Kuli the surfing cat is literally making waves all across the Internet. Before he was even born, roommates Krista Littleton and Alexandra Gomez were hoping to adopt a feline friend just like him. “Almost a year ago, over waffles, Alex was explaining one of the many translations for the name Nanakuli,” Littleton told Adventure Cats. “Nanakuli means to look blind. Alex joked about getting a one-eyed orange cat and naming him just that.”
Their wish came true when 3-month-old Nanakuli (Kuli for short) was serendipitously rescued in Nanakuli, Hawaii and cared for after being found malnourished on the street with an infected eye. Sadly, this eye had to be removed before Gomez and Littleton adopted him at six months old, yet they were still worried about his condition. “In the first month we were concerned that our new friend was not going to make it,” said Littleton. “We think part of the reason Kuli is so tolerant of water is because he had to have frequent baths due to his messy health issues.”
Thanks to their TLC, young Kuli made a full recovery and the two roommates worked to integrate him into their active lifestyles. They started out by walking him on a leash and later took him to the beach so he could gradually learn how to swim with a lifejacket and lead. Before long, Kuli mastered the art of both swimming and surfing, so he only needs to wear his life preserver occasionally and no longer needs to be leashed. The adventurous feline even received his own boogie board and can now be found catching a wave amidst Hawaii's blue-green water with his loving owners.
Kuli: Instagram
via [Laughing Squid, Adventure Cats]
All images via Kuli's Instagram.
