Nathan the Beach Cat and her pal Winnie prove cats can love the water. These little Mercats love the sand, surf, and taking dips in the calm tidal pools on the beaches of the Gold Coast.
When Rian and Melissa adopted the little black kitten from the RSPCA Bundaberg in Australia, they chose an unusual name: Nathan. Later, Nathan proved to be unusual in another way: she loves taking regular dips in the ocean along Australia’s Gold Coast.
Naming the kitten Nathan was a joke at first, but it grew on the couple and stuck.
“The name Nathan is the name of a character from a show my partner and I have watched called Angry Boys,” the couple told the Daily Mail Australia.
“Once we brought her home, we actually quite liked the name, and it stuck, despite not really being a girl’s name. It still makes us laugh sometimes and we can’t imagine her being named anything else!”
Nathan Took to the Water Right Away
Nathan was found in a box on the side of a highway at just a few weeks old. Soon after the couple, who are both medical professionals, adopted her in 2017, they visited the beach.
“When Mel and I went in the water, she just followed us,” Rian told Sunrise Channel 7. (see video below). “We never trained her or pushed her in. She just comes in when she wants to.”
The first time they hit the beach, Nathan followed Rian.
“She followed Rian in without hesitation,” they state on Instagram.
Unlike many cats, this kitty loves the water. Then, the couple wanted to show their friends and family what Nathan was doing and started an Instagram account. When people saw the kitten swimming happily, she soon gained over 530K fans. Then, “Nathan the Beach Cat” began appearing in magazines, news sites and even made TV appearances.
See Nathan the Beach Cat appear on Sunrise, Channel 7:
🧜🏿 Winnie the Mercat Joins the Family 🧜🏿
Later in 2018, the family adopted Winnie, found wandering by herself in Queensland.
“[Winnie] instantly fit in perfectly with the family, and Nathan loved her from the beginning,” the family’s website states.
“Beach angels walkin 😇”
Soon, Winnie took Nathan’s lead and began swimming on her own too!
“My little Mercat 🧜♀️”
🐚 Another Natural Beach Cat 🐚
“She’s a big chatterbox unlike her sister and is a very gentle, energetic little girl. We continued our beach antics with Winnie, who absolutely loved being outdoors! One day to our surprise, she wowed us by having a swim herself! Another beach cat, what are the odds?! Winnie’s little life is only just beginning,” they wrote.
Rian with Nathan and Winnie
Here’s Winnie’s first swim below, which really surprised Rian and Melissa.
Now, the whole family loves spending time at the beach, and both cats enjoy relaxing in the calm tidal pools. Sometimes, they take to paddleboards, and always, they have close supervision from their protective “pawrents.” Wherever Rian goes, Nathan and Winnie follow along closely. It looks like such a dreamy life they have together.
At home, these cats even enjoy bathtime after their beach outings. So, you see, some cats do love the water, despite the general stereotype. Does your cat love the water too? Let us know in the comments!
Related: How Mr. Munchkin the Feline Adventurer Learned to Love Kayaking
For more Nathan and Winnie the Beach Cats, follow them on Facebook and Instagram and YouTube.
