Felines are known for their aversion to water, but not Nicolasa. The four month old tortoiseshell kitten is the first surfing cat, and, though only 60% trained, is said to have a future in international competitions.
What started off as taking baths at home turned into a career for the kitten, whose owner Erika Tamanaja says Nicolasa was never scared of water. Most pet owners would never recognize such tranquility as a chance at fame, but Peru's San Bartolo community is accustomed to witnessing such spectacles.
A professional surfer named Domingo Pianezzi began riding in the company of animals after he was given advice on how to train animals to hang ten at a competition in Australia. The 35 year old Peruvian successfully taught his stray dog the art of balance by tying a surfboard to other boats and leaving the water-fearing dog off the Pacific coast for hours.
Years later, Pianezzi was inspired by Tamanaja's fearless feline. After getting used to the waves of the ocean, Nicolasa now surfs three to four times a week. "We have to position ourselves correctly, looking forward, and balanced in the middle of the board and when we start to take off we don't fall or get pushed off," Pianezzi said.
Watch the kitty surfer hang-ten in this video:
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