Surfing cat in California raising mental health awareness

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FALLBROOK, California – If you think you’ve seen it all, a surf cat named Maverick will come along.

“I called it ‘surf camp’ when I sat him on a surfboard in the pool as a kitten. He took it really well,” said his human Nick Liam.

The cat, named after the famous northern California surf spot, is only 2 years old but has worked its way into an impressive array of achievements. He skateboarding, paddleboarding, swimming and has recently been interested in surfing with Liam.

“I was like, ‘I’d like to get him on a surfboard’ and the first time he had surfed was in Malibu,” Liam said.

Thanks to his unique talents, he was featured in People Magazine and has nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram. He recently starred on an episode of Cat People, a Netflix series that shows people’s unique bond with their pets.

“It was supposed to be a big trip with him surfing in Miami but then the pandemic struck and we thought the show was dead but halfway through they called and said they wanted more of a home approach; includes his adventures, “said Liam.

And not only extreme sports are recognized as “Surf Cat Mav”. Its people are deeply involved in mental health nonprofits and use Maverick to help spread awareness.

“We’re really just trying to start a dialogue and have Maverick on the front lines and also allow people to see, through some of the places we take Maverick, that they have an ESA, or have animal therapy, or Even having animals to add to your life really does so much, “added Kayla Tabish.” It’s really important because a lot of organizations focus on suicide and depression and we are trying to remove the stigma. “

His people said that when it comes to Mav’s motto, “he is trying to destroy the perception that cats have to stay home”. They said it has worked so far, especially during the pandemic.

“It developed into this community who love to take their cats for walks. It’s been pretty crazy, but it’s fun,” said Kayla Tabish.

This story was originally published by Vanessa Paz at KGTV.