Pico
Pico is a catexplorer who loves playing fetch.
We asked her mum, Katie to tell us all about her.
Tell us the story about how Pico came into your family.
We adopted Pico from a family in Longmont, CO when she was 8 weeks old.
Funny story is that we thought Pico was a little boy when we brought her home but found out a few weeks later that she was a girl (a little mountain girl).
We take her to the park during the week and out on the trails on the weekend! She’s been camping, hiking and recently went to her first brewery in Golden, CO!
We knew we had to start young if we wanted to take her on adventures and she quickly adapted!
We were so surprised at how well she took to the trail our first time out, she’s never looked back (that is unless there’s a dog behind her)!
Tell us the story behind Pico's name?
It took us a long time to land on Pico (like a solid week +) but nothing else we came up with felt right.
The name honestly came out of nowhere but it fit.
I feel like it’s a name with a little bit of spunk and she is definitely spunky!
What is Pico's favourite thing to do?
She loves to play fetch! Yes, it’s possible for cats to learn to play fetch!!
There’s certain little toy balls we have that she is absolutely crazy about, she’ll wear herself out playing sometimes.
It’s the cutest and funniest thing to see her running back to us with her toy in her mouth.
What kind of adventures does Pico like to go on?
So far we’ve only been hiking and camping but she loved both!
She snuggled up with us in our sleeping bags and loved exploring around the camp site.
She does great in the car which makes getting to the trails a lot easier.
The park is also a favorite spot of ours, we took her the second day we had her and go regularly so it’s become a familiar place for her to play during the week!
Tell us about your most memorable adventure.
Probably that first camping trip - we drove to Twin Lakes, CO and took her on a hike up Indepence Pass.
She shared our sleeping bags and took a nap in our laps by the fire in evening.
I’m certain that she loved every second of that weekend!
Why did you decide to train Pico?
We live in Colorado and love to be outside and we wanted a cat that could join us doing the things we loved.
I also grew up in the country with cats who were always outside with us and I think they preferred it that way - it’s an animals natural environment and I wanted to make sure she had the opportunity to see and smell it all!
All the other catexplorers out there were definitely inspiration to make it happen!
How did you train Pico?
We bought her a harness and leash the first day we got her.
We started with her wearing it at home and then eased into the park and eventually onto the trails.
We knew if there was any chance in her being a catexplorer we had to start early.
What has been the most rewarding part of having a catexplorer?
Honestly, it’s just seeing how much she’s enjoying herself when we’re outside!
She carries herself with a little pep in her step when we’re on the trail and knowing that she’s having fun makes it that much more rewarding for us.
What has been the hardest?
Walking in the city!
She does not walk well on the sidewalks at all, we usually have to carry her to the park.
I was honestly a little worried how she’d do on a trail because of it but she quickly showed us that the trail is where she wants to be!
In hindsight, what would you do differently?
Nothing! We’ve had so much fun with her and so far, I wouldn’t change a thing!
What advice would you give other humans training their catexplorers?
Start when they’re little, have patience, make sure they feel safe and don’t forget the poop bags at home!
Harness wise, if your kitty isn’t taking to it, try getting them to chase their favorite toy while they have it on. We did that a few times and she seemed to forget she was wearing it almost instantly!
And when they do well, reward them with snuggles and a treat!
What are your favourite products for Pico?
Collapsible food and water bowls are a must along with some poop bags when you’re on the trail and of course a harness that fits your kitty well!
Is there another catexplorer that inspires you?
Bolt and Keel (@boltandkeel) are the two that really inspired me to raise a catexplorer!
Follow Pico on Instagram (@being_pico)