Semi-Pro Cat Coached to Climb Hard

The ONLY climbing content anyone cares about...
The Star of Catalyst Climbing is back! After capturing the hearts of thousands with his pioneering first attempt at indoor bouldering, Ink returns for revenge. Meanwhile, Ink has been training and has even rapidly progressed to a semi-pro cat, with lots of hard work and eating (mainly dreamies). In this episode we find out if the training has paid off, road to fully professional cat continues here.
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[@paulisacrazyfreak101]

You put so many years effort into being a world class boulderer, KZbinr and coach when really all we ever wanted was cat videos.

[@edde2429]

I do love cats but the crossover was amazing! ❤

[@thomasanderson9539]

The channel’s called cat* climbing for a reason mate

[@micahfoley9572]

The true purpose of the internet

[@asdqwe123610]

I think Ink is just very aware of the fact that none of the surface there are things he can really 'climb.' There's no fabric, no bark, no wood, nothing his claws can sink into and allow him to cling to. He might need his own custom set of holds!

[@Shiftarus]

My old apartment had burlap wallpaper, and our cat would climb up the wall with ease. Getting down was another story

[@wsemenske]

He put carpet on the holds...

[@reclhoss]

wooden holds would be a good idea.

[@irisblue2332]

I think with the two steeper angled pieces toward the end he would do well to put a bit of carpet. Ink will feel much more confident if he has something to dig into.

[@Claudia18915]

SO impressed by Ink's crimping and pull ups. I do worry that he didn't warm up after his nap... don't want him to get any injuries

[@havoklad7616]

Didn't you see that big stretch? He is very warmed up

[@Claudia18915]

@@havoklad7616 that’s true. I reckon he should release his own warm up routine on the channel

[@since1876]

Magnus Midbto never really warms up either 😂 I mean, for big deal climbs he will, but Magnus would never warm up for something as easy as this. And that's exactly how Ink felt about it. 😜

[@TheQwuilleran]

​@@since1876yeah, there's a lot of controversy over when to stretch. Some camps are warm-up, some say warm-up stretching is counter-productive and what you want is cool-down.

[@pilot.wav_theory]

Cats do a thing called pandiculation which is basically a full body yawn/stretch

[@BlindZizka]

That TAIL HOOK at @3:19, next level beta. I'm always learning new moves on this channel.

[@afreecafreek6247]

Still waiting for the chance to use my tail to do a tail hook but I'm not sure it's long enough

[@amberblackford9999]

Man I'm going to have to practice a lot more to learn the tail hook...😂

[@taerrarhazeo4022]

Pls dont use that move in commercial gyms

[@skoot2629]

Tried to use this move at my gym and got arrested. Wouldn't recommend

[@andrewbiggins5110]

​@@afreecafreek6247 when people say "its not how big it is, its how you use it", i bet they wasnt expecting the tail hook

[@laartje24]

I have one tip: If Ink is falling or jumping down, and he has all 4 paws facing towards the ground, pdon't (try to) catch him. The paws actually play an important roll in breaking their fall by slowly absorbing the shock. A benefit you lose when you catch him around the waist. Now if he is sliding and/or faling on his back or any other weird orientation without a chance to get 4 feet pointing towards the floor, ofcourse catch him.

[@snekback.]

Another weird thing: cats are less likely to get injured or die when falling ten stories than one or two, since they can manipulate their terminal velocity during the fall, which they do not have time for during a shorter fall.

[@Amanda-C.]

Less likely to be killed. Doesn't mean they're walking away utterly unscathed.

[@GrifMoNeY]

Nah if the cat fell, he would appreciate being caught and snuggled instead of having to take the fall himself. That's just love. The second time, he jumped down himself because he only wanted a little snack before napping again.

[@Shiftarus]

@@GrifMoNeY they are right, cats have evolved over many many many years to land on their paws, not get caught by a person. Unless Ink is falling strangely and wont have time to correct their fall, in which case catching would be helpful. Please understand that loving an animal sometimes means going against your intuition, or giving the animal space.

[@Ryan-sl8mw]

​​@@snekback.Yeah I guess once they hit TV they can sort of glide into a horizontal plane of descent which would be less of an impact over of a straight 180 degree vertical route to the ground .Good point you brought up. I never thought of that

[@javadragon7475]

Not long ago, me and some friends were at the local bouldering spot when a small cat showed up, checked out the rock and the people, then proceeded to confidently dyno onto the wall. Stuck it, but fell on the next move. Still, an epic win for the cat climbing community!

