How can cats possibly go along with you when you go hiking, biking, kayaking or even simply to the beach? We are used to dogs always accompanying us in our adventures, but we rarely if ever conceive of the notion that cats can do these things as well.  And for many cats this is true. By nature, they do tend to like to stay in their own familiar territories and that means at home or in their neighborhoods if they are outdoor cats. But, did you know that there is a whole community of people who do take their cats along on their activities and the cats enjoy it greatly. In this episode of Raising Your Paws podcast, Hasara Lay, chief explorer, and creator of the Catexplorer website and podcast tells you how to know if your cat has the personality to adapt well to going on unusual adventures, what to do to prepare them, and what you need to make sure they are safe and happy while you are discovering the world together.

Do you think your cat would like going to these places with you?  Photos from Catexplorer.co.

My cat Willie, used to regularly walk to the beach with me when I lived in Michigan City, Indiana and worked for the National Park Service.

This isn’t him at the beach – I didn’t think to take photos back then, (duh) but this one reminds me of our days on the sand.

In this episode, I also featured another true personal pet story from a listener of the podcast. This is a story many of us can relate to. The effects balancing numerous, necessary, yet stressful responsibilities all at once,  can have on a person. Wendy Levine tells the story of taking in her elderly parents cat, Hemi, who they could no longer care of and how this tiny, 15 year old cat with a lot of medical issues, and a constant need for attention, pushed Wendy to her limits of patience and tolerance.  Wendy was able to come out on the other side of acceptance and love for this cat- having learned lessons she would have never expected from a feline. Here is the tiny cat.

Hemi, the cat.

You get an idea of how small she is here. Just 5 lbs.

Still very inquisitive and agile, Hemi, jumps into any kitchen cabinets she finds open.