SWSMcat – by Sejal Mandal
A daredevil cat soared through the skies in a parachute-skiing adventure – sporting his very own tiny helmet.
Thoth, a bengal mix, was securely strapped to owner Ivan Kuznetsov, 37, as they soared down the slopes of Gribanovka Ski Resort in Russia, on February 8.
After testing out downhill skiing together in December last year, the duo decided to take things up a notch leading to their high-flying stunt.
To keep Thoth secure, Ivan attached his harness to the speed glider’s own safety gear and the tiny adventurer also wore a warm down jacket to withstand the cold mountain air.
Ivan, an alpine ski instructor and skydiver from Arsenyev, Russia, said: “Thoth trusts me completely and feels safe.
“During the flight, he looked around with curiosity and was totally calm.
“The only thing that scared him was the noise of the cable car, so we started landing farther away from it.
“I’m glad we both had this unique experience.”
Ivan first discovered Thoth’s love for adventure when the kitten crawled out of his backpack during a bike ride and perched on his shoulder for the entire trip.
Now Thoth, seven months, accompanies Ivan on all his adventures.
Ivan said: “As soon as I put on his jacket and harness, he runs to the door purring.
“He enjoys walking in the park, cycling, skiing, snowboarding and even swimming.
“We started by getting him used to wearing a helmet.
“Then my fri made cheap replicas of the Cloud 9 skydive helmet, which happened to fit Thoth perfectly.
“It was meant to be.”
Ivan and Thoth are now preparing for their next challenges: rafting, tandem rock climbing and even a parachute jump with a specially designed fabric container for the daredevil cat.
