Traveler Animals

Since Brutter's death, I have been met with one of my relative's genuine feelings on traveling with an animal.

On that morning, in a frenzy, I had called this particular relative, explaining what had happened in-between sobs. The first thing she said to me was "It's a hard life out there for a person, and it's a hard life out there for an animal."

I can honestly say that had not been something I had expected to hear. Far from it. It certainly didn't help that feeling of isolation I often struggle with. The feeling that nobody perceives the world the way I do. That nobody notices the same patterns I do.

That lack of mutual perception is why my family is still grappling with the fact that I struggle to function in society. I had suspected as much, but I hadn't realized that they also believe the misconception that it's a bad life for animals.

 

I've encountered a surprising number of people who share my relative's belief. In fact, they believe it so strongly to the point that they've accused my road dog and I of animal abuse. However, what exactly about the whole arrangement is animal abuse? Because cats and dogs enjoy being outside, they very much appreciate constantly being by their humans' sides, and many travelers have perfectly healthy, happy, and long-lived animals.

 

Or is it because these people are convinced that the animals are constantly exposed to the elements, not receiving proper medical care or starving?

People understand that we, the humans, require shelter during poor weather conditions, correct? Therefore, the animals with us, would also, by default, be sheltered as well. Be it under a tarp, a pavilion, a bridge, in an abandoned building, or even a hotel room, they're most certainly sheltered from poor weather conditions. Travelers are with their non-human animal companions twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week; we are extremely attentive to such needs, even including their health needs.

 

With Brutter, I was always paying close attention to her disposition, her gait, her appetite, and even her feces. I would just about always know when she was about to go to the bathroom. She would walk as far from the camp as she could and then dig a little hole, of course. If I saw she was defecating, I'd take a quick glance at her droppings to ensure everything was running smoothly. In fact, I've had multiple conversations over text about her bowel movements with a woman who works at a humane society. Yes, I know a woman who works at a humane society. She's the one who had helped us get both Brutter and Faye taken care of by a vet. They were fixed, vaccinated, and even chipped. We didn't have to pay a cent, because that humane society, like many others, have programs to give care to strays. Honestly, the four of us pretty much are strays. But Brutter and Faye were and are the most well-fed of us all.

 

The one thing I never struggle to acquire is dog and cat food. Even when I was having difficulty getting food for myself, I always ensured that my cat, Brutter, was never hungry. She was actually getting chunkier, because I like keeping my cats fat. But I wasn't too worried about her having an unhealthy weight or becoming diabetic, because she got so much exercise being outside.

 

Most people with cats will agree, cats LOVE being outside. There are, of course, cats who prefer being indoors. I know my childhood cat who had been with me for fourteen years, Bobbi, she was far more at ease indoors. Even when I would let her outside so we could go on walks together, she would stay near me, and would usually hurry back into the house at the slightest disturbance.

Brutter was definitely not like that. While my mother and I had found Bobbi crying under a car right after the neighbors kicked her out, Brutter had already been living as a stray for who knows how long in some Alabama woods when she had found me.

 

Brutter was constantly eager to explore the world around her. She'd sleep a lot, sure, but she was inconsolable whenever she couldn't be outside. I assume it has something to do with the sounds and the visuals of constant small movements, be they from critters or the wind. There was always something exciting for Brutter to find outside. I would try to somewhat replicate the outdoors for her when we were housed up by playing cat TV videos for her. I am still subscribed to Birder King on YouTube, and I can't pull myself to unsubscribe. Those videos had kept her so entertained. Well, at least for a few moments. But after pouncing on my phone screen and knocking the phone on the floor in an attempt to get the tiny birds and squirrels, she would quickly lose interest and go back to screaming at the door.

 

She was happier outside. There is not a single house she could be kept in that would've been good enough for her. This was something that many people with cats would agree with me on. They would see how relaxed Brutter would be, justing chilling on my pack. Many often remarked how happy my cat appeared.

