Adventure Cats

Thought going on adventures with your pet was reserved for dog owners? Think again! “Adventure cats” are becoming more prominent on social media and are accompanying their pet parents on all kinds of adventures, from hikes to kayaking trips. This week I spoke with Hannah LeBaron, who takes her cat Lily on all kinds of adventures. Our conversation has been lightly edited.

How did you become an adventure cat parent?

When I first decided to get a cat, I quickly realized that I wanted to adopt a younger cat or kitten. I’m currently a college student, and really hoped that I could raise a young cat to be outgoing and curious in a way that would adapt well to an active college lifestyle. There are so many amazing and lovely older cats and rescue cats who deserve the most loving homes, but I knew they might be incredibly stressed just living at a college campus, meeting so many new people, and keeping up with my own lifestyle.

In March 2020, the week before we went into full lockdown for COVID-19, I managed to follow up on an ad for a litter of four kittens in Rhode Island that needed to be adopted before we went into lockdown. When I went to meet the kittens, I specifically knew I wanted to find the one who had the most curious and outgoing disposition. I remember reaching my hand into the pen, and Lily was the kitten who immediately climbed up my arm and perched on my shoulder. I took her home and haven’t looked back!

One of the biggest perks of my time with a new kitten in lockdown was how much time I could commit to training her. I quickly introduced her to clicker training through online cat school and that made it super easy to get her food motivated and eager to learn. From there I made sure to devote about fifteen minutes every day while she was still very young training with her. Sometimes that meant working on high fives and jumping through my arms, but other times we worked on wearing a harness, riding in a cat backpack, and leash skills. Those first six months with her were incredibly unique because we got to spend so much time together, and whenever I left the house it was really only for outdoor walks, so I would always try to take her with me.

Can any cat be an adventure cat? Do cats need training? If so, how did you go about that?

I think certain cats are definitely more inclined to be adventure cats than others. If you have a cat who is super skittish and doesn’t enjoy the outdoors or can’t ride well in the car, they could still be an adventure cat, but you might have to go slow and their adventures might ultimately be best suited to a porch or backyard. Before you start taking any cat out for long adventures, you definitely want to make sure that they’re going to be comfortable, happy, and safe.

For Lily, the key skills she needed to have were the ability to happily wear a harness and leash, and be content to ride in a cat backpack. Once I knew I could take her out safely, I started with shorter trips, like walking around the backyard on a leash, before trying longer trips like an hour-long hike in the cat backpack. I think it’s important to start cats slowly so they don’t get overwhelmed and watch them carefully to see what they enjoy most! Some cats might hate being in a backpack or carrier, so their best adventures might be shorter walks on the leash. I also can’t recommend treats and clicker training enough! Positive reinforcement helps every step of the way, especially if you’re trying something new with your pet.

What kinds of adventures do you take Lily on?

Now that the weather’s nice again, Lily loves going on her adventures. I do a lot of walking and hiking with her in a cat backpack (I have a bubble backpack for shorter trips and a hiking backpack that lets her sit upright with her paws on my shoulders for longer trips), but she’s always leashed, so for at least some portion of the walk, I usually let her climb out and walk around to explore the new areas a bit. She also has a lifejacket, which lets her come kayaking and paddleboarding on Lake Sunapee with me, which she loves, especially on a hot day. I’ve taken her rollerblading in the cat backpack and in the winter, she even got to come cross country skiing with me. (For skiing, she wore a coat and we lined her backpack with hand warmers to make sure she stayed totally warm.)

What kinds of supplies do you need to take your cat out safely?

There are a couple of really important supplies I’d recommend. First of all, I would check in with your vet to make sure that your cat has all the necessary vaccines and pick up some flea and tick medication. I would also absolutely make sure your cat has a tag with your phone number on it in case they get lost. Lily is also micro-chipped just in case something were to happen. Other essentials would be a harness, leash, and cat backpack.

You can buy harnesses specifically for cats or even get extra small dog harnesses, which will work for larger cats. I wouldn’t recommend ever attaching a leash directly to your cat’s collar, because it’s super easy for them to slip out if they get spooked for any reason. I would also say that a cat backpack would be my best recommendation for how to introduce your cat to adventures. Lily loves her backpack (she even curls up in it for naps at home sometimes), and it’s a great way to include your cat on longer adventures, as well as keep them in a space they feel safe and protected.

I would suggest starting with a carrier type “bubble” backpack that gives them plenty of room to sit and lie down and then, if your pet really enjoys being outside, I’m a big fan of the k9 sport sack, which is a much lighter option that gives them a great chance to tag along on any outing. Backpacks are also a great way to bring along treats! Other more specific things I use with Lily are her life jacket for any kind of boating, and a coat for winter.

How is it different from/similar to taking out your dog?

It’s very different from walking your dog. When Lily’s on leash she can follow the trail, but tends to be more interested in her own exploration than following a specific path. She loves to be outside and look for birds and bugs, but gets tired or distracted pretty quickly, which is why the backpack is such a nice option.

What are your tips for others who want to be more active outside with their cats?

Start slow and start with a cat backpack! I can’t recommend the backpack enough because it really is the easiest way to introduce them to the outdoors in a safe and comfortable way. Bring plenty of treats and let them peek out during a daily walk. Start by doing just five to ten minutes of outdoor time a day, and work your way up to longer adventures once you’re confident they’ll be comfortable.

You’re also an influencer on social media. How did you grow your following and what are your tips for others hoping to grow their social media following?

Instagram has been such a fun way for me to connect with the cat community, specifically other outdoor adventure cats! I honestly just started posting pictures of Lily from our adventures on Instagram as a way to share them with family and friends, but soon some cat communities reached out to me, including groups for people taking their cats outside, as well as small pet food and pet bandana companies looking for pets to model and post about their products. My best tip would really just be to say yes to everything you get invited to do and try, and be as active as possible. The Instagram pet community has been super welcoming and a totally unexpected but fun way to document all my adventures with Lily. Also, use hashtags!

Anything else you’d like to add?

I think that pretty much covers it! I am so, so lucky to have Lily; she really is my best friend and the perfect companion for all my adventures. I hope anyone else who wants to take the time to develop this kind of relationship with their cat goes for it! It has been so worth it and has really cemented our bond.

You can follow Hannah and Lily on Instagram.

Originally from Colorado, Krista Beucler received a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing at the University of Mary Washington (UMW) in Virginia. She was the editor-in-chief for Issue 7.2 of the Rappahannock Review, the literary journal published by UMW. Krista is a winner of the Julia Peterkin award, and her creative work has been published in From Whispers To Roars and South 85 Journal and is forthcoming from Under the Sun magazine. She is spending COVID-19 at home with her cats.