Found a new site mascot hiding in the excavator

We had a similar situation back in 2019 while doing some grading work near Akron. It was a freezing November morning, and I was doing the daily walk-around on a John Deere 850K. When I popped the side panel to check the oil, a gray tabby was wedged right against the hydraulic lines. He was terrified and wouldn't budge, so we had to lure him out with some tuna from a guy's lunchbox. We named him Diesel, naturally. The hardest part was acutally keeping him safe once we started moving dirt. We ended up building a little insulated box for him inside the tool shed using some leftover R-13 fiberglass batts and a pallet. Having a site mascot relly changed the mood on that job; even the most stressed-out supers woud stop to pet him before the morning safety meeting. It's funny how a three-pound animal can keep a whole crew of grown men in line. I'd suggest checking the air filters and cabinets too. Our shop cat developed a habit of napping in the filter housing of a Bobcat T770 we had parked for repairs. It’s a bit of a hassle to double-check the equipment every morning, but after seeing Sue, I'm sure you guys won't mind the extra two minutes.

I’ve seen a few site cats over the years, but my old foreman at a bridge project in Youngstown had a much stricter rule about it. We found a tuxedo kitten inside the housing of a massive 500kW Cat generator during a night shift. It was freezing, and the poor thing had crawled in for the warmth of the block heater. While the guys wanted to keep him as a mascot like your Sue, the Super wouldn't have it becuase of the silica dust and the heavy machinery traffic. He was worried about the kitten getting flattened by a Lull or caught in a belt if it ever escaped the trailer. We ended up calling a local rescue instead of keeping him on the payroll. It felt a bit harsh at the time, but after seeing how chaotic a busy slab pour gets, it was definitly the right call. Now we do a mandatory "thump" on all the engine cowlings every morning before turning a key, just to be safe.

Watch out for those soy-based wiring harnesses on the newer gear. We had a stray get into a Case 580SN back in ‘22 and chew thru the main loom—cost us a fortune in downtime and a $2,400 repair bill. If Sue’s gonna be a shop cat, keep her clear of the Milwaukee M18 charging racks. Kittens love those thin wires. Also, check the engine bay of any Ford F-350s parked overnight; that 6.7L Power Stroke stays warm for hours and practically begs for a cat to climb in. Keep some Bitter Apple spray handy for the exposed lines or she'll make a meal out of your sensors.

Are you sure she actually 'tumbled out' or is it possable someone on the crew brought her in? I've seen guys 'find' kittens on site just to convince the super to let them keep a pet in the trailer. Also, have you ruled out a mama cat being nearby? If you just grabbed her and moved her to the office, you might have a very protective mother still prowling the yard or, worse, more kittens stuck deeper in the chassis that haven't started meowing yet.

Oh man, that is the best story ever! I'm brand new to the industry and starting my first apprenticeship next week, so seeing that even the toughest crews have a soft spot for a 'Sue' makes me even more hyped to get started. Speaking of the Komatsu, does anyone know if those newer PC210 models still have that wierd vibration in the cab when idling, or is it just the older ones? I've been watching some videos and it looks like a blast to operate, but I don't want my teeth rattling out while I'm looking for kittens!