Pet passenger an
easy rider in St. Clair
Story by Jerry Smith
Photos by Jerry Martin
Mike Enoch enjoys few things more than a leisurely motorcycle ride with his friend Katt on the seat behind him. That doesn’t sound unusual for a Southern boy on a warm summer day, until you realize that Katt is actually a large brown dog. For Mike and Katt, it’s a wondrous association, both enjoying each other’s company in a unique way, with lots of attention from bystanders.
Dogs on bikes are not new, but they’re usually just shivery Chihuahuas or yapping Yorkies stuffed into a saddle bag or handlebar pouch. Katt, however, is full-sized — a real man’s dog with no self-esteem issues, and she rides on a seat like the rest of us. And besides, it’s safer and more comfortable than riding in the back of a pickup truck.
Pell City folks are becoming accustomed to seeing this eye-catching duo on city streets, but first-timers always do a double-take when passing them on the road or seeing Mike’s bike parked at a local store, with Katt standing guard while he’s inside taking care of business.
Katt is a three year old female pit bull/mastiff mix, so no other security system is needed for their motorcycle. Katt’s domain is a special shelter Mike fabricated to fit over the rear seat, which also serves as a framework for a carrier that holds camping and fishing equipment. She’s a well-behaved dog with a warm, salival persona, but it’s probably not a good idea to mess with her bike.
Mike raised Katt from a puppy. He explains that her name came from the way she scampered and played, more like a kitten than a puppy. As she matured, the name Cat became a bit unseemly for such a noble canine, so he morphed it into Katt instead.
They ride a dark blue 2001 Honda Shadow 1100cc Sabre. This model has ample power, yet is light and agile enough to get them around on two-lane country roads as they explore St. Clair and its environs. The Shadow is his first bike, and Mike has put more than 27,000 miles on it, mostly before Katt started insisting on going along.
He explains that once Katt has sensed he is going somewhere, she jumps up on the bike seat and uses all her doggie wiles to make him feel bad for leaving her behind. After a few such drama sessions, Mike relented and built his friend a special carrier to provide safety and shelter.
It allows her to watch the road ahead from either side, with her snout usually nestled against his leg or waist.
When stopped, Katt absolutely will not jump off the bike unless Mike gives her spoken permission. Mike claims he’s tested her several times, finding that nothing can entice her down, even for hours at a time. In fact, she often sleeps on the bike when they’re at home.
During an interview session at Pell City’s Lakeside Park, Katt sat politely and patiently on her padded perch while we talked, but it soon became clear from her body language that she had doggie needs. Mike finally relented, ordered her down, and she hit the ground running. After a few laps around the parking lot and nearby woods, all within a perimeter established by Mike’s voice commands, she obediently returned to her post.
Mike says Katt already has some 1,000-plus miles under her, uh…collar, with no mishaps or problems at all, and he looks forward to lots more pleasant mileage as they run errands, explore this part of the state, and venture out on fishing and wilderness camping trips.
They’ve taken a few longer treks together, such as Stone Mountain, Buck’s Pocket and a campground in Tennessee, but Mike says the norm is less than a hundred miles each way, with several scenic and pit stops so neither man nor pet becomes uncomfortable.
At age 51, Mike is the owner-operator of Carpet Solutions Cleaning Co., a local firm specializing in cleaning and treating commercial carpets. It’s hard work, and Mike performs it with due diligence, so having a means of rest and recreation is a necessity.
Both he and Katt enjoy the natural camaraderie of a man and his dog, along with a growing notability among St. Clair folks. In fact, the interview was interrupted several times by curious park visitors, all with basically the same questions, as well as several honks from passing cars.
So what’s in the future for the travel team of Honda, Mike and Katt? Mike says he may try to fit her with goggles (Doggles?) to protect her eyes, and possibly even a doggie helmet, as they expand their travel radius to include more vacations and camping expeditions.
Mike also wants to breed her to a full-blooded bull mastiff at least once before she’s neutered, to produce a dog that’s slightly larger than Katt. If her cool demeanor and powerful physique prevails, those pups should make great pets and watchdogs.
Does Mike plan to sell his Honda anytime soon? “Nope, she’d probably leave me and go with the bike, and I wouldn’t blame her if she did.”
