This post is part of Hard Refresh, a soothing weekly column where we try to cleanse your brain of whatever terrible thing you just witnessed on Twitter.
Things you can reasonably expect to see on a hike: trees; rocks; streams. Thing you might not expect to see on a hike: A cat on a leash walking with its owner.
Turns out that hiking cats are more common than you might think. These adventurous felines can be found on YouTube and Instagram, where they explore rough mountain terrain, rocky beaches, and green pastures.
There's something so delightful about watching these pets explore new terrain with such curiosity.
While there are lots of videos of hiking cats online, I recommend you check out some of these seasoned feline hikers first.
There's Cezar, the traveling cat who's been to France, El Salvador, and Malta. Then there's Honey Bee, the blind cat who loves to spend time outdoors. And finally, there's Paul the cat, whose high-altitude hiking videos will put your own hiking abilities to shame.
While most cats are naturally pretty curious, not every cat is built to explore the outside world, according to the Adventure Cats blog. Felines that possess a playful demeanor and an interest in the outside world -- and are willing to wear a harness — might make solid hikers.
For cat owners intrigued by the idea of bringing their pets on long hikes (or even just outside for a quick walk,) Adventure Cats has a pretty comprehensive guide to getting your pet more comfortable with the great outdoors.
But if you're just looking for 15 minutes of nature footage and cute cats, watch a video or two and then daydream of one day climbing a mountain with Whiskers by your side.
