While singing in a band years ago, I was driving very late one night on my way to the next gig. There were very steep and dangerous ditches on either side of the road. Spanky Scissorpaws traveled in his kennel in the passenger seat with the door open so he could reach his food and litter box.
I don't remember nodding off but a sudden, a extremely loud, "Yow wow!" woke me just in time for me to avoid ending up in the right hand ditch - a crash that would have killed us both.
Spanky will be 18 years old March 19 2009, and I love him more every day.
Calgary, Canada