RETRO FIND: Hang-Gliding Cat Soared the Skies of Marina in 1981

KSBW ^ | Nov 8, 2024 | Ricardo Tovar

[nickcarraway]

In 1981, beachgoers at Marina Beach were surprised to spot hang glider Patty Butler soaring through the skies with her pet cat, Puddy.

Originally from New Jersey, Butler, a professional ice skater turned glider, said Puddy was confused at first but soon settled in. "People are pretty amazed," she said. "They don’t notice him until I land."

Butler crafted a custom papoose so Puddy could experience the thrill of flying safely right on her back.

The sight of a cat gliding over the ocean with his owner was enough to make anyone do a double-take, proving that flying isn’t just for the birds!

[gundog]

[telescope115]

I showed this to our cat, Charlie. He wasn’t impressed, but I was!

[faithhopecharity]

neato, but my kats weren’t too anxious to sign up.
they prefer to keep all 4 paws securely grounded, thank you.

now maybe ocean surfing would be ok?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__rw8EPknKo

[rlmorel]

I have had this for a couple of years and never have the opportunity to post it!

[monkeyshine]

I thought cats hated water?

[rlmorel]

This isn't the time to be paying attention to hang-gliding cats. We need to focus on the election.

[ansel12]

Here is a video of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_8mdH20qTQ

[rlmorel]

Such as this one, where Orange Man...er...Orange Cat wraps itself around James Carville's leg, and gives him a well-deserved chomp on the testicles...

[HerrBlucher]

I flew that site a couple of times, a whole lot of fun!

A friend of mine used to bring his little dog with him when he flew, in a little harness just like the one For the cat.

Most cats would Panic just being out on the beach, that was one cool flying kitty!

[rlmorel]

I actually captured the gif years ago from that very video! Frikkin’ cats! Is there anything they can’t do??? (perhaps stay awake for more than five minutes at at stretch???)

[HerrBlucher]

That has to be one of the best you tube videos ever,lol!

[rlmorel]

LOL, I remember being totally amused by it!

[Larry Lucido]

Poor kitty.

[rlmorel]

It was pretty lucky…could have turned out differently!

[ansel12]

I thought I knew cats but since I adopted 1 stray, 1 half stray and half feral, and a true feral onto my front porch with heated beds and a camera on them I have learned more, people with house cats are not seeing the full range.

For those guys who don’t know cats or like them, they should google videos of “liquid cats” to be fascinated by just some of their unearthly capabilities.

[Disambiguator]

Time for a new song about hang gliding. This one’s pushing 50.

https://youtu.be/joXkFQA9vxw?si=Z_x2hcjHsdwN-OzF

[Larry Lucido]

Yeah it would have to use up all nine lives if anything happened.

[rlmorel]

Having been around cats long enough, the cat could have panicked and leaped from the aircraft...sometimes...and there would have been no stopping it. But it seemed like a cool cat, for sure.

[SaveFerris]

No way