Hugo's Big Adventure

Hugo the cat is about to have a big adventure. Hugo is a cat that Cara, my darling step-daughter adopted in Morocco shortly after she started her stint there two years ago. Cara has always seen herself as more of a "dog person," she tells me, but the tiny bundle of fur that was Hugo stole her heart and she soon found that she was unwilling to leave him when her Peace Corps service ended. People do not typically keep pets in Morocco. Cats and dogs roam the streets wild and are seen by most as a menace. Cara's Moroccan family was most surprised to see that the cat was tame, as most animals that they see are feral . So, soft-hearted cat-lover that I am, said "bring him home, he can live here." Now that her Peace Corps service is almost over, there have been many emails, instant messages, Skype sessions, and phone conversations concerning Hugo's Big Adventure. We weren't sure at first just how difficult it might be to bring a cat into the U.S. from Africa. There are rules, you know. But it hasn't proven to be as difficult as we thought--the normal (in the U.S. anyway) vaccinations, a health certificate, some kitty sedatives and we were set. Then we started thinking about the logistics of travelling such a distance with an animal whose species typically despises even a ride in an automobile. So today we are in search of the supplies that Cara will need to make sure Hugo can complete his great adventure: an airline approved carrier that will fit under the airline seat (Hugo's mom had quite a few specifications about this), a fold-up litter pan, ziploc bags of kitty litter, and "absorbent pads" for the bottom of the carrier. Kind of like shopping for all the stuff you need to send your kid off to camp. Or college. Hugo will probably be more comfortable in coach than the rest of the passengers on his flight from Northern Africa to his new home in Southwest Washington!