While many house cats hate getting wet, there are a surprising number of pets who actually thrive in water.
Pets like Milo the cat, who loves to paddleboard with his family, defy the common notion that cats fear water.
And just like Milo, Kuli — a cat living in Honolulu — really enjoys getting his feet wet. In fact, with an extremely unique love for surfing, Kuli enjoys getting his entire body wet.
When Kuli was rescued by his forever family, he weighed just one pound, and was suffering from a terrible infection that caused him to lose one of his eyes. Following some very serious surgery, Kuli needed to be bathed regularly.
With these regular baths, Kuli very quickly got used to being in the water. Noting his newfound fondness for getting wet, Kuli's owners started bringing him into the ocean and teaching him how to swim. Before long, he was surfing like a pro!
Scroll through below to see how Kuli's medical problems actually led to a one-of-a-kind hobby that has garnered him international fame.
Does your pet have any surprising talents? Let us know in the comments!
[H/T: Daily Mail, The Dodo]
Kuli was only 3 months old and weighed a single pound when he was adopted by Alexandra Gomes and Krista Littleton in Hawaii.
Kuli's full name is Nānākuli, which means "to look blind."
Because he lost his left eye to a serious infection, regular bathing was required, quickly leading Kuli to take a liking to water. This inspired Alexandra and Krista to let Kuli try his hand at surfing.
"His first time in the water, we just let him float on the board by himself near the shoreline and I would paddle around with him," Alexandra said to the Daily Mail. "Before we knew it, we were looking for waves to surf."
"Kuli started his surf training at 4 months old after his operation, and he was only about 6 months old [when] he began surfing," Alexandra told the Daily Mail.
After observing Kuli, Alexandra and Krista noticed that "he really loved to get his claws into the foamy material."
They decided it was time to buy Kuli his own surfboard — one made of foam material that he could really dig his claws into in order to get a solid grip.
Not only did he like his board, but the activity began to have a very positive effect on Kuli's physical and mental well-being.
Alexandra told the Daily Mail, "Although he started off life very weak and malnourished, he has grown very quickly into a very tolerant cat, and loves the water."
For safety reasons, Kuli still wears his life jacket whenever the surf conditions are rough.
But most days, he is perfectly content swimming and surfing in calmer waters and milder waves.
He started off his life as a very sick and weak kitten, seeing with just one eye. But Kuli has defied all odds to become a strong, healthy cat with a love of water and a talent for surfing!
Kuli's incredible story serves as an important reminder about how overcoming adversity can often have heartwarming — and surprising — results.
Would you let your cat surf? Do they enjoy spending time in the water? Let us know in the comments.
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