Willow, the Little Black Adventure Cat: Meet a Fluffy Australian Traveler – 10 Pictures
Willow is a regular domestic cat, who has traveled 50,000 km around Australia. Together with her owner, Rich East, they have been on wheels of the campervan since 2015, sharing all the beauties and difficulties of the road. The best shots of the adventure are shared on Instagram and Facebook pages of the two.
1 / 10
It all started when Rich decided to sell his house and travel the world. The only one Rich couldn’t say goodbye to was his rescued cat, Willow, so he decided to bring her along. And the exciting journey to all the eight states and territories of Australia started!
2 / 10
Traveling with a cat is a unique experience. You take responsibility for the cat’s life, so you should also take into account cat’s habits and her daily routine. In his interview with Animalslook.com Rich recalls the most difficult moments of the travel: “To be honest it's been pretty easy. We have both settled into this life very well. The hardest thing would probably be establishing a good sleep routine for Willow. Cats are nocturnal animals, which means my sleep will suffer if I just let her be. I have to make sure she is very active during the day so that she doesn't bother me at night. Although it's not always that simple, rainy days are challenging when we are both stuck in the van and often result in a little cat wanting to play aaaaall night! Anyone who owns a cat knows about this, but we also know it is worth it, for the love, companionship, and of course the cuddles!”
3 / 10
Cats adapt to traveling very fast. They enjoy doing things together as well as becoming engaged in their own activities, so you have some time alone and don’t need to worry about the cat’s leisure. Rich has a cat leash as well as radio frequency collar, so Willow can go for a walk on her own. She is a very curious cat, although, she never goes too far and always returns.
4 / 10
The daily routine of the travelers is simple. During the day time, they drive about 60km, taking pauses for sightseeing, eating, and napping. And in the evening, when they find a camp, Rich and Willow explore the area together and cook a dinner. Willow also likes falling asleep under the solar panels.
5 / 10
“I love looking back on the photos of our adventures and thinking about how far we have come”, says Rich. “From the first few months when I was counting the days since we had left home to now where we are counting years, Willow has been there for me for every step of the way. My favorite memories are the times where we go for little walks together, exploring our camps, taking everything in and running on cat time. It's not how I would have imagined the traveling to be before we left, it's not something you find in a travel brochure, but it's our life now and we love it!”
6 / 10
Willow, the little black adventure cat, has its own website, where she and her owner post travel stories and promote cat traveling. On their Facebook page they also sell little wooden boxes made by Rich in order to raise funds to find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease (ALS).
7 / 10
“Every cat is special, and every cat has their own story to tell”, tells Rich. “Willow is special to me because she has become such a huge part of my life. It hurts to think of what life would be like without her and I know that I wouldn't have lasted the past two years on the road if it wasn't for our friendship”.
8 / 10
The story of Willow and Rich reminds us that everything is possible. People set the obstacles on their own way to happiness. But what if happiness is right there, in the sunsets you meet together with your fluffy friend?
9 / 10
While we are only dreaming, Willow and Rich continue their trip and send us greetings from the Road!
10 / 10
Image sources:
instagram.com/vancatmeow & facebook.com/VanCatMeow