There is a group of regulars that frequents the beaches of Honolulu, Hawaii which might startle just about anyone: Alexandra Gomez, Krista Littleton and their surfing and swimming one-eyed cat, Nānākuli, aka Kuli!
Gomez and Littleton rescued this adorable kitty named Kuli after he had been discovered as a stray in the Hawaiian city of Nānākuli at just 3-months-old.
Gomez explained to KITV4 in an interview, “He was this small, little cat that couldn’t keep down his food, so he was pretty messy all the time.”
This messiness was exactly what led Gomez and Littleton to discover Kuli’s love for water.
Kuli wasn’t in terrific shape at all when he was first brought home, as evidenced by the Instagram photo which is just below from his first day with Gomez and Littleton.
Kuli had just undergone surgery to remove one of his eyes, which had been terribly infected, and he needed regular baths to keep him clean as he healed.
It was these very baths that were actually his introduction to water, and he did so well that Gomez and Littleton decided to bring him to the beach in a carrier to see if he would like the ocean.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAlm4bALUDo/
Gomez went on to explain to KITV4, “It’s always on his terms. We just left the carrier open by the water, and if he wants to come, he can. If he doesn’t, he’ll just go back to his safe space, so it’s just been repeated experiences till he just accepted it as the norm.”
It didn’t take very long at all before Kuli was learning to swim in the ocean and ride on the tip of a surfboard or even on Gomez’s or Littleton’s shoulders.
The Instagram video just below was from when Kuli first began going out on the water.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAlagYwLUBx/
The video below shows Kuli on Gomez’s shoulders just as she is riding the surf at sunset.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAGUf_VrUAP/
Kuli can often be seen paddling in the water near the surfboards as well, and Gomez and Littlelon just love to capture his little paws treading some water below the surface, as shown in the video below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/_4peRarUAH/
Below here, Kuli is resting on Littleton’s shoulders as she paddles below a beautiful rainbow.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAtZW_DLUGB/
Gomez and Littleton said to KITV4 that people occasionally approach them to voice concern about Kuli potentially disliking being taken to the ocean, but Gomez and Littleton always assure them that Kuli always moves at his very own pace and was never forced to get into the water — and he absolutely loves it!
https://www.instagram.com/p/_nCLMErUFW/
While most cats wouldn’t be caught dead even relaxing by the water, let alone exploring the ocean, Kuli seems right at home out in Honolulu’s surf.
https://www.instagram.com/p/5JMD5cLUAI/
What a truly amazing kitty!
Sources and credits: KULITHESURFINGCAT │ KITV4
