Man Finds a Tiny Sick Kitten in California Who Travels With Him 3,000 Miles Across the United States

While driving across the Southern California desert in 2021, vanlifer Sam encountered a tiny gray kitten who was all alone, sick, and blind. Unfortunately, none of the local veterinarians were available to treat her, so Sam packed her safely into a comfy cardboard box and began the long drive home to Pennsylvania.

Sam hadn’t expected to fall in love with this kitten whom he named Scythe, but she won him over with her adorable affection.

She won my heart with shoulder rides.

She also potty-trained herself. And when Sam finally got to a vet, it turned out that she had a lot more going on than he thought.

Along the way she learned the proper place to pee (see the moment it happened on slide 6), matured from box, to carrier, to total car freedom, and saw so many places and things most cats will never get to see. …The vet said she had mites, a respiratory infection, a whole slew of things. She had to take 3 different types of medicine and put up with it every day.

Sam was really impressed with Scythe’s determination.

She’s an absolute trooper for 1) somehow surviving the wild west for weeks despite illness and BLINDNESS, and 2) sticking through a 3,000 mile trek, only ever complaining when she couldn’t be near me.

While the pair are still incredibly close, he no longer travels for her own safety.

Vanlife with pets is possible for many, but I knew right when i found her i couldn’t do it. I travel for work, often having weeks of 12 hour shifts in very hot states like Texas and Florida. I go on lots of adventures that involve leaving behind my van in extreme temperatures for extended periods of time (4 day music festivals, camping trips, etc). Keeping her in my van like this would be inhumane and inexcusable.

Scythe now lives with Sam’s parents and Sam visits regularly.

I knew right when she found me that I couldn’t take her on the road full time, but I also couldn’t be without her – so we crossed the entire country together to get her to my parents’ house.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.

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