There are so many ways to have an adventure in Colorado: climb a mountain, paddle a kayak, go skiing or snowboarding, ride a mountain bike. Doing these things with friends or as part of a club can make them even better. But for some, getting outdoors with their cat is the best.
Over the past five years, the concept of the “adventure cat” has grown significantly, powered by Instagram, TikTok and other social media pages where hundreds of thousands of people are eager to follow these not-so-common house cats as they catch gondolas up the slopes in Aspen, don cat-sized life jackets while boating, wear goggles while riding along on a mountain bike, peer out the windows of international flights and other unexpected scenarios.
Some of these cats are Liebchen, an Aspen-based orange cat who travels the world for its 240,000 Instagram followers, and Bodhi, a gray and black striped Maine coon from Canada with 620,200 followers who hikes, bikes, paddleboards and skis.
There’s also Marlin, a nearly two-year-old Denver-based adventure cat whose visit to Great Sand Dunes National Park went viral on TikTok in 2023. The bandana-clad feline can be seen having a field day playing — and peeing — in what his owner called the world’s largest litter box. Marlin is a frequent national park visitor and has also been to the top of 14,000-foot Mt. Bierstadt.
But for every social media star, there are plenty of regular people who want to take their cats along with them on their journeys. So much so that you can find specialized adventure gear and harnesses, as well as websites and other resources devoted to outdoors training and preparation.
Pluto (@thatcat_pluto), for instance, is still building his audience. The 7-year-old black-and-white kitty lives with his family in Colorado Springs and spends a lot of time in nature.
“Pluto has always liked the outdoors,” said Satya Wimbish, Pluto’s owner. “When I met him, he was coming in from being outside. When we all moved to Colorado Springs in 2020, we started doing more exploring and hiking. The one where he started willingly and consistently walking while leashed was when we visited Pine Valley Ranch Park.”
Pluto’s Instagram — he has about 5,200 followers on Instagram and 5,000 on Facebook — shows him wearing a cat-size baseball hat and a harness as he trots along a trail, joins the kids on a sled in the snow, splashes along on a family boat trip, and just takes in the scenery.
For those who aren’t on social media, Pluto has a book coming out that Wimbish is self-publishing this year. The title is, “Paws and Explore: The Ultimate Guide to Adventure Cat Training.”
Pluto is a “working cat” who earns enough to cover his litter, food, and some other bills, Wimbish explained. With her experience, Wimbish heard from others who wanted to know how to get their cat outside for some typical Rocky Mountain fun.
Her first piece of advice? Have patience. “Most cats act like a harness is their world ending when you first put it on them,” Wimbish said. “A lot of people give up when they experience that. But you can train them to adjust, and it’s worth it if your cat likes to be outdoors.”
Pluto will be one of several local cats in attendance on Saturday, July 20, at Cat Fest Colorado in Colorado Springs. The event includes a cat show, vendors, an adoption booth, crafts and activities, a costume contest, celebrity cats and, of course, adventure cats.
“I wanted to be sure to cover all the bases to celebrate everything cats are about and all the reasons we love them,” said Dana Cain, a longtime local events promoter, party planner and art collector who owns Dana Cain Events and is the creator of Cat Fest.
Cain says the festival came about by accident when she was running the Denver County Fair years ago and a typo in local media mistakenly said there would be a Kitten Pavilion, not a Kitchen Pavilion. “I knew then we needed a Kitten Pavilion,” she said. “The Kitten Pavilion at Denver County Fair was so fun and so popular, and I’d wanted to take that idea and run with it for years.”
Mowzer, or MountainMowzer on Instagram, is an up-and-comer in the adventure social media scene with just over 300 followers on Instagram to date, and while his profile says his favorite things are farmers markets and snacks, he also can be seen learning how to ride a scooter (in a cat-size helmet!), checking out the fountain show at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, riding a kayak at Grand Lake, camping and otherwise living a fabulous life for a white and grey tabby cat.
“With high hopes from the start, I made adventuring a part of Mowzer’s life from the very beginning,” said Tally Fells, Mowzer’s owner, who will also be a Cat Fest. “He was curious about everything, so I started harness training and made exploring new parts of the house fun adventures.
“Now Mowzer travels with us all over, and has earned many Junior Ranger and Bark Ranger badges from National and State Parks,” Fells continued. Mowzer is not yet paying his own bills, but his owner is okay with this. “Mowzer does more for us than he could ever cost,” she said.
Like human celebrities, not all of the adventure cats responded to a request for an interview.
Liebchen is described as a “rescue cat exploring the world” and who likes to “ski, camp, hike, bike, fly, paddle, travel.” This orange and white fluffy cat appears to enjoy walks on the beach, sunsets, boating, and skiing — all in the appropriate stylish gear.
“Liebs” did not respond to Instagram messages, but he will be in “purr-son” at Cat Fest — and selling his own gear.