Does it sound like something straight out of a film? Well, as one person online shared, it’s real! When he and his partner went on one such retreat, they were greeted by the host’s cat, who, as it turned out, likes to take all the guests on a hike along the Appalachian Trail. Scroll down to read all about it! More info: X (Twitter)
Many people love cats for their playfulness and free spirit, but they don’t often realize that these felines can also be great service animals
Share icon Image credits: ATinyGreenCell
A couple went to spend some time away in an Airbnb in upstate New York, where they were met by the host and her cat
A few days ago, an X (Twitter) user, Sebastian S. Cocioba, shared a very positively surprising experience that he and his partner had when they visited an Airbnb in upstate New York, where they encountered a cat that the author described as a great companion in case of an apocalypse. When the couple arrived for their retreat, they were met by the host and her cat. Little did they know that the cat was about to take them on a guided hike along the Appalachian Trail, just like she does with all the guests. Share icon Image credits: ATinyGreenCell
The cat later took them on a guided hike through the surrounding area, complaining if the followers strayed off the path and waiting for them if they stopped
The man shared that the cat knew where she was taking them and the way back. She also complained if the followers happened to stray off the path and would wait for them if they decided to linger in one place, all while quietly judging their slowness from a distance. As the internet fell in love with the story, the post quickly went viral, reaching more than 1.6 million views in just a week. The comment section was full of people making jokes, adoring the cat, asking for more information about Airbnb, and probably already planning their trip on the side. Share icon Image credits: ATinyGreenCell This story got us curious because cats are usually known to be free spirits who do what they please, aren’t they? Well, wanting to find out more about why some act quite the opposite, Bored Panda reached out to Julie Bond, an animal behaviorist, who was glad to answer our questions. Like most of the netizens who encountered this story, Julie thought that this cat was a gem. However, regarding our question, she answered that this type of behavior is actually not all that unusual. “While most people tend to think of all cats as being loners, that’s clearly not the case. In fact, some cats make great pet-assisted therapy animals in hospitals, nursing homes, etc., due to their sociability with people and empathy toward residents and patients in these facilities,” explained the expert. Share icon Image credits: ATinyGreenCell The animal behaviorist added that there are plenty of well-documented cases of cats living in long-term care facilities and working as support animals. They can tell when someone is close to the end of their life, and they choose to stay with the person, keeping them company until their time comes to an end. “I think the key factor with the cat in this story is the simple fact that we all think of this as odd simply because we are viewing the cat from the lens of such behavior being “dog-like” in nature. The truth of the matter is that cats are territorial, have an amazing sense of direction, and always know the best routes to take on their home turf. This cat is naturally social and has clearly been reinforced for this behavior with attention (and probably a few treats as well!),” continued Julie. Share icon Image credits: ATinyGreenCell The expert also noted that, over the course of her life, she has met many social orange cats just like the one in our story. And, as it turns out, according to this study, so have many researchers and pet owners. Expanding further, the animal behaviorist shared that, during the time she worked in pet-assisted therapy, she often found orange and black cats to excel in this supportive role when compared to other cats. “It doesn’t mean I haven’t met a tabby cat who made a great pet-assisted therapy animal. It’s just more likely that the orange cat or black cat in the room will stand out as more friendly, outgoing, and solicitous of attention. And those, of course, are the key behaviors to look for in a pet-assisted therapy cat!” Share icon Image credits: Trisha Julie summarized by saying that cats are incredibly bright, resourceful, and inquisitive creatures. They can definitely be trained to do all kinds of stuff, but the likelihood of success mostly depends on the patience of their teachers. “I think the cat in this post simply loves people, loves to explore, and wants the people to see and enjoy the best areas of his/her home turf,” said the expert, adding that all the attention and treats she gets for her job only reinforce her behavior. So, in the end, we can probably safely guess that, while likely the most famous one, this Airbnb owner’s cat is not alone in this guide business. And with how amazing these animals often are, who knows, maybe one day we’ll have a full-on cat-guided service somewhere in the world. What did you think of this cat? Have you ever had a similar tour guide? Share your thoughts and experiences below!
Netizens fell in love with the cat and were eager to learn more information about the Airbnb so they could visit it themselves
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