(gentle music) (gentle music continues) (wind rustling) (engine humming) - Stay.

(door clacks) - [Narrator] Meet Nicol Alcain, and her cat Kazuki.

(cat mews) He's an adventure cat.

(cat mews) - [Nicol] You want to get out?

I think we were doing adventure catting before adventure catting was a thing.

You know, I treat him like a dog, he goes with us.

He just prefers to be outside.

(cat mews) Go ahead.

(cat mews) There you go.

People ask me on the trail, like, "How do you get him to do this, why is he here?"

And I'm like, "This is the only thing he knows."

Hey.

He will get in his backpack first thing in the morning 'cause he knows, like, we're on an adventure and he's like, "Where are we going?"

Kazuki always gets to come.

But as far as just, like, a quiet nature trail, like, that's my thing.

That's what Kazuki loves.

(snow rustling) (strap whirs) - [Narrator] This is Jory Olson and his Siberian Forest cats, Lewis and Clark.

He trained them to shoulder ride.

Clark on the left.

Lewis on the right.

- Okay, well, here it is.

This is what they're supposed to be doing.

Not this.

They're always screwing around and turning around.

Clark likes to ride backwards.

Well, stop growling at me.

I didn't do anything.

Just turn around.

Turn around.

- [Narrator] Adventure catting can be challenging, especially when you're wrangling two cats on top of a mountain.

Come on.

Come on.

This way.

Come on.

This way.

You see any burbs, small woodland creatures?

- [Narrator] No, but Clark mistakes our microphone for a woodland creature.

(microphone thuds) - Ooh.

See?

Yeah, he thinks so.

He just smacked it.

(camera person laughs) - Did he?

- He totally did.

- [Narrator] I bet you never thought cats and water would be a thing.

Well, that's because you haven't met Jason Van Horn and Enoki.

- So got Enoki as a kitten during the pandemic and we've done everything from mountain biking to hiking, road trips.

My goal was a cat that could follow me everywhere.

And of course, being a paddle boarder, paddling was the next thing.

So that was pretty much what we've been doing.

She's pretty chill, and so hopefully she doesn't get mad at me.

Sometimes she loses her patience.

Of course, she's a cat.

You never know.

- [Narrator] One thing we learned on this shoot, adventure cats are unpredictable.

(water splashes) - Holy (beep).

- You want me to lift her?

- Yeah, grab her by- - [Jason] Just grab her by the scruff.

Okay.

- Wow.

- [Jason] Been a while since she's done that one.

- [Crew Member] She just loves it.

(gentle music) - [Narrator] Now, you might be thinking, "How on earth do you train a cat to ride a paddleboard?"

- [Jason] I always tell people, lots of baths.

Get 'em used to water.

I think with Enoki I got really lucky.

She would just walk around the board and look around and it never really bothered her.

(water splashing) For a lot of folks, seeing us cruise by on along the river is the first time they've seen a cat on a paddle board.

- Hey.

- Hey, morning.

- Oh, it's a cat.

Oh my god.

(Jason laughs) (gentle music) - [Narrator] It's not a great idea to let your adventure cat roam free outdoors.

To keep them safe, and the wildlife and birds, harness training is a must.

- [Nicol] When they're really little, I will walk 'em up against the wall so they learn to follow a line.

So when you see a trail, you'll see, like, the dirt and then you'll see, like, bushes and Kazuki definitely knows that we're following the lines.

Come right here.

(cat mewing) So Bengals are usually, like, a very vocal kind of cat.

What you got there?

A friend or not a friend?

- [Dog Walker] She's pretty laid back.

- Sometimes, the dogs, they're unsure about what to do with a cat on a trail.

- [Dog Walker] My son has a cat that kind of- (Nicol laughs) Explained to her the rules, so she's actually a little shy with cats, I think.

- Oh my goodness.

(gentle music) (wind blowing) - [Narrator] Back on Mount Hood, things get windy, very windy, and the cats are not pleased.

(cat mews) - It's too windy, I agree.

(cat mews) Yeah, you tell the wind, Lewis.

- [Narrator] They find a trail further down the mountain where the wind's much calmer.

Lewis is up for a snow hike.

Clark, well, he's enjoying the view.

(cat mews) - What?

(wind blowing) Hey.

Lewis.

Yeah, there we go.

You walk funny in your jacket.

If you go out with a cat expecting to have a highly aerobic experience, you're probably going to be disappointed.

(snow crunching) This is Adventure Cat Nirvana right here.

It's like walking two toddlers.

Come on, buddy.

Let's go this way.

No, we're going this way.

It's an exercise in patience.

Sky hook.

(leash handle thuds) (Jory groans) - [Narrator] Adventure catting isn't for everyone, but the rewards make it all worthwhile.

- [Jory] For me, it's about taking the focus off of yourself and putting it outside.

And by having adventure cats, their needs have to come first.

I consider it a privilege and an honor to have them in my life.

- [Nicol] We're very bonded, so, you know, we share a lot of time together and we just kind of get to know each other and, you know, he's like one of my best friends.

And yes, he's a cat, but he's still a best friend of mine.

(water trickling) (wind blowing) - [Jason] Why bring Enoki everywhere with me?

Reality is if I didn't bring her on the adventures, she'd be stuck sitting in the van.

She really is like my feline best friend.

She goes with me everywhere.

I couldn't ask for a better companion.

(water splashes) (birds chirping) (no audio) - Great people just doing their thing in their own northwesty way.

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