cute video --do not attempt this at home

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c1atsite

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I bet alot of you have seen this cat (Hawkeye) on TV. I learned the dog (Mutley) rescued her one day and that's how she became Hawkeye.
: Both animals do scuba





She's a whale of a cat who takes to the water like a fish and she's from Redding [California] but husky Hawkeye doesn't just swim, she scuba dives. Her owner, Gene Alba, says she loves it.
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Source (includes video): http://www.khsltv.com/mostpopular/st...LRx0SDgHw.cspx

Hawkeye's newfound interest in swimming led Alba to the logical next step -- building a scuba rig for his rotund little girl. But the process of designing a wet suit for a heavy cat wasn't an easy prospect.
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Source (includes the rescue details): http://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/scuba-cat1.htm
 
pushylady

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Oh my goodness, I just couldn't believe my eyes! They both seemed calm while scuba diving though. Hawkeye just jumped right into the pool to have a good swim. Too funny.
 
coolcat

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Originally Posted by pushylady

Oh my goodness, I just couldn't believe my eyes! They both seemed calm while scuba diving though. Hawkeye just jumped right into the pool to have a good swim. Too funny.
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so lovely

 
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saw the puddy tat swimming the other day on some Irish tv program...yeah couldn't believe my eyes.

Go cat Go!
 
calico2222

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It's cute, but as a licensed scuba diver myself, I don't think it's a good idea. Water pressure creates a stress on any body that isn't used to it. Think about when you dive down to the bottom of the deep end (9 ft) and you're ears kill you...that is the pressure of 9 ft of water on top of you. The helmets should protect them from that, but there are other things to consider. The pressure of water affects all your body. It constricts everything...that is why you should have a physical before starting to dive (by a doctor that knows the risks) before you go underwater. Obsesity is one of the big no'no's (not being rude) because the blood vessels are already under so much stress pressure from the water may make things worse...as in heart attack, stroke, or death.

Also, there is the concern about going in the ocean. Believe me, a calm pool 2 feet deep and the ocean (even a "calm" sheltered cove) are two completely different things. Even someplace "calm" can turn nasty quickly. Humans are required to go through classes to learn how to deal with emergencies such as surge or broken 0-rings, etc. Not to mention buoyancy and physical affects on the body. What happens if he has both of them down and a surge comes up suddenly and they are ripped out of his hands? Yes, they are attached to him by airlines but it they both panic because they are being pushed here and there what's going to happen? Dealing with a panicking dog AND cat underwater when you can't talk to them??? You can't pull them up quickly depending on the depth because that could result in the bends. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

Now, do I think he is abusing his animals? Not at all.

Do I think there is a potential danger for taking animals scuba diving? Yes.

Do I think he is just fulfilling his selfish needs for dive buddies and to get in the news? Absolutely.
 
-_aj_-

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Originally Posted by calico2222

It's cute, but as a licensed scuba diver myself, I don't think it's a good idea. Water pressure creates a stress on any body that isn't used to it. Think about when you dive down to the bottom of the deep end (9 ft) and you're ears kill you...that is the pressure of 9 ft of water on top of you. The helmets should protect them from that, but there are other things to consider. The pressure of water affects all your body. It constricts everything...that is why you should have a physical before starting to dive (by a doctor that knows the risks) before you go underwater. Obsesity is one of the big no'no's (not being rude) because the blood vessels are already under so much stress pressure from the water may make things worse...as in heart attack, stroke, or death.

Also, there is the concern about going in the ocean. Believe me, a calm pool 2 feet deep and the ocean (even a "calm" sheltered cove) are two completely different things. Even someplace "calm" can turn nasty quickly. Humans are required to go through classes to learn how to deal with emergencies such as surge or broken 0-rings, etc. Not to mention buoyancy and physical affects on the body. What happens if he has both of them down and a surge comes up suddenly and they are ripped out of his hands? Yes, they are attached to him by airlines but it they both panic because they are being pushed here and there what's going to happen? Dealing with a panicking dog AND cat underwater when you can't talk to them??? You can't pull them up quickly depending on the depth because that could result in the bends. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

Now, do I think he is abusing his animals? Not at all.

Do I think there is a potential danger for taking animals scuba diving? Yes.

Do I think he is just fulfilling his selfish needs for dive buddies and to get in the news? Absolutely.
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i agree and little blurb to why

My uncle is a very quailfied diving instructor, he was also in the navy, he taught Prince Charles how to dive... he told us (me and my bros) go diving but dont be silly because of the streeses on the body as experienced as he was he was out diving with his team there was four of them they had to surface to quickly all four devolped the bends (the proper name escapes me) and he actually lost 2 of his team i wouldnt want to put my pets at that srt of danger but as Hope says i also do not think he is abusing the animals
 
calico2222

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Originally Posted by -_aj_-

i agree and little blurb to why

My uncle is a very quailfied diving instructor, he was also in the navy, he taught Prince Charles how to dive... he told us (me and my bros) go diving but dont be silly because of the streeses on the body as experienced as he was he was out diving with his team there was four of them they had to surface to quickly all four devolped the bends (the proper name escapes me) and he actually lost 2 of his team i wouldnt want to put my pets at that srt of danger but as Hope says i also do not think he is abusing the animals
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I don't know the proper name for "the bends" either, but I can explain what it is. At depth, air compresses and you breath more in each breath then you do on land. 73% (roughly) of air is nitrogen which is an inert gas that you body just off gasses through your blood on the surface. Oxygen is only 21% and the body does use it (which can cause other problems at depth). The problem with breathing at depth is that your body doesn't expel it at the same rate it does at the surface so it accumulates in your blood. Coming up from depth too fast can cause the nitrogen to form bubbles in your blood which can cause embulisums in your lungs, heart or brain. Hence death. That is the extreme example but animals can't tell you if their joints are hurting or if their chest feels tight or if they "just don't feel right" (first warning signs of the bends). I don't even know if they allow animals in a decompression chamber, which is the only thing that will help someone with an extreme case of the bends.

Also, one thing I need to point out. The dog is NOT scuba certified. He has been certified in "OpenWater1", which means he was able to be lead around underwater and didn't die. He finished one of 8 water modules needed to be fully certified (I am certified PADI, not NAUI but I think the courses are very similar).

Dogs and cats aren't physicalogy meant to be underwater. Neither are humans. But humans are capable to understand what they are doing. Those animals aren't, and have no understanding of the risks.

I don't think he is abusing his animals purposely. But, I do think there are potential risks that he has no clue about...no one does because as far as I know there isn't a vet that specializes in animal scuba diving.

(BTW...I would LOVE to meet your uncle! Bet he has some stories to tell!)
 
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c1atsite

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I hope the owner ceases the scuba. He made the news. He and his pets are on the internet for posterity. And a certain dot com paid him so they could film Hawkeye underwater. So he should stop.
 
pushylady

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Yeah quite a difference between a calm pool and the ocean. Although I honestly don't think he's deliberating harming his pets at all, and they do seem to enjoy it, I have to agree it's not a good idea taking them out of a controlled environment and into the ocean. Bit of a publicity hound.
 
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c1atsite

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yeah, and traces of chlorine probably get in their fur. thanks calico.
 
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That is a cool video, but I agree that a pool and the ocean are two different things. I do hope that they are not in too deep of the ocean or his dog may suffer a lot more then he realizes.
 
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