrus spray and kept it on the driver's side floor board. She associated the pedal area with that strong scent she dislikes and doesn't even think about sneaking under there. Other options for keeping them out from under the driver's feet are lining the floor with double sided tape or building a barrier that they can't climb. We've seen drivers make their barriers out of wood, foam and PVC.
What if she gets out of the truck?
The chances of her getting out of the truck is pretty similar to a cat sneaking passed your feet when you open the door to a house. No matter how careful you are, sometimes accidents can happen, though we have never had it happen. We are super lucky with Tora because she doesn't really show much interest in going outside unless her harness is on already. We don't idle so we don't have to worry about her opening our windows.
Tora is micro chipped and always has identification with our current contact information attached to her harness.
How long are you out on the road for?
Generally 5-8 weeks at a time, and then we take 5-8 days off. We love to take our time off in different areas across the country.
Do you sleep in the truck?
Yes, we do! Our truck has bunk beds in the back. We use the bottom bunk for sleeping and mainly use the top bunk for storage. The top bunk has been lined with carpet and that's where we keep Tora's toys, clothes and accessories.
What do you do when the truck breaks down?
We aren't able to sleep in the truck when it's being worked on at a shop, so we have to search for cat friendly hotels to stay at. While finding a pet friendly hotel has proven to be rather troublesome, we can almost always guarantee a stay at Red Roof Inn or Motel 6. If we're in an area near anything worth exploring, we'll take Tora out on an adventure!
How do you control the temperature in the cab?
Our truck is equipped with an APU, which is like a built in AC/Heater for the truck. That does a great job at keeping the cab at a nice temperature at all times for both her and us. When we leave the truck for whatever reason and she is alone the APU is always on to make sure she's comfortable, much like keeping your AC or Heater on at home while you're out of the house.
How do you deal with shedding?
Tora has a double layer coat so she does shed quite a bit. We use a cat hair glove to help gather the hair on the chairs and bedding. Dusting the other surfaces of the truck can help pick up stray hairs lying around. We also have an air purifier tucked away on a shelf in the sleeper that runs a continuous low cycle to help trap extra dust and fur. We do brush her fur a couple times a week to help catch the stray hair before it floats around in the truck.
How do you make sure she gets enough exercise?
Her exercising in a truck is no different than exercising in a house. She likes to spend most of the day sleeping, which is when the truck is moving. When we're done driving for the day we like to take her for a walk as long as the weather is nice. She has lots of toys to help keep her moving and will happily play with us or on her own.
How did you harness train her?
We started harness training with Tora at 8 weeks old, so to her it's pretty normal. Harness training cats is a bit trickier than dogs, and becomes harder as they age. It's not impossible to get your cat used to walking outdoors, it just takes some patience and lots of positive reinforcement. You want to get your cat used to wearing the harness before you take them outdoors. Putting the harness on them daily and leaving it on for a couple of hours is a great way to get them used to moving around in the harness. Once they become comfortable with putting the harness on/off, you can slowly start introducing them to the outdoors. Make sure to give them lots of praise and treats!
Do you have anything special for Tora in the truck?
We have pretty much everything you could need for a cat! The basics: Food (Wet & Dry, Food Bowls, Treats), Kitty Litter (Litter Box, Litter Scoop), Bedding, Scratching Posts, Lots of Toys (Catnip Toys, Feather Toys, Wand Toys, Puzzle Toys), Grooming Tools (Brush, Nail Clippers, Toothbrush/Paste), Collar (Identification Tags, Harness, Leash) and Veterinary Records. Plus lots and lots of clothes! We always make time to bring Tora back to the vet for vaccinations and health checks while on the road!