MEET LEO

Hello furriends! My name is Leo! I’m a big dude with an even bigger personality and I am completely obsessed with being outside! I’m excited to share my story with you – from how I was adopted, to how I became an adventure cat!

In 2018, my parents were out to dinner one night in downtown San Diego and came across a family who just so happened to be carrying little me around in a blanket! I was only a few days old, and had been rescued from the side of the road by my foster mom after my real mom had been hit by a car. Since I had to be bottle fed every few hours, my foster family took me wherever they went which is how I met my soon to be parents! They spotted me in the blanket and asked my foster mom if they could hold me. I snuggled into my future mom’s neck and she instantly fell in love with me! Fast forward to a month later, I was big enough to go home with my new parents! My mom bottle fed me for a few more weeks before introducing me to wet food which I LOVED. I grew and grew and surpassed all of my milestones…maybe a little too much because now I’m 17lbs! It’s all muscle, I promise! 

When my dad deployed in the fall of 2018, my mom decided to take me home to her parent’s house in Arkansas. This is where my love of the outdoors began! My grandparent’s house is in the middle of the woods surrounded by forest. I was always staring out the window, so my mom got the idea to try and take me outside! She bought a harness and leash for me which I didn’t like at first, but got used to eventually. We went outside everyday and I slowly built up my confidence on a leash. I learned how to climb trees, hunt bugs, and chase squirrels. I trampled through snow, shook off the rain, and basked in the sun. It was a whole new beautiful world! Once my dad returned, we moved to our next home in Charleston, South Carolina where we are now, and my walks have continued to be a daily routine for me. I go on two walks each day, and will meow and try to open the front door when I’m ready to go. We love the apartment complex we live in, but a community with lots of other people does have its downsides. The biggest issue we have experienced is interactions with strangers and dogs. 

I had never met a dog before and the first time I saw one, I sank down as far as I could into the grass and started shaking. My mom quickly learned that I was not relaxed around dogs and began to keep her eye out for them on our walks. One evening, my mom and I were outside and she noticed a dog owner coming towards us who had allowed her dog to get close to me before. I had to growl and hiss while my mom asked her to step back before she finally got the hint. As she was getting closer this time, my mom tried to redirect me. The problem is, once I see a dog, it is almost impossible for anyone to move me. I plant myself to the ground instead of running away, and any attempts to pick me up end in a scratch filled mess. My mom crouched down with me and tried to block my view of the dog. The dog owner continued towards us, and instead of turning the corner or stepping off the path to give us some space, she let her dog run up to me. My mom told her that I wasn’t comfortable with dogs like she had before but the owner insisted that her dog was just trying to say hi. As the dog got within a foot of me, it suddenly turned around, pulled out of it’s collar and jumped at me. I was terrified and defended myself by hissing loudly and scratching the dog across the nose. It jumped back and ran away, prompting the owner to grab it and finally leave. My mom was mad, scared, and speechless. She sat with me until I felt comfortable enough to walk back inside, but I was on edge for the rest of the night. Though this could have gone much worse, my mom couldn’t understand what else she needed to do or say to get the point across to the dog owner that they needed to keep their dog back at a safe distance. 

After meeting countless other adventure kitties on Instagram, we have learned that these types of situations happen far more often than you might think. We know of a sweet friend who encountered two dogs off their leashes while she and her kitty were walking on a trail. We have also seen numerous dogs off of their leash in our own small apartment complex which not only violates the community rules, but also puts us and other pets at risk.

Though this post was mainly to introduce myself, we wanted to take this opportunity to create a little PSA to some dog owners who may be unsure of what to do if they see an adventure kitty in their community! Though we understand that seeing a cat on a leash outside is unique and potentially exciting, please use caution as you do not know how that cat will react when it sees your pup, and vice versa. Some dogs might see a cat as prey or will get extremely hyper and excited. The idea that your dog “loves cats” or grew up around them does not always mean that the cat you see outside feels the same. Instead of approaching with your dog leading the way, try stopping a few yards away and talk with the cat owner first. They might express to you that their cat is not comfortable around dogs which would let you know to keep your pup where they are and move on with your walk. Others may say their cat enjoys dogs which could allow you to come closer. This ensures the safety of both pup and kitty to prevent potentially dangerous interactions! 

We hope sharing our experience has provided some insightful information, and we are so thankful for this opportunity to share Leo’s story of how he became an adventure cat!

You can keep up with him on Instagram at @a_kitty_named_leo.