Jesper the Norwegian Kitty Can Swim, Hike, Ski, and Melt Your Heart

If your image of a cat involves a lounging, purring, lazy feline, prepare to be as amazed as I was by Jesper, the fluffy kitty who loves outdoor sports, including skiing.

I’ve got cats, and they don’t do much of anything. If I’m lucky, I’ll catch Lucca rolling around with a small stuffed animal or Robo running through the house at 4 AM (did I say lucky?), tail all bushy. I have no idea how someone manages to teach their kitty to join them out of doors, let alone participate in outdoor sports in cold, snowy weather. But the internet is beautiful and someone has done it and told us about it. Aina Stormo’s kitty, Jesper, goes on trips with them and joins them in skiing, hiking, tracking, and swimming. This cat is glorious.

An Adventure Cats interview tells more of Jesper’s story. Aina Stormo travels frequently to sports competitions, so when she first got Jesper, she decided to get him used to traveling and being outside. They began with short walks, but Jesper seemed interested in more, so they began taking him along for other types of activities. Now, Jesper will go along with them on hikes, run in the ski tracks with them while they ski, or go swimming. He’ll fish (he loves that) or even sit in the bicycle basket while they are cycling. He’s truly intrepid!

Of course, Jesper is a cat, and as fluffy as he is, sometimes he just doesn’t want to be wet or cold or active. Stormo keeps a wool blanket in her backpack when she’s out with Jesper, and the snuggly floof crawls right on in to get warm whenever he’s had enough. Stormo is good about watching his signals and understanding that you can’t make a cat do things they don’t want to do.

Stormo’s love and devotion to Jesper seem well-rewarded–if you need a pick-me-up, just watch the videos of Jesper pattering his way through the snow or snuggling up next to his human when he gets tired. If you’re interested in building a similar adventuresome relationship with your feline companion, Stormo recommends training cats to wear harnesses inside before taking them outdoors, offering lots of treats, and making things fun for the cat if you’re going to teach them to do outdoor activities.

Next: Kitten Bowl IV: Purrr-fet Highlights from the 2017 Game

Unfortunately, mine seem far too devoted to soft blankets and my lap to make a good go of exploring outdoors. We’ll probably stick to lap cuddles and admiring the great Jesper from afar.