Life on 18 Wheels: The Remarkable Story of Two Cats Traveling America
Published On: 12/1/2025
Last Updated On: 12/1/2025
By Callie, Seymour, Yebba, and Mama and our Hooman Ashley!
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We always knew cats were adaptable. We’ve lived through our own plot twists — abandoned places, strange sounds, new hoomans, warm laps, cold moments, second chances. But even we weren’t prepared for the level of adventure coming out of the Truckin’ Cat world.
Today, we’re sharing the story of Medivh and Smoke — two rescued cats who didn’t just survive the unpredictable world of hoomans… they now travel the country in a tractor trailer like it’s the world’s longest and most chaotic cat enrichment tunnel.
And after interviewing their Hooman Joe through email, documenting every detail from the safety of our newsroom cat shelves, we feel connected to these boys in a way that only rescue cats can understand.
This isn’t just a trucking story.
It’s a rescue story.
A companionship story.
A “found exactly who you were meant to find” kind of story.
How Medivh Found His Hooman Joe
Medivh sitting on the steering wheel of his 18 wheeler home
Medivh’s beginning reads like the moment in a movie where the music softens and something fateful happens.
Joe came home from the road in Idaho in 2019, opened his apartment door, and immediately heard a tiny kitten screaming at the top of his lungs — the universal cat signal for “I choose you. You’re mine. Let’s go.” The kitten followed him straight inside without hesitation, which, frankly, we respect.
Joe knocked on every apartment door looking for an owner. None claimed him. Months later, he learned Medivh came from a hoarding situation — his former human hospitalized or jailed, depending on who told the story, and the cats simply let loose.
Medivh chose his future instead.
And when the former owner eventually showed up, Joe didn’t hesitate:
He told her the truth — this cat had a forever home, medical care, and safety now. She didn’t argue. It seems even she sensed that Medivh had landed exactly where he belonged.
For us as rescue cats… that part hit hard.
Smoke’s Wild Beginning
Medivh and Smoke sit in the grass, leashes on, starting into the distance
Smoke’s story begins at an Iowa rest stop — exactly the kind of place hoomans stretch their legs and cats try to disappear into the horizon.
Joe spotted something gray in the distance. A smudge. A shape. A question.
A zoom-in with the camera revealed a kitten.
A nervous, soft, skittish little thing.
Medivh saw him next — and immediately chased him into the bushes, which is highly relatable sibling behavior.
Joe returned with food, assuming the little stranger would never get close. Instead, Smoke crept out, cautiously, hungrily, hopefully. Joe took him to check for a chip (none), contacted every Iowa lost-and-found pet group, and eventually heard from a worker at a nearby golf course who said they’d been feeding Smoke for a month and were worried winter would kill him.
Smoke didn’t want cars. Didn’t trust them. Panicked every time he had to leave the truck. Joe believes he escaped during a move — uncontained, scared, gone in an instant. And because he wasn’t microchipped, no one ever found him.
The moment Smoke chose Joe’s truck as his safe place — well, we felt that, deep in the part of us that remembers our own before-and-after.
Truck Life With Two Cats
It turns out long-haul trucks are basically the best cat shelving on wheels — full of nooks, cubbies, bunks, and secret hideouts. Medivh and Smoke adjusted instantly because they were young, curious, and fully on board with the “moving fortress” lifestyle.
Joe even removed the passenger seat to install a full cat tree.
That alone earns him 10/10 paw points in our newsroom.
Medivh rules the truck like an office manager who actually does his job. Smoke splits his time between a top-bunk cat palace and the tree. Their walks are led entirely by Medivh, with Smoke and Joe trailing behind like interns.
We admire this dynamic.
What Truckin’ Cats Hopes People Learn
Joe wants more people to see what we already know: cats can be incredible travel companions — if raised safely, thoughtfully, positively, and with patience.
He advocates for adoption, spay/neuter, rescue-first, and microchipping. Every cat his family has ever loved came from the street. Every one gave more than they took.
And as rescue cats ourselves, we couldn’t agree more.
The Heart of It All
Seymour, head news anchor covering the Truckin Cats Story
When you strip the wheels, the miles, the routes, the truck stops, and the backroads away, this story is ultimately about the same thing we always try to uplift through Stray Cat News:
People saving cats.
Cats saving people.
And the small, quiet moments that turn survival into sanctuary.
Truckin’ Cats isn’t about traveling — it’s about belonging.
Connect with Joe from Truckin Cats:
Instagram: @truckin_cat
For more stories like Medivh and Smoke’s — and for daily cat news told by rescue cats who never miss a detail — follow us at Stray Cat News.
🐾 Coming tomorrow on Stray Cat News
Festival of Trees Event December 5th, 2025 with the ARL of Berks County PA
We’re rolling into December with a full roundup of cat events happening across Pennsylvania — holiday markets, rescue fundraisers, meet-and-greets, cozy community happenings, and all the cat-centric gatherings you definitely don’t want to miss. If you love supporting rescues, local cat cafés, ARLs, and small businesses, this guide is for you.
Curl up with us tomorrow as we unveil December Cat Events in PA You Can’t Miss. Your winter calendar is about to get a lot more whisker-filled.
