Nicol Alcain strolled through the trees in Stub Stewart State Park alongside her Bengal cat, Kazuki. Patches of March snow lingered on the trail, and Kazuki gingerly stepped over them.
“I think we were doing adventure catting before adventure catting was a thing,” Alcain said. “He just prefers to be outside.”
Other than minor distractions from woodland creatures, Kazuki was content staying on the trail. Alcain used a leash and harness to walk Kazuki, something she trains all her cats to do from the time they’re kittens.
“When they’re really little, I will walk them up against the wall so they learn to follow a line,” she said. “Kazuki definitely knows that we’re following the lines here.”
Kazuki is part of a growing community of adventurous felines that are challenging stereotypes about cats and the outdoors. Together, they’re proving that not all domestic cats are content to simply watch the world from a windowsill.
Lewis and Clark: ‘Like walking two toddlers’
Adventure catting involves many activities across Oregon’s diverse landscape. On a sunny April morning, Jory Olson prepared to take his two Siberian forest cats, Lewis and Clark, snowshoeing on Mount Hood. As Olson huffed it from the parking lot to the Timberline Trail, Lewis perched on his right shoulder while Clark struggled to find his footing on the other shoulder.
Jory Olson stands on Mount Hood with his two Siberian cats, Lewis and Clark, on April 21, 2024.
Noah Thomas / OPB
“They’re always screwing around and turning around,” Olson said. “Clark likes to ride backwards.”
He trained them to shoulder-ride when they were young. This way he can carry them around while keeping his hands free.
When they reached the trail, Olson put the cats down in the snow near a patch of trees. They sniffed around, cautiously exploring the environment. Eventually Lewis and Clark started tugging Olson in opposite directions. He spent much of the trip trying to corral the two felines.
“If you go out with the cats expecting to have a highly aerobic experience, you’re probably going to be disappointed,” he said. “It’s like walking two toddlers.”
Enoki: ‘A cat on a paddleboard’
While most cats stick to terra firma, Enoki breaks the mold. This water-loving Siamese cat regularly accompanies her owner, Jason Van Horn, on paddleboarding excursions.
“My goal was a cat that could follow me everywhere,” Van Horn explained. “Being a paddleboarder, paddling was the next thing.”
Enoki sat patiently in the summer sun as Van Horn strapped her into a mini life jacket. He climbed onto his paddleboard before plopping her down in front of him. Enoki appeared completely unphased by the water. Like most adventure cat owners, Van Horn emphasized the importance of early training.
“I always tell people, lots of baths. Get ‘em used to water,” he said. “I think with Enoki, I got really lucky. She would just walk around the board and look around, and it never really bothered her.”
The Siamese cat’s head swiveled around like a tiny watchdog as Van Horn paddled the Willamette. Right at home on her floating platform, she patrolled the edges, sizing up everyone who floated by with typical cat curiosity.
“For a lot of folks seeing us cruise by along the river is the first time they’ve seen a cat on a paddleboard,” Van Horn said.
A man and woman casually paddled past Van Horn and Enoki. Suddenly, the man perked up: “It’s a cat, oh my god!”
The trail less traveled has led these owners to discover something unexpected: partnerships that blur the line between pet and companion.
“We’re very bonded,” Alcain said of Kazuki, who matched her stride for stride along the forest path. “He’s one of my best friends. And yes, he’s a cat, but he’s still a best friend of mine.”
Van Horn and Enoki share a similar dynamic.
“The reality is, if I didn’t bring her around the adventures, she’d be stuck sitting in the van,” he reflected. “She really is like my feline best friend.”