Cyclist Explores The Streets Of London With His Adorable Feline Sidekick
Travis Nelson did not expect redundancy from his software engineering job to lead to one of London’s most charming sights. Instead of staying put, the 45-year-old San Francisco native decided to explore the city by bicycle, with his four-year-old Norwegian Forest cat, Sigrid, riding along in the front basket.
The pair now cruise around central London about three times a week, and their outings have turned plenty of heads. Travis films their adventures, shares the photos online, and the duo has built a huge Instagram following along the way.
From neighborhood stops to packed streets, Sigrid has become the kind of sidekick people remember. And once you see how far their little routine has gone, it is easy to understand why.
As well as exploring lots of exciting places in London, Travis has also taken Sigrid to parties and protests.
Travis says that Sigrid has become so popular that some followers have even requested merchandise. They have also offered to make donations for Sigi.
"Unfortunately, I need to keep my address private," Travis says. "I've received a startling number of threats of violence—some people really hate cyclists... or cats."
But for the most part, Travis says people are kind. "Everyone is always quite surprised and happy to see Sigrid on the bike, and it's just a non-stop trail of people waving, smiling, and shouting, 'Hey, there's a cat!'"
"It sounds a little strange, but it's as if you're spreading joy," Travis said.
"Sigrid likes it a lot. She always seems to love going outside; she'll stand at the door and whine."
Sigrid, who is hearing impaired, is trained to use a lead and will sometimes join Travis for a walk.
Travis puts a lot of effort into managing his social media. He sometimes spends up to four hours a day editing footage of his adventures with Sigrid.
You can watch Travis and Sigrid riding around London below.
The adorable pair are easy to spot when they're out and about. Their bike has 'Travis and Sigrid' written on the wheels!
And if you think Sigrid is getting attention, an 80-year-old retiree built a dog train for his rescued pups.
The adorable pair are easy to spot when they're out and about. Their bike has 'Travis and Sigrid' written on the wheels!
Sigrid's favorite thing to do is chase squirrels and pigeons when Travis lets her out of the basket to play in the park.
She will happily meow to let Travis know when she wants to jump out and stretch her legs.
Sigi has become very popular with the locals!
The pair have a large following on Instagram, and their fans love every minute of Travis and Sigrid's adventures. "I could watch this all day," one user commented.
"If someone asked me what the best thing about Instagram is, the answer would be stuff like this," another fan said. "It's so special the amount of joy she must bring to people in little ways each day."
Keep up the excellent work, Travis and Sigi! We can't wait to see more of your adventures!
For more backlash involving cyclists and pets, read about a cyclist trolled by dog owners for bringing a cat along.
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