Eddy may have two cross-country road trips under her belt, but Rudy actually gets out of the car to see the sights. Yesterday, we took a drive up to Cambridge, NY to visit the Thirstycat Fountain studio and to buy one of their top-of-the-line cat water fountains. I’ve been eyeing one for about a year now and when I finally made the decision to buy it, I just couldn’t bring myself to pay $30 for shipping. Instead, I figured that the 180-mile drive would cost me just about $30 between gas and tolls, so I went to get it myself. Rudy accompanied me.
Poor little guy barfed in the car about a half hour before we got there. The roads into town were long and undulating with 55mph speed limits, so it was like riding a roller coaster. I think that’s what made him feel nauseated. I didn’t realize how pronounced the ups and downs were until the drive back home, so then I was sure that’s what did it. He’s never puked in the car before no matter how close to the time of the trip he ate his last meal. For the whole last hour before we got there, I was looking for a good place I could pull over so he could pee and walk around a little, but there wasn’t much more than farms. After he puked, I finally found a corner where the road was closed off. There were piles of stones next to a little wooded area and he peed there. And tried to climb the giant piles of stones. Then we were on our way again.
We got to the building where the studio is and I took Rudy to the grassy area so he could walk around a bit. A woman in her car started talking to me and asking me all the standard questions about walking a cat on a leash. Then some guy ran out of the building waving a business card. He said he saw me through the window and that their company makes cat water fountains. I told him that’s exactly the reason I was there. It was the owner, Keith; I think he forgot that I was coming today.
They were such nice people and it’s such a fantastic little business. Keith and Jackie started making cat fountains in their basement in 2000. Eventually they had themselves an Etsy shop, and now they’ve got a full studio. Keith walked me around and showed me how they make the fountains from start to finish. I already had an idea of the time and effort that goes into something like this, but actually seeing it in-person makes it so much more special. If these jackass cats won’t drink out of it, I will.
Rudy was his charming little self while we were there. He was curious (but polite) and only tried to bite me once. They said he could wander around on his own, but I just couldn’t let him do that. I could all but guarantee that he’d wreck something. It’s what he does.
Three hours was a long way for a cat, so we stopped at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park, NY on the way home. I wanted to see stuff, but I couldn’t really do that with a cat in tow. I asked the people in the visitor center if it was okay if I walked him around outside and they said yes. They also said the visitor center was pet-friendly and they’ve even had horses come inside. Rudy got to meet rangers and visitors and volunteers and the security guy named Lou. He was so happy to get so much attention because he’s so neglected at home. Lou said he’s been working there for 16 years and this was the first time he’s ever seen a cat visiting the park, then bent down in his super clean, black uniform to pet the shedding ginger man-cat.
The last 90-minute leg was uneventful. I set up the fountain right away when I got home and it’s been going since about 5pm. Not one cat has taken a drink of water from it.