 

When it comes to my road dog's dog, Faye, on the other hand, dog people aren't so easily convinced. It's very true that dogs... They just do whatever they're made to do. There's really not much more to explain, and truthfully, I'm not going to dwell too much on dogs. However, I can't help but personally find it absurd that anyone would believe that merely being outdoors is abusive to dogs. Sure, keeping a dog constantly chained up outside, alone, and with little to no access to shelter, is cruel, but that's most certainly not the case with Faye. It should also be mentioned that it is also cruel to leave your dog trapped in a house, or even a cramped cage, alone, for hours on end nearly everyday. Dogs aren't accessories, or toys that you can just store away while you're busy living your life. They're extremely social creatures. They were domesticated to be by our sides, and typically alongside other dogs or even livestock as well.

 

I have my own personal opinions against industrial society. I will not be delving into those opinions here, but overall, it feels too forced. Especially when people are forcing Homo sapiens to be work machines, and forcing work dogs to be house pets.

Travelers break this mold by living more untethered lives with their animals by their sides.

 

Nearly every single traveler I know has at least one dog. Majority of them are dedicated to the care of their dogs. Admittedly, there are some who view their dogs as a tool. These individuals are typically not respected or tolerated by the broader community. If someone is out here clearly starving or neglecting that dog, travelers will usually make sure that dog gets a better life.

 

The same dedication and affection extends to cats. Cats require more dedication and patience, so only a small number of travelers will take on the responsibility of a cat. But it is not unheard of at all.

I know a traveler who has been hitchhiking with three cats for seven years now. I also know three other train riders who have been riding with their cats for over five years. On top of that, two of the riders were often drunk or even tripping when I was around them. Yet they still took excellent care of their cats.

 

I've spoken to one of these train riders about the situation. This traveler has had both a cat and a dog by her side since I had met her in 2020. During the times I've spent with her, she has demonstrated not only a deep affection for non-human animals, but even an educated understanding of them. I have no doubt that she does plenty of research on animals and how best to treat each individual species and even the individual breeds. Which is funny, considering many self-proclaimed dog-lovers who believe having a dog outdoors is abuse don't even themselves understand the varying needs of different dog breeds. A dog bred for herding cattle has different lifestyle needs from a dog bred for hunting. But this traveller woman on the streets knows the difference very well.

 

It was this understanding and love of animals that had me messaging her when I was distraught. I had just finished talking to my relative after my road dog and I came to said relative's house in order to escape the world for at least a little while. I was crying when I'd gone back downstairs where my road dog and I were staying. But I refused to tell my road dog what had happened. There was no reason to rile him up as well. We had both suffered an immense loss, I figured I could spare him a bit.

Instead, I had reached out to the other traveler woman. I told her how my relative had told me to not blame myself for making the mistake of taking a cat out on the road. I included that I had been blaming myself for falling asleep before ensuring she couldn't get into the tree (which I thought I had, I'd secured her lead the same way I had every night before then, and it always seemed like she couldn't really reach the tree, let alone get high enough, but it was such a blur), not for bringing her traveling, but that I was now worried that everyone felt the same way as my relative. I just wanted her opinion, her insight. She did not fail in reassuring me.

 

So, I'd like to close this post with her insightful message:

(Pictured is a screenshot of a text message reading:

"Cats are solitary animals who select themselves who and what they are social with. Living an outside life with a cat who shows you love and appreciates you means alot in their eyes. Cats like all animals are meant to be outside and by themselves will usually form colonies if enough food is provided. They are not dogs, they do not follow blindly. Butters picked you as much as y'all picked her. My cat loves traveling, he shows me everyday in ways no one else will ever likely see. What happen was a shitty freak accident. It was no one's fault and I hope you realize that dude. You guys gave her the life she wanted and accepted/loved. The life out here for animals is alot better that any housey will ever comprehend.")