Jesper isn’t your typical cat. He loves going out on adventures with his owners, which might include hiking, swimming, and even trotting alongside them while they ski.
While cats are not typically known to be outgoing or obedient, they can be trained to do pretty much anything just like pet dogs. Jesper was trained as a kitten to walk on a leash and accompany his owners outdoors. Owner Aina Stormo posts videos of their adventures to YouTube and social media where Jesper has become somewhat of a celebrity.
The three-year-old mixed breed was adopted by Stormo as a kitten and quickly introduced to her active lifestyle.
“We wanted to make it possible for us to live the same life we had before we got Jesper, and it’s more fun to bring Jesper with us,” she told National Geographic. She also said that she used the same training techniques she would use for dogs with Jesper.
Stormo says the key is to know when to stop. For example, if your cat gets tired or just doesn’t want to do it, then you need to stop. She also only uses positive reinforcements. Jill Goldman, animal behaviorist, told National Geographic that negative reinforcements, i.e. punishing them when they are bad, undermines the relationship.
Cats will do things, but only on their terms.
Hopefully we see a lot more adorable, adventure-seeking cats like Jesper popping up in the near future. But only if they want to, of course.