When was the last time you stepped outside your comfort zone? For pussycat Kuli, it’s an everyday occurrence. Kuli is far from your average feline, for not only is he rocking one eye, he also leads a life of daring adventure and is an avid surfer.
Taking time out from endless naps in the sun and chasing balls of string, Kuli (full name Nanakuli) loves beach days more than an Australian in summer and it’s all thanks to his human parents and Hawaiian locals, Alex and Krista.
One translation of Nanakuli means “to look blind”, so it came as a total shock when after Alex joked about getting a one-eyed cat and naming him that, one appeared on the doorstep! Kuli was just three months old, very ill and needed his eye removed, but there was never a question of not keeping him and once he was fighting fit, they started introducing him to the outside world.
Kuli started by going on leash walks, then started hitting up the sand for classic beach days and eventually swimming in the cutest cat life jacket you’ve ever seen. Once swimming got too standard, Kuli started joining his parents on the surfboard. It sounds like a children’s story, but this one-eyed cat is so fearless he can even hang ten!
Usually cats are firm homebodies who can’t stand loud noises or water, but the opposite is true of Kuli! Krista and Alex think his tolerance for water comes from his frequent baths while he was sick, so he doesn’t have the fear of it as other felines do.
“His first time in the water we just let him float on the board by himself near the shoreline,” Alex told Adventure Cats, “Each time after I paddled around with him, not yet in search of waves. Before we knew it we were paddling out to actual surf breaks in Waikiki.”
Kuli’s zest for life is seriously enviable and we could all probably learn a lot from the furry feline about leading the pack, seeking adventures and grabbing every opportunity life throws at you. “As soon as you grab the leash you can hear him purr,” Alex told Adventure Cats, “He usually shows he is ready to go when he climbs into the beach bag.”
So next time you’re travelling and faced with the decision to try something adventurous and you start wondering if you’re brave enough… think about Kuli. If a one-eyed cat can do it, so can you!