[@tylergray525]

I love that thousands of people are actively spending their time watching a cat climb a rock wall

[@aud9851]

Damn straight 😂

[@TomDufall]

12:30 - A true climber - finishes one climb and immediately eyes up another or starts climbing random stuff they probably shouldn't.

[@Grandremone]

Died on that part hahahaha

[@yungspung3635]

I love how reluctant Ink was the whole climb, yet still, at the end, he was ready to jump over the wall because that’s not where he’s supposed to go and he’s a cat

[@captainzork6109]

Ink was wagging his tail in the end, meaning he was probably a bit overstimulated in the end iirc. But most of the time it seems he was comfy and liked it a lot. Maybe he still needs to get used to the climbing hall before he's going to start doing dynos Also, cats are naturally good climbers and hunters. So maybe you can use that to lure Ink up there Ink loves you, and if you just let him roam around and he happens to observe youre spending a lot of time with those boulders, it's not unlikely he'll probably get curious to explore boulders as well

[@jnawk83]

came here to find this comment.

[@jaynestrange]

I think cats generally like to take new things a bit slower, too. It kinda seemed like he wants to spend some time getting comfortable at each step before he moves on to the next. Cats do like to find the highest spot they can though, so I also think if you let him hang out and explore the space he'll naturally start climbing.

[@captainzork6109]

@@jaynestrange Yeah! In my opinion, doing your best to try to get to know and understand your companions (be they human or otherwise) is one of the greatest expressions of love and respect. I'm curious now how cats climb or traverse climbable objects. They seem so agile and capable of athleticism in general, you wouldn't expect them to need to take things slow with holds as big as those

[@jaynestrange]

@@captainzork6109 My theory is that their wild ancestors would need to be careful of things like dead branches and hidden predators, so modern cats have inherited the cautious approach. When they're climbing around, I sometimes see my cats test out a spot with one paw a few times before either stepping to it or finding another way, like they're testing to see if it will hold them.

[@captainzork6109]

@@jaynestrange Dead branches (or unstable laundry racks, and the like) are present in modern day society as well. So I guess it's a good predisposition to pick up from their ancestors! :D We have the same, though, when we have to change a lightbulb or get something from up high and have nothing else but an office chair

[@foobar201]

I think cats care much more about the surface type than humans, after all they can't grip, but they can sink in their claws. On the other hand, Ink could probably do much much higher vertical jumps (proportionally) than a human could ever dream of as long as the landing block is somewhat cat-friendly

[@sparkfrog777]

As someone who can’t jump 30-36ft in the air I can confirm that cats jump higher proportionally

[@EvincarOfAutumn]

Right, there’s a reason he was reluctant to take a slight step downward, when it probably would’ve been easier for him to approach that hold the way he was eyeing it at one point, by “simply” leaping a couple of body lengths from below, more than a human could fathom. I mean literally-it’d be like two fathoms lol

[@dragonscale46]

Tip! Cats are farsighted meaning anything right in front of their face will be blurry. This is what the whiskers are for. But if Ink can’t see a treat that you put in their face that is why. I have trained my cat to come press her nose to my hand when my thumb, pointer, and middle fingers are pressed together. I can then move my hand to make her follow it. She will climb up my bunk bed ladder to get to it, and that’s a bedtime routine, so that she remembers. I started by just having a treat pressed between my fingers and let her try to figure out how to get it, when her face touched my hand I opened it so she could get the treat, slowly start moving your hand away from them so they have to walk to your hand, and you can just keep going longer and longer till you get to the desired destination! Do lots of training like this at home and Ink will become more willing to do the same in new environments!

[@introspect81]

Ink's putting the 'Cat' in Catalyst Climbing 😺

[@scootybooty9626]

Can this please be a series this is so cute!

[@maeganlozano7058]

Yessss! More cat videos please!!

[@sibyllegraf]

Ink is a hero. Have you considered putting some carpet on the pink holds. The fur in his paw pads seems to make him slip on the holds. That's pretty scary even to watch and probably makes him turn around. He looks very confident on the carpet though. I'd love to see the progress :)

[@albertchu9806]

Love these videos! I studied psychology in undergrad, and two of my favorite classes were Animal Behavior and Learning & Memory. In both, we learned about operant and classical conditioning. Maybe on top of giving Ink some treats, get one of those pet training clicker tools that makes a distinct sound when pressed that you click immediately after Ink does something you want him to do as well as giving him a treat. After a while, you can gradually change the ratio of clicks-to-treats from 1:1 to maybe 2:1 then 3:1. This helps provide reinforcement for Ink, as he’ll start to associate the clicking sound with positive reinforcement, so you can give him the little positive boost without filling him up so much haha. Hope you keep this series going, I absolutely love it!!

