Have you ever wished you could leave your job and spend all your time with your pet instead? It’s a thought most of us have had at some point, but not many of us actually have the chance to do it.
One cat dad from Oregon, however, has done just that. However, he’s not staying at home. Rather, Oliver Widger packed lots of the best cat treats and embarked on a journey across the Pacific Ocean with his cat, Phoenix.
The 29-year-old decided to set sail from Oregon to Hawaii, over 2,500 miles away, after he realized he was dissatisfied with his managerial job at a tire company. Widger, whose desire to do something different was first activated four years ago after he was diagnosed with a syndrome that carries a risk of paralysis, quit his job while having no plan and $10,000 in debt.
“I work a corporate job at a tire shop. I absolutely hate this life. I’m gonna buy a sailboat and I’m going to sail around the world for the rest of my life until I die,” he said in a video from his car a year before he began his journey.
“The world kind of sucks and, like, I don’t think I’m alone in how I felt with my work,” he told the Associated Press via Zoom last week. “You can be making $150,000 a year and you still feel like you’re just making ends meet, you know what I mean? And I think people are just tired of that and working really hard for nothing and want a way out.”
Widger, who has amassed over one million followers on Instagram, cashed in his 401(k) and bought a boat, bringing Phoenix, who he found in a dumpster a few years ago, with him. He’s working to avoid the cat needing to undergo Hawaii’s animal quarantine, with plans for a mobile vet to sign off on Phoenix’s health when the pair arrive in Honolulu.
He admitted that he’s found himself in some sticky situations while at sea. Once, he was locked in the boat’s engine compartment after a big wave came and slammed it shut, but he was able to get out using a wrench he had with him.
His friends have planned a welcome party for his arrival in Hawaii – after which Widger wants to “snorkel for like 30 days and just look at fish.” Then, he’ll be off to French Polynesia, which is about 2,500 miles away from the Aloha State, to continue his voyage.
Not everyone is going to set sail with their cat, but if you’re planning on going somewhere with your own feline, here’s everything to know about traveling with a cat. Why not take a look at our top tips for flying with a cat, too?
