If you work remotely here is an entirely different lifestyle choice for you and your Maine Coon cat

Cat "ownership" has changed. Or the opportunity to change how you live with your domestic cat companion has arrived thanks to Covid-19. I think that it is worth discussing.

Covid-19 brought extensive lockdowns. This led to remote working where appropriate. At the end of Covid remote working remains in place in many businesses because employees like it. Employers reluctantly have given way to the demands of employees because there's a shortage of employees. And the reason for that is perhaps because we've gotten lazy! Anyway, that's another problem but there are a lot more employees working remotely all the time after Covid-19.

Bao Zi the nomadic cat traveller. Image: Caters News Agency.

That's the first point to make. And working remotely means that workers can live where they want to live. It actually means more than that. They can move around the world constantly, staying at one place for a week and then moving to a new place while working and earning. It is freedom. This appeals to many.

Another aspect of modern life that appeals to many is living with a domestic cat. My travels across the Internet indicate to me that of all the cat breeds, the Maine Coon cat is perhaps more than other breed suited to this kind of peripatetic, nomadic lifestyle.

Why do I say that? Because they have a calm character. And because they are normally full-time indoor cats, to live a nomadic lifestyle with them means that they can enjoy the outside and travel with their owner provided they are supervised properly and, on a lead, whenever outside which is invariably the case. Maine Coon owners are a responsible lot!

Whenever you see Maine Coon cat owners with their cat companion trekking in America, they are on leads and occasionally released from the lead when it is safe. The point I'm making is that Maine Coon cats and trekking go together like apple pie and custard provided the caregiver is responsible.

So here we have a nice combination. We have remote learning, a Maine Coon cat and a couple who like to travel. This is a new lifestyle for a cat owner.

And I think, that it is a wonderful lifestyle for a young couple and for the Maine Coon cat. And I am primarily thinking of the cat here. Once they get used to travelling, domestic cats adapt and my view they enjoy it. Clearly it depends on the character of the individual cat.

You are not going to take a timid domestic cat on these long two-year trips. Although, you might because it might give them confidence but the best cat would be a confident Maine Coon.

Good example

You will see examples of this and today in the Daily Mail there is a nice story about a couple living with a Maine Coon mix cat. That's meant to be a Maine Coon crossed with a domestic cat at first generation level. It might not mean that but that is what they are hinting at.

Bao Zi the nomadic cat traveller. Image: Caters News Agency.

The couple are Hélène Vincent and wife Alice from Boston. Yes, this is a gay couple; a lesbian couple. And they are married. That, too, is a modern phenomenon and I like it very much. Hélène works in education technology. Her wife, Alice, works in insurance. They been travelling like nomads for the last two years and visited five countries, 45 states and 22 national parks. Their cat, by the way is called Bao Zi. She is six years old and a rescue cat.

They are enjoying themselves as is their cat. Here is a quote from them:

"We always want to keep a close eye on her to keep her safe, we have to be super in the moment when hiking outdoors which is fantastic. She explores the world from a different vantage point, she also helps us notice things we wouldn't notice otherwise. We absolutely love the freedom and spontaneity. We move almost every week and only decide on our next destination about five days in advance."

They discovered that their cat was initially nervous as is to be expected. But she got used to it and now behaves more like a dog and is super curious, adventurous and of course very attached to the couple.

This is another advantage of this kind of peripatetic lifestyle. You are with your cat all the time, 24-7. The bonding processes very powerful. And you are exploring the world together, visiting new places and having new experiences. This is a bonding process too.

When they are flying, they have found that Bao Zi is just fine. She sits in her carrier which is tucked away under the seat. Bao Zi has become a very experienced and relaxed flyer and traveller. She loves the car rides and falls asleep until they get to the next destination.

The couple say that:

"She's happier and healthier than she's ever been. She used to have all kinds of medical problems that cleared up when we started travelling with her at four years old. We have spent the last two years as digital nomads travelling to 45 states and five countries and our kitty has been with us every step of the way."

Indeed, a new way of life for those living with a cat and working remotely. And the Maine Coon cat is ideally suited to this lifestyle in my view.

Boredom?

I suspect that Bao Zi's health picked up tremendously when she began to travel because she was bored living inside a home full-time and suddenly her life has expanded dramatically and she is mentally stimulated and excited. There are challenges to face. Cats need this like humans. I wonder how many health problems are created because of the boredom experienced by full-time indoor cats as a result of their owners not enriching their environment and their lives sufficiently?