[@Amy-kn2nw]

This would be a great idea. The holds would almost work similarly to target training!

[@alvinrasmus6674]

Yes I thought about that. Clicker training seems like a much better idea than visible treats. But Ink is so sweet he did it even without treats.

[@keithclimate]

A true beast! Louis, you should let Ink try out different holds on the climb before a full send attempt. That way he'll know what to expect when he jumps onto a hold.

[@sophiawhettingsteel3489]

these are my favourite videos ever. they make me smile so much. i need some shirts and stickers of ink climbing now haha.

[@CatalystClimbing]

Coming soon!

[@climbing_thomas]

wow, i didn't expect that one at all but it makes me so happy! thank you guys, safe to say we all (every person alive) loves ink and his climbing adventures!

[@urgaguer]

Why'd Louis eat a second one 😭😭

[@CatalystClimbing]

😅🤷‍♂️

[@JohnPretty1]

I'd love to know what ink is thinking ... "how did I get owned by this insane human?"

[@b0604]

Wake up babe, new Ink video just dropped

[@mignonhagemeijer3726]

This video was amazing love that cat! My only tip now is just keep conditioning him. Like at home you can actually train him such that he learns commands. I've learned my cat to jump up any where by tapping my finger. Heck he even learned to jump through a hoop. Just consistency and being a bit regular about it is key

[@electric_claire]

If you get a clicker you can work on training ink to come when called. The problem with purely using treats is that he can get tired of them quickly then lose motivation. Clicker training can actually increase his motivation to do what you want.

[@grainelev8tor26]

Something so sublime about watching a cat participate in such a human specific activity. A true athlete. I’m rooting for you Ink 😊

[@SamMorgan770]

I'm excited for Part 3: Return of the Ink

[@luuorallemn9921]

Ink is a champ! 😊👍🏆 Suggestion: The pink may be a color that's difficult for him to see. Perhaps try a darker color as a contrast to the wall color? Love this content!!!❤

[@anastasia_drozhzhina]

If you are talking about gray shades of colors - pink is actually REALLY dark if you set the saturation in the photo to 0. Like, the more saturated color = the darker it is in grey hue

[@luuorallemn9921]

@@anastasia_drozhzhina No, I wasn't referring to cats seeing in greyscale. As far as I know, my cats have all seen in color. But, I do know that they have trouble seeing some colors, just like Humans. Since there's no way of (currently) knowing definitively if your cat has a form of colorblindness or is nearsighted or farsighted, then we, as owners, would just have to make a guess based on what we observe during everyday interactions with our kitty friends. Like, I've noticed that as my current cat has gotten older that she sees better when she's closer to things, like the computer screen while I'm gaming or watching TV. I know there are some colors she most likely sees better than others because those are the toys and objects she interacts with the most. I was merely suggesting that those pink pieces may not be something he can see well, either from the contrast of the wall or from the contrast from the floor, since he's looking down. That's all I was saying by suggesting pieces of a different color.

[@anastasia_drozhzhina]

@luuorallemn9921 oh, okay! it sounds interesting. I have a 14-year-old dog, and I've only heard something about cats with "gray vision".

[@watchthisheadspace]

Cats do have colour vision it's just not as broad as ours

[@alvinrasmus6674]

Ink seems like such a sweet cat! So cute when he lies in your arms and actually trying climbing cos you told him to

[@LuluClimbs]

Now we just need to get the cat treat company to sponsor the next cat video 😂

[@kofokss]

He wanted to continue climbing at the end thats so cute

[@meinkanta]

The tail hook at 3:16 - Ink’s a genius!

[@Programme021]

Ink's inherent cuteness and your positivity creates such a heartwarming content 😊 Keep it going, find ways to make it fun for him and respect his limits and it should make some beautiful content, funny, heartwarming and interesting at the same time.

[@mackenziebrown8951]

He did SO good!!! Good job with all the treats, I’m a dog trainer and I think something that would REALLY help would be if you practiced leading him down just as much as leading him up! He’ll feel more confident trying stuff cause he won’t be worried about getting stuck if he confidently knows how to get down on his own! Try it, I bet you’ll see a big difference!

