The Hot Seat

There are many fun things about traveling with our cat, Edgar Allan. He is such a character, he makes every trip a bit more interesting. I like the way he will roam around the car as he pleases, as if he owns the vehicle.

He’ll come from behind my seat and step around the headrest onto my shoulder. He’ll sit and look out the windshield for a bit, then climb down my chest to sit in my lap for awhile. He’ll meow at me, then I meow back to him, and he meows again. After our conversation, Edgar will head butt me; rubbing his face against mine, get his ears rubbed, then depart between the seats, returning to the back.

If he is going to see Melissa, he generally will come up front between our seats, crossing the center console, then into her lap. Melissa will bring out his food dish and let him eat while sitting in her lap.

Edgar is beginning to figure out the switches around the car and how they work. Occasionally, he will step on one, lowering a window on his own. We don’t like that and he doesn’t really like it either, especially if we’re driving on the highway. The rushing wind scares him a bit. June sure enjoys it and will take the opportunity to poke her nose out the opening into the wind.

I know one of these days he is going to step on the door lock button, locking us out of the car. I can envision that once he’s locked us out, he will look at us through the window saying, “I didn’t lock the doors - June must have done it.”  But I am prepared as a Boy Scout for that day to come. Anytime Edgar is left in the car while I’m filling the tank with gas or cleaning the windshield, I always carry a spare key in my pocket. ​

There are always plenty of cushions and soft things in the back of the car for Edgar to lay on. He pretty much decides on the space he wants, and our dog June can have whatever space is left over.

If Edgar sprawls out too much, June will push him out of the way and take some of the space back. Sometimes, June will just lay on top of the cat, causing Edgar to meow. Inevitably, June will catch a scolding from Melissa. “June! Get off him. You know better! You’re too big to lay on Edgar.”

Edgar can be antagonistic, starting a scuff like a youngster who will provoke a sibling to draw a parental response. I think Edgar’s meows are often dramatic, like that little kid crying up a storm for attention when he’s not really hurt. Edgar will often chuckle a bit when June has been scolded.

Despite their occasional little spats, June and Edgar get along really well. They are travel buddies and good friends. We often catch June using Edgar as a pillow, and vise-versa.

Sometimes, after sitting on Melissa’s lap, Edgar will get up to go his way. Nonchalantly, when passing through the front seats, Edgar steps on the switch for the passenger seat warmer. A few moments later, Melissa will cry out, “Edgar Allan! Did you turn on my seat warmer?” Edgar ignores her, aloof to her troubled situation.

If we have beverages in the cup holders he will affectionately come to sit in your lap, facing the center of the car. As you stroke his soft black coat, he begins purring then will quietly start chewing on the straw in your drink.  “No Edgar!” Melissa scolds him, then shoos him away to the back of the car.

Edgar seldom loses a contest. He will go to the back of the car and sit on top of a tote, looking up front and patiently waiting. Then Melissa calls out as her tushy is roasting, “Edgar Allan! You did that on purpose!” Of course he did. You took his straw away, you meanie!

I laugh when he turns on her seat warmer. He always turns it to the high setting, never low, then goes to wait for a response. It just never gets old.

The other day it was particularly hot outside. Edgar came up front to sit with Melissa and eat his food, then returned to the back with June. A few minutes later, Melissa called out, “Edgar Allan! You turned on my seat warmer after I was kind enough to feed you?”

I started laughing. As a matter of fact, I laughed harder than usual when he did it this time. Maybe it was because of Melissa’s response, or the way he completely ignored her again. Or maybe because he is so coy when he does it, or maybe...

Wait a minute. Why are my legs and backside getting so hot? They’re practically on fire. I cried out, “Edgar Allan! You’re not funny! You’re supposed to be one of the guys, you know, on MY team!”

Edgar sat on top of the plastic tote with his front paws curled under his chest. He closed his eyes to rest as he smiled over my discomfort. Melissa turned her head, looking out the passenger window. There was a suspect innocence about her and I think I heard her snickering under her breath.

Short of a confession from one of those two, I guess I’ll never know who turned on my seat warmer on that day. But one thing is for sure, Edgar makes traveling more fun and interesting. I just hope he’s not planning to keep drawing her into his shenanigans.