Meet Spaghetti

Hi everyone!

It is about time you meet Spaghetti, the other half of the Hiking Cat’s cat crew. We adopted Spaghetti back in August, and this May will be her first year birthday! She has been such a great addition to our adventures, even though it did not always seem like she might be. At first, she was a little hesitant and nervous outside, and we were doubting if she would enjoy the adventure cat lifestyle. But she sure does now!

We adopted Spaghetti from the same shelter that we got Noodle (our other cat) from. Noodle was actually being very picky when switching from her kitten food to adult food, and we had to try multiple brands. This left us with leftover cat food that she would not touch. So, we thought it would be great to go to the shelter where we adopted her from and donate it to them. While we were there, we could not help ourselves and had to take a peek at the current adoptables. Alex (cat dad) fell in love with her calm personality and sweet little face. It was not the plan to get another cat, but we happily walked out of there with our newest little baby.

We took it slow with Spaghetti, starting with harness and leash training indoors and building trust. When we eventually felt she was ready to go outside, we went out in the yard and she was terrified. She tried to escape the harness and run back inside to hide. So, we had to backtrack a bit. We continued with indoor training and backpack training. When she was comfortable again, took her out in the yard and kept her zipped up in the backpack while she watched Noodle play and run around on her harness. I think having Noodle there and watching her played a big role on helping Spaghetti feel more confident. She definitely looked up to her big sister, so it was great to have her help us “teach” Spaghetti that outside was fun.

Nowadays, there is no stopping this little explorer! She loves the outdoors so much. Hiking, backpacking, picnics, car rides, you name it, this one is up for it! Since we got her in late August, she has not been kayaking yet. Last summer, Noodle loved kayaking. Spaghetti is curious with water, so we are hopeful that she will enjoy it as well. It will definitely be fun to see her reaction and if she likes it!

When we adopted Spaghetti, she had a slight limp, and the shelter told us they x-rayed it and show some soft tissue swelling and to keep an eye on her. But it persisted. We got more x-rays done and tried different pain meds and anti-inflammatories to help, but nothing seemed to change. After getting in to see an orthopedic specialist, it turns out that of the two bones in her forearm are different lengths. This has unfortunately lead to her developing arthritis in her elbow at just 10 months old. High impact jumping/activity needs to be kept at a minimum because of this, but her being an adventure cat is actually beneficial too! It keeps her moving, helping her to not lose range of motion in that joint. It also keeps her at a good and healthy weight, so that her joints are not over stressed. We do have to carry her more sometimes and keep her from climbing trees, but overall, this lifestyle is going to help her keep her joints healthy.

Spaghetti also has never experienced spring yet! We are so excited to show her all the beautiful flowers and colors that come with this time of year. She is very curious and happy outside, so we think she will absolutely love it! There are so many fun places we hope to take her to this spring/summer that we loved last year.

If you want to follow along on our adventures over on Instagram, you can check us out at @the_pastapets. And don’t forget to tag our blog page @thehikingcatco in your adventures for a chance to be featured! Happy Hiking!