[@PPKFilms]

I have regularly crossed paths with with my (sadly passed now) cat while clipping a 3rd or 4th draw on 5+ routes. Also once she found her way up a tree midway up the crag, between a 7b and a 6c+, both of which I am not able to climb. Thankful she managed to come down on her own cause I have no idea how I would have gotten her otherwise. Moral of the story, crag cats are awesome. My 7 month Aussie will be a different kind of crag pet, providing different support… (current main occupation is burying socks, not climbing routes…)

[@klsproull]

I NEEDED this today, thank you Ink (and Louis)!

[@edwardskinner2045]

Ink is producing some of the best climbing content on YT. I reckon he should have his own channel!

[@gabrielpetersen8528]

What a coincidence. I trained my cat loose leaf to climb really high! I bet Ink and Loose leaf would have been really great friends.

[@whocares7093]

You found a gold mine with these videos. So cute and entertaining.

[@EduardoHernandez-vv8ey]

The montage was hilarious 😂. Great vid from you both.

[@fierafirefairy315]

I think that one jump he wouldn't do, the boulder there was just too narrow for him to be confident of his landing. Otherwise he probably would, since he really really wants that tube treat.

[@skier340]

I'd unironically subscribe to a channel and watch all the videos that is just these videos.

[@madeleinedacey8489]

So cute but I died when Louis ate the cat treat AND THEN WENT BACK FOR ANOTHER????

[@BogomilPetrov]

OMG... Another chapter in the saga... Is this a saga?!?... I hope so. Can't wait for part 3... The cat climbing master... Such a journey

[@KZesty]

I love how comfortable your cat is--he really loves you 🥺

[@alek6635]

New challenge for Louis - a burger every three moves 👍😂

[@ramsessiereveld2824]

this is gold! if Ink has his own channel he would be an instant hit! But that human is also a gem for bringing us this joy

[@chrisembry3736]

Ink is a beast. Are we sure he's not part tiger and lion as well? That strength for those moves! And congrats🎉🎉🎉 on the send Ink. And Louis, the shoes are awesome, I have a similar pair for my daily drivers.

[@EllaClarke-ht3vb]

More cat videos please 😂 loved watching this thank you Louis and Sam!! Of course well done to Ink

[@teaolsander718]

I like the shoes! And Ink content

[@a64738]

Cats usually love to climb :) I remember first time I took my 2 re-homed Bengal cats to a small forest 1km from where I live, they went crazy with the climbing in the trees :) They had spend the 2 first years of their life as breeding cats most of the time in a cage so they had never climbed a tree before...

[@ElunearaStarsong]

This is awesome! Would love some more cat videos! Perhaps one good tip would be to have a toy he can chase. Like a feather on a stick kind of thing. Perhaps he would be motivated to follow it up the boulder, like chasing a bird

[@blakewhite3131]

I love this, i want custom builds for this little climber! Ink deserves climby fabrics to give him some more grip, then maybe he'll be a little more adventurous on the jumps! Very cute

[@amystuart968]

I'm so happy that this little video project is helping get to know your handsome cat better! Yay❤

[@natalieminnis]

Ink's response to the word "motivation" at 0:36 is very charming. Maybe what would work even better than food treats would be a big duvet at the top?

[@MiguelClimbs]

Ink is my hero 😻

[@CatalystClimbing]

🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@latergator9622]

Wow good timing yt algo, it gave me the first cat climbing vid today and I'm so glad I checked your channel to find the sequel!

[@sunflower9611]

😁 More cat contant please. Thank you for this video. I was having a rough day and this video improved it and made it me smile. In your video I liked that you two talked like friends, included imperfect bloopers (like when you fell), and talked to and asking questions of viewers. These things drew me in and created a feeling of inclusion like I was part of the activity. I don’t know but I’m glad I found you on KZbin. I also think this climbing activity is great enrichment for Ink. 😸

[@mystishio]

This was pure entertainment, and so cool seeing Ink grow as a climber! 😊 And the shoes are fantastic, look super comfy 🙂

[@hjxflavor]

Adorable cat! Thanks for the fun video!

[@requiemz22]

Great vid, ink seems like a dynamic climber. I'd say give him some opportunities for more of those moves, from good ledges to good ledges( with some carpet or soft material)

[@jhy8191]

Ink is adorable. I can't wait to see him crushing on the world cup circuit!

