Many animals are known for their time spent in the mountains, from mountain goats to Bernese mountain dogs. Even the elusive snow leopard comes to mind when thinking of mountain-loving mammals. Most would be surprised to know a much smaller, friendlier type of feline once loved to spend time high above the clouds. Meet Tomba, the mountain climbing cat.
Tomba was born on August 7, 1988, at the Berghotel Schwarenbach. The Berghotel Schwarenbach is a remote alpine hotel near Kandersteg, canton of Valais, Switzerland. Tomba’s name came from a unique combination. He was named half after his mother, Tomassa, and half after Italian ski racer Alberto Tomba. Even as a kitten, Tomba always had an affinity for the mountains. He would often roam the alpine ridges and fields around the hotel, frequently getting lost and requiring rescues in the midst of severe weather conditions. At only 10 months old, Tomba began following climbers to the summits major alps peaks including the 11,330 ft (3,453 m) Rinderhorn, and the 12,135 ft (3,699 m) Balmhorn.
These early climbing expeditions set the precedent for the remainder of Tomba’s climbing days. Climbers reported seeing Tomba sniffing around the climbers gear the night before, seemingly deciding which group to join for the next day’s adventures. Tomba would then follow the climbers, even going as far as crossing ice fields and crevasses with his feline agility and strength.
Journalist Hedi Sigg, who climbed the Rinderhorn with Tomba on September 6, 1989, said the cat followed effortlessly for nearly nine hours, pausing when the group paused, climbing when they climbed. He even turned down a ride in a backpack on the descent. When he slid on ice, he’d “adjust his rudder” and correct himself, Sigg said in an Instagram post by Gritanddust. As Tomba spent more time in the mountains, his natural instincts became more and more refined.
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One of the most interesting Tomba stories was the time when his intuition saved a Swiss couple. One day, while he was hiking with the young married couple, Tomba suddenly swerved off the trail and took cover behind a large boulder. The couple followed, curious as to why Tomba had suddenly switched paths. Only seconds later, a massive avalanche crashed directly across the trail they were originally headed up. Tomba’s mountain intuition saved everyone’s life that day.
Tomba’s adventurous lifestyle earned him international fame. He was covered in newspapers from New York to South Africa to Japan. Locally, Tomba was covered in a Swiss documentary, and was heavily featured on souvenirs — post cards and shot glasses.
Tomba continued to adventure in the Swiss Alps for the remainder of his life, making friends from around the world along the way. Tomba’s fearless lifestyle was unfortunately cut short at just 4 and a half years old by a case of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV.)
While Tomba lived a short life, the impact he left on the world was far greater than most animals twice his age. He continues to be remembered in the mountaineering community over 30 years after his passing for his courageous spirit and friendly demeanor. While other animals may find solace high in the mountains as Tomba did, the level of connection that Tomba shared with his fellow climbers and the world around him remains a thing of legend.
