Sporting animals are nothing new - horseracing, polo and other equestrian classics notwithstanding, recent years have seen YouTube's famous skateboarding dog and a sports-mad pigeon trying a little too hard to get involved in baseball.

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A surfing cat, however, is something different.

Domingo Pianezzi, of Lima, Peru, believes that his small cat Nicolasa enjoys catching tubes almost as much as catching mice.

This unexpected feline pastime was apparently discovered when Domingo took Nicolasa to Lima's San Bartolo beach and the young moggy leapt on board.

While the popular myth may have it that cats can't stand water, Nicolasa seems quite content on the open waves.

It has even been suggested by some commentators that she might have what it takes to turn pro - after all, her technique here is excellent, "hanging ten" with all claws hooked round the edge of the board.

However, an alternative theory might be that, since once she is out on the water the only dry place is on top of the surfboard, Nicolasa is not so much surfing as hanging on like grim death.

After all, even given the most charitable interpretation of this photo, most observers would be hard-pressed to say that she looks like she's enjoying herself.