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Today the Department of Unexpected Interspecies Friendship is going hiking gorgeous Colorado landscapes with Henry the dog and Baloo the cat. Both adopted from animals shelters, they live with humans, Cynthia Bennett and her boyfriend, who are avid hikers. Even as a 14-week-old puppy, Henry immediately wanted to join in on their hikes.

“I think we only had him for three days when we took him on our first hike, which was to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs,” Bennett said. “He found the steepest, tallest rock around, and he ran up to the top of it to look over the edge.”

Baloo joined the family just a few months ago and immediately bonded with Henry.

The moment Baloo met Henry, he loved him — he wanted to play with Henry and snuggle with him. Not only that, but Baloo refused to be left behind when Henry went out for a hike.“If I touch Henry’s leash, [Baloo] will start screaming at the door,” Bennett said. “He’s very vocal.”

Since Baloo was so eager to go outside with Henry, Bennett set about harness training him, but Baloo immediately took to being outdoors and on a leash and now he goes anywhere Henry goes. All their adventures are shared.

“He’s definitely not the kind of cat we can leave home alone on the weekend anymore,” she added. “I think he thinks he’s more a dog than anything.”

Follow Henry and Baloo on Instagram to keep up with their latest outdoor adventures together.

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