[@anon95274]

The void is a world class boulderer. Can’t wait to keep seeing this crusher ❤

[@brimiller2989]

my cat and i watched this together. neither of us can boulder so it was aspirational for us both

[@fraz_the_mediocre]

"Imagine every three moves you ate a burger" 🤣🤣

[@patole1648]

So adorable 😍 you’re such a good owner, Ink is very lucky to get this sort of play with her human. My black fluff has recently learned to climb her cat tree, jump over to the chest of drawers nearby and give high five in the end, and she also gets treats on each segment she does :) We do it with a pen used as a pointer and as a clicker, she then knows that she is supposed to go where the pen is and when I click it she gets a clue that that’s the behaviour I expected of her - very helpful in the beginning when she’s hesitant what it is I want her to do.

[@ThatRandomDude123]

at first i was just listening to the video and not watching it and i went, "what are dreamies? never heard of em" and then i started watching and realised we call them temptations but i guess they call them dreamies over there, you learn something new everyday

[@tranquilityparkour]

Ink is really progressing! Thank you Louis for creating the purrfect climbing content. 😸😸

[@drevil3606]

Immediately subscribed this is great

[@LittleCheebs]

I would watch weekly installments of this

[@sarahinskeep-mueller3593]

I can’t get enough of Ink! Best climber videos ever.

[@manicantsettleonausername6789]

Fantastic video, please do more Ink content!! and I think the shoes are great

[@MP-bx3uj]

Five seconds into the video and I’m overcome with Cute Rage 😩❤❤

[@knighteye33]

Such good climbing, Ink gained so many skills!!

[@make725daily1]

This is the content I've been seeking! Subscribed and excited for the journey ahead! -- "Challenges are opportunities for growth and self--discovery.."

[@qwertyfinger]

Ink going for the very top of the wall after all that is the most cat thing ever

[@jeanng4736]

Ink is now my favourite climber! Tail hook was on point!

[@seanaepley3180]

Such a great video! Can definitely see how hard the humans are trying!

[@Hii_chiara]

Those shoes are so good, that even Ink should have his own!

[@pritkink9990]

Good job Ink!! He's improved so much already!

[@ernestinekeh99]

This was so fun to watch. Yay ink and I love his name.

[@SuedeNWings]

Loving this. Also the shoes are great.

[@ramieres85]

This is by far the best climbing video i have ever seen.

[@axeus2008]

incredible. Thank you for blessing us. More pls (:

[@talesoftableiii1584]

What a world that we live in, that a literal CAT it helping me get out of a climbing slump! Love the Ink videos!!!

[@lizabethsmith2832]

Go Ink! He's doing great. Footing is very important to cats so you can tell when he isn't sure of his grip , especially on the pink slanty things. I'm sure he'll make pro in no time.

[@Blue-pb7kz]

I love this video so so much! Thrilled that Ink liked the carpet :)

[@kimh5794]

One of the best cat videos on KZbin !!! More ink the cat content ❤! How fun to get him to try climbs. Maybe some holds wrapped in rope ?

[@ShroomAndMoss]

I did not expect one so soon ! It's so funny and lovely haha

[@lollylula6399]

This is my type of series! And you left us on a literal cliff hanger 😅 How did you two get down? Someone suggested making his own custom set of holds with textured surfaces for him to grip into with his claws, I think that would help massively as well as plenty of time letting him get used to the hall in general and repetition of what you what him to do.

[@sarahhagen2051]

Love it! We need more Ink vids 😂

[@idali6144]

Ink I'm your faithful fan! I admire your arm strength and that grip that your powerful claws can get. ❤

[@sarahpreston4558]

i love these videos so much!!

[@jasoncalandra8098]

I have a new favorite form of climbing content.

[@DemonaeTV]

Most cat training sessions are about 10 minutes. You might want to incorporate a clicker and pointer. You point with a feather on a stick and then click. When the cat goes to the where the feather is you give them a treat.

[@carolinagregori222]

I enjoyed it so muuchhh! Go Ink! You can do itttt

[@larryblarry]

Liked and subscribed! Top tier content

[@schwarts8944]

THIS IS THE CUTEST THUMBNAIL!!!! I LOVE IT SO MUCH

[@lupe75]

Cats and climbing, what else do we need? I'm inclined to think that Ink is more of an outdoor climber, given his nature., but he'll soon adapt to the gym walls. Waiting for more of Ink's progress!

[@Anubis-Barstikar]

By far the best climbing content I hzve ever seen on youtube

[@Skank_and_Gutterboy]

3:50 I'm amazed at how easily he turned around in this red ring.