Hawaii Five-Miaow...it’s the paddle-boarding cat
CATS are well-known for their intense dislike of water.
Yet one remarkable animal has shrugged off the usual fear of getting wet – to take up paddle-boarding.
Tala, a one-year-old cat from Fife, is happy to take to the waves alongside her owners.
As well as gliding round lochs and coastal waters on a paddle-board, Tala – a Bengal cat – likes to go kayaking and is even happy to dive in and take a swim.
Tala’s owner discovered her extraordinary affinity for water when she kept jumping in the bath – and thinks her fondness for water sports is down to her exotic pedigree.
Jada Murray, 30, said: ‘My girl loves water. She is highly intelligent and I think that is why I was most drawn to her.
‘Tala has a wild, exploratory nature like big cats such as jaguars and cheetahs – jaguars are known for liking water too, and Bengal cats are bred from the Asian leopard cat.’
Miss Murray and her boyfriend Ben Russell, 35, began taking Tala on their holidays around Glencoe in Argyll, Dunnottar Castle in Kincardineshire, Lochindorb in Moray and the Ardnamurchan peninsula, Inverness-shire.
Miss Murray, who works for a pet shop, added: ‘We got her in April and we took her to the Isle of Bute in July and I think that is when we introduced her to the ocean.
‘That weekend she was running to the sea and we had a body-board so it was quite a natural progression. We put her on it so that she was not submerged and she was really happy.’
The next stage was buying an inflatable kayak for Tala to master.
Unlike her owners, who were a little apprehensive at first, Tala took to the vessel instantly and navigated through the waves with ease.
The cat isn’t fazed by the water’s depth either. ‘We have been out on the sea where I wouldn’t be able to touch the bottom if I fell off,’ Miss Murray said. ‘She can go out as far as you would want.’
Tala has also taken her first trip on a speedboat, which Miss Murray and Mr Russell borrowed from a friend.
Like lots of pets, Tala is keen to garner the affections of both her owners. And Miss Murray remembers one occasion when her cat leapt overboard to prove her love for her.
‘When we went to Lochindorb, Tala wanted to be with me and my boyfriend at the same time,’ she said.
‘We were on the paddle-boards. She was on my boyfriend’s board and I was a bit further ahead, and she just jumped in and she swam all the way over and onto my board.’