A cyclist and his cat have become an online hit after filming their adventures exploring London – with the fluffy feline riding in the bicycle’s front basket.
After Travis Nelson, 45, from San Francisco, was made redundant from his job as a software engineer last year, he began to take his four-year-old Norwegian forest cat, Sigrid, on bike rides around London.
Now, the pair get out to see the sights around three times a week, and attract plenty of attention from passersby and online.
Mr Nelson posts videos of their excursions on Instagram where he and Sigrid have more than over 43,000 followers.
A clip shared on November 28 shows them riding around central London, negotiating the traffic – including a double-decker bus, as it gets dark.
Sigrid sits calmly in the front basket, wearing a festive red jumper and securely held in place by a harness.
At one stage she meows, as though complaining because they are stationary.
Travis Nelson, 45, from San Francisco, was made redundant from his job as a software engineer last year, he began to take his four-year-old Norwegian forest cat, Sigrid, on bike rides. The pair pictured riding on Baker Street
The adorable cat likes to wear goggles on some of her rides, which gains her even more attention as passers by say, ‘I love your goggles!’. The pair going past Regent’s Park Outer Circle
Mr Nelson captioned the clip: ‘Early nights means more night rides! Can’t wait for all the Christmas displays.’
As well as showcasing their travels through London’s Hampstead Heath, Hyde Park, Oxford Street, Camden Market, Covent Garden and more, Mr Nelson has shared footage of them going to protests and parties together.
The 45-year-old told MailOnline that Sigrid is so popular that followers have asked for merchandise and to donate treats and cat clothes through online wishlists.
But he added: ‘Unfortunately I need to keep my address private. I’ve gotten a startling number of threats of violence – some people really hate cyclists… or cats.
Sigrid getting her picture taken by a passer-by at The Broad Walk in Regent’s Park
The fluffy white cat seems comfortable in her basket as she joins owner Travis on bike rides, seen going through Wellington Arch
‘At the end of the day my only real purpose is having fun.
‘I’ve been really happy about reactions in our local neighborhood.
‘Our local pub, The Sir Richard Steele in Belsize, knows us well and we’re often down there for pub quiz.
‘Sigi has a favorite chair, and a favorite plant to chew on, and she is well known at Chamomile Cafe where we pop in for coffee some mornings.’
The 45-year-old told MailOnline that his followers have been wanting to consume more of Sigrid through merchandise or donating treats through online wishlists. Pictured looking at her owner at the intersection Orchard Street and Oxford Street
He told Ham High: ‘Everyone is always quite surprised and happy to see Sigrid on the bike and it’s just a non-stop trail of people waving, smiling and shouting “Hey, there’s a cat”.
‘It sounds a little strange but it’s as if you’re spreading joy.’
He added: ‘Sigrid likes it a lot. She always seems to love going outside. She’ll stand at the door and whine.’
Sigrid the adventurous cat sometimes wears goggles during her rides, and with the personalisation on the wheels of the bike, fans of the Instagram page can spot the pair
Mr Nelson captioned this picture: ‘Yes, she rides my shoulder when we’re not on the bike’
Sometimes Sigrid has goggles on during the rides, and in one clip on their Instagram page @skintension, a fellow bike rider refers to all the equipment Travis has on his bike as well as: ‘There is so much going on here.
‘Fixed gear, track crank, 80mil wheels and a tri-spoke, and a cat. And goggles. Awesome.’
Sigrid, who is deaf, is lead trained and sometimes ventures out for a walk with her owner.
Their bike is personalised with ‘Travis and Sigrid’ on the wheels, which helps fans spot the pair out in public.
Sigrid’s owner Travis said: ‘Our local pub, The Sir Richard Steele in Belsize, knows us well and we’re often down there for pub quiz’
On Remembrance Day, Travis and Sigrid ran into ‘lots of soldiers’ when cycling through London
Married Mr Nelson said he can spend up to four hours a day putting the footage together to share on social media and manage his page.
When he reaches a park, he usually lets Sigrid out of the basket to be put on the lead to chase after pigeons, or her favourite, squirrels.
But really Sigrid calls the shots – when the fluffy feline wants to jump out of the basket, she makes it clear to her owner by letting out a few meow’s.
On one of the videos, a user commented: ‘I could watch this all day. If someone asked me what the best thing about Instagram is the answer would be stuff like this.’
Mr Nelson, who lives in north London’s Belsize Park with his wife, takes trips with deaf cat Sigrid across London
Another said: ‘It’s so special the amount of joy she must bring to people in little ways each day…
‘I feel like it’s an emotion that is hard to capture, so it’s an absolute delight to see it through the videos you share of her interacting with the world.
One user added: ‘I want to come to London just to see you two out andaout.’