There’s no adventurous cat on the planet quite like Cathode, a former shelter cat who spends her days partaking in one active adventure after another with her owner, Rémy Vicarini.
When 31-year-old Vicarini adopted the plucky tabby back in March of 2014, he never imagined that the fearless feline, who refused to let him leave the shelter without her, would go on to become his best buddy and traveling companion.
“Growing up, I’d always loved spending time with my family cats. So, I decided to head to my local animal shelter to give a cat a second chance at life. When I arrived, I was overwhelmed by how many animals had been abandoned by their previous owners.”
Vicarini wanted to take them all home, but Cathode was quick to make herself stand out from the rest of the shelter crowd.
“There was one little kitten in particular who wouldn’t leave my side,” he explains. “Rubbing her head and body on my legs, she was affectionate from the start. Talking to the employees, I learned the six-month-old tabby had been found abandoned at a bus stop.”
A curious cat right from the minute he brought her home, Cathode - whose name comes from a scientific term related to electrical currents - quickly became Vicarini’s shadow, following him everywhere and rarely leaving his side.
I couldn’t help but feel guilty whenever I left home to exercise,” he says. “So, one day, I decided to take her with me to get her out of the apartment. Tucking her safely inside my jacket, I carried her around our local streets. Exploring the sights and sounds together, she seemed to love getting out and about.”
- Owner sings ‘you are my sunshine’ to cat and this is the reaction…
- Adorable TikTok cat video sees feline introducing her kitten to owner's baby
- The puppy cat phenomenon - unique felines that love to go exploring with their owners
Before long, Vicarini started taking Cathode out on his bicycle, popping her in the basket at the front so she could watch the world go by.
“Over time, I slowly increased my speed to see how Cathode would react. Incredibly, she seemed to love the feeling of wind blowing through her fur. So, I wasted no time in taking her for a spin on my motorbike! As we zoomed through the neighbourhood, she loved poking her head out of my jacket as we neared top speeds.”
Vicarni, who classifies himself as a total adrenaline junkie, quickly realized he’d met his perfect match in Cathode and before long she was perched on his shoulders as he skateboarded through the streets of his home town. From there the duo progressed on to paddleboarding, canoeing and even skiing.
“Attaching a basket to my back, I placed Cathode inside with her short leash,” he explains. Then I set off down the snowy mountain. As we glided along at speeds of up to 70 kilometres per hour, calm Cathode placed her little paws on my shoulder and turned her head side to side, taking in the scenery.”
While he admits some people have questioned him on how much of a willing participant Cathode is on all these adventures, he’s quick to reassure them.
“Cathode is happiest when we’re on the move together. After all, anyone with a cat knows you can’t force them to do anything they don’t want to. Now, after more than six years together, the bond Cathode and I have is unbreakable. Although I gave her a second chance at life, I’m pawsitive she’s the one who rescued me!”
