Traveling with Dakota

One of the oldest natural breeds in North America, the Maine Coon is generally regarded as a native of the state of Maine (in fact, the Maine Coon is the official Maine State Cat). Although the Yankee myth of 35-pound cats is just that, a myth (unless the cat is grossly overweight!), these are indeed tall, muscular, big-boned cats; males commonly reach 15 to 25 pounds, with females normally weighing about 12 to 15 pounds. Add to that two or three inches of winter coat, and people will swear that they're looking at one big cat.  Maine Coons develop slowly, and don't achieve their full size until they are three to five years old. Their dispositions remain kittenish throughout their lives; they are big, gentle, good-natured goofs. Even their voices set them apart from other cats; they have a distinctive, chirping trill which they use for everything from courting to caroling their people into playing with them. (Maine Coons love to play, and many will joyfully retrieve small items.) They rarely meow, and when they do, that soft, tiny voice doesn't fit their size! - The Maine Coon Facts


This is Dakota! He is my old Maine Coon cat! 

He is adored by many who met him! Even those who are highly allergic and don't like cats!  Maine Coons are known for their personalities! Matter of fact, my neighbor went out and bought two Maine Coon kittens because she specifically liked the Maine Coon personalities and their size!  Don't worry she is well aware that they can get up to 20 pounds!!! The size didn't bother her at all!  She had never seen a cat bread so smart, playful and one in which would allow her Children to put him in all sorts of positions! I am not kidding you can hang this cat upside down and he is perfectly fine with it! You can carry him around like a sack of potatoes and he adores it!  My kids have even taken him skiing across water over a bathtub flooded bathroom floor! He just prances around like it is no big deal!
 
However, he isn't perfect! He does not do well in a car! He meows the entire time! Did I say the entire time? I mean the ENTIRE time. HOURS! Did I say, "hours?"    Yes, I mean 6 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours! The entire time!!  He hates it!!! This is simply not normal because Maine Coons do not meow much at all.  So, I am sure this must be the reason why Beloved put Dakota in my car with me. (giggle)

The only thing that I found that he doesn't like even more than riding in a car is when I STUFFED this big boy into this green cat-bag so I can go shopping and not keep him in the hot car!  The poor old boy doesn't like shopping either! Imagine that?

When we pulled into our first camp spot for a few days, he was most annoyed by the less than royal treatment he had received all day! However, all was forgiven shortly when he discovered a quiet spot under one of the camp seats, a perch with a blanket to look out the window and the added bonus of kitty feather toys!

But, then I cooked chicken in the camper and the smell was just to much for him not to give me a little taste of what the other bread of cats do to their owners --- I mean slaves!

I am getting the feline silent treatment!