Creative Cat Who Lives At A Rock Climbing Fitness Center Tries To Climb The Wall Like People Do
Cats are natural-born climbers, but Lalah has turned that instinct into a full-time hobby. The fluffy resident of Boulbaka Bouldering Gym near Naha, Okinawa, has been winning over visitors by scaling ropes, ladders, and shelves like she was born for the job.
Gym owner Mitsuru Goan says Lalah started by watching people on the wall, then copied what she saw until she was ready to try it herself. Once she did, the little cat made the climb look almost effortless, and the video quickly spread far beyond the gym.
Now the internet cannot get enough of her tiny paws, steady grip, and surprisingly serious climbing form.
Lalah, the cat, lives in a bouldering gym in Japan after the gym’s manager took her in
The cat had been climbing stepladders and ropes to keep in shape before trying to climb the rock wall
This footage of athletic Lalah nailing the climbing wall has gone viral
The owner of Boulbaka Gym says that since he took the little kitty in, she has become a supervisor at their facility, greeting every visitor with a friendly “Meow!” At a young age, Lalah would observe climbers on the wall and imitate their actions.
As she grew bigger, she was able to reach further up the rock wall. She did not do it for treats; she did it simply because she wanted to, and she received encouragement from the climbers in the gym.
She really committed to the role, and the gym seems to have become her playground.
A chill out after a great training session
A bouldering gym is an excellent playground for a natural-born climber.
When she’s not in training, Lalah is resting and enjoying the attention she receives from the gym visitors. Mitsuru says that she often gets naughty and slips into visitors’ sports bags for a snooze. And that’s why “you need to pay attention not to bring her home with you.”
That nap routine sounds very on brand for a gym cat.
And if you love clever cat fixes, check out how the chonky cat got healthier with a button and dispenser.
Lalah keeps on training, and who knows what she will think of next.
Molly DeVoss is a cat training and behavior specialist and the owner of the consulting agency Cat Behavior Solutions. She says that all cats are naturally great climbers, but this one seems unique: “she is especially skilled at climbing on such small and uneven surfaces.”
In the wild, felines go to high places to find shelter from predators or to locate the right spot for hunting, and it’s all part of their instinct. “They are also able to handle landing from falls better than most species, as they can twist to land on their feet,” Molly said.
Molly also mentioned that since cats are curious by nature, they may climb as high as you give them the chance to. “My climbing wall and cat beds are about 12 feet off the ground, and my cat loves napping up there. If you reinforce the climbing with treats or encouragement, the cat will climb more.”
The cat behavior expert also recommended “creating vertical climbing spaces and high wall beds for cats” to “expand their territory and provide environmental enrichment.”
The comments section had plenty to say about her skills.
And this is how people responded:
After that, wait until you see the roommate fight over a kitten labeled “dangerous” here.
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