A Ukranian Taxi Driver Brings his Cat Along for Fares

You do not even have to be a cat lover to appreciate this story. Taxis can be a lonely place. Imagine just driving around from place to place all day long. You might have a passenger and you might not. At the end of the day, it would be nice to have somebody keep you comfortable. What does that somebody have to be a person? It could be an animal. Not just any animal will do, but a cat is certainly a great start. In the Ukraine, one taxi driver decided that he did not want to leave his precious pet at home all day while he was out driving. He also realized that his cat was so friendly that perhaps many of his passengers would appreciate having a companion during their time in the back seat of his cab as well. This is how he came up with the idea of bringing his cat along with him on fares. You might think that this would never work, but it certainly has. Continue reading to learn more about this cool story involving a taxi cab driver and his cat.

The Story

While it is true that many people love cats, not many have ever thought about taking their cat along with them when they are in a taxi. Almost nobody has thought of getting into a cab and finding that a cat is there waiting for them. But, for many, that could certainly be a welcoming situation. This is what a taxi driver in Ukraine felt. He thought that his passengers could use a bit of cheer while they were sitting alone in the back seat. He also missed his cat while he was driving for long hours every day. The solution was to bring the cat with him and help cheer up his passengers. That is exactly what he ended up doing.

You might think that this would never work, but it certainly appears to have. The taxi driver’s name is Oleksandr Zigulya. Well, since he has started bringing his cat with him while driving, Oleksandr is now receiving as many as 20 different requests each day from people that are wanting him to specifically pick them up, along with his cat Tea. For his part, the cat is almost perfect for the part. While not all cats respond well to anybody but their owner, Tea is the perfect feline companion from all accounts. He jumps right in the back of the taxi and immediately cuddles up to the passenger. He can even get on the hood while the car is driving, as he is always a playful and jovial mood. He seems to have really embraced his role as a true business partner with Oleksandr.

What About Allergies?

Now, many readers are probably thinking and wondering about the passengers that have an allergy to cats. They exist. Some people are actually quite allergic to these precious animals. It is not their fault, of course, so their needs should be taken into account as well. In this case, Oleksandr also demonstrates his worth as a taxi cab driver. In the event that he does pick up a new fare and the person has a severe allergy to cats, he has antihistamine pills with him at all times. The passenger can just take one of those and they will be good to go. Of course, that does not stop people from being upset that he has a cat in the cab in the first place, but hey, this is a free world. Oleksandr says that nobody has complained about his cat being in the car with them. In fact, with so many people specifically requesting his taxi because of Tea, it would seem that he struck upon a winning business proposition here.

Where Did the Idea Come From?

Many people have asked Oleksandr where the idea came from in the first place to have his cat accompany him in the taxi. It is not the first thing that people think about when it comes to taxis. He would agree. The idea came to him because he always wanted his passengers to feel comfortable and home when they were in the cab with him. Many people are reluctant to get in a cab. They do not know the driver and they feel alone in that space in the back of the car. Oleksandr wants to put his passengers at ease and he immediately thought of his cat. When he sees Tea, he gets a warm and comfortable feeling each and every time. This is why he thought of putting his cat in the car with him. if he could somehow make the ride even more comfortable for his passengers, then he had done his job.

Conclusion

As for Tea, he first arrived in Oleksandr’s life roughly two years ago. He saw the cat just hanging out by the site of a business that repaired cars. He took the cat in and the two have been inseparable ever since. He takes the cat with him just about everywhere now, and Tea has brightened up quite a few lives around the way.