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Just like dogs, some cats like to run
After my string of serious articles on how to introduce your pets to your new baby, I thought I’d take a day for a more upbeat story. Today’s topic might not be as fun and lighthearted as I’d hoped, however, because it tells the story of a cat that frankly puts my own exercise habits to shame.
I’ve talked about cats that have crossed countries to find their owners, but even the awesome Karim has nothing on Roadrunner. Asbury Park Press has all the details on perhaps the world’s only feline long distance runner.
Roadrunner, an approximately two-year-old cat, belongs to fitness trainer Michael Greenblatt. In late December 2008 Greenblatt was outside on his usual morning run. He noticed a small dark kitten with huge golden eyes observing him. The kitten didn’t approach Greenblatt, but for almost a month she turned up just to watch him run.
Finally after three weeks of silent scrutiny, the kitten ran up to Greenblatt one morning and rubbed against his legs. She trotted with him for a while before disappearing. Then one day she turned up at Greenblatt’s door as he was heading out for his morning exercise.
The kitten now followed Greenblatt along his route, keeping a running pace with him. If you think the cat had anything but some healthy exercise in mind for her relationship with Greenblatt, think again. After completing the run she would take off without trying to wheedle additional attention or any food from Greenblatt.
“One month in” of this, Greenblatt decided, “and I had to have this cat.” As the kitten, whom Greenblatt dubbed Roadrunner, began to trust him more Greenblatt was able to properly adopt her in January 2009. But that didn’t mean the daily runs stopped. In fact, they only became more vigorous after Greenblatt and Roadrunner’s partnership became official.
Now Greenblatt does for Roadrunner what he does for any of his human clients: “I train her like an athlete,” he said. They head down to the beach where she sprints back and forth, timed by Greenblatt with stopwatch in hand. By running each day and having her progress timed, Roadrunner has improved her time.
She used to run to the end of the block and back in two minutes, but now two years later she completes the distance in 54 seconds. That’s a total of 150 yards ran at around 5 miles per hour.
In some ways Roadrunner is more dedicated to her exercise than her human owner. Greenblatt needed to devise an indoor track within his home to use on rainy days, because Roadrunner becomes antsy if she doesn’t go on her run. Days he comes home tired and just wants to rest, she insists that they go out to run their course.
Roadrunner became so popular in her New Jersey neighborhood, with onlookers coming up to her and Greenblatt on the beach remarking on her surprising feat, that Greenblatt decided to launch a website to chronicle her exploits. The site contains a YouTube video of hers and Greenblatt’s story, pictures, and more.
The tale of Greenblatt and Roadrunner reminds me of a scene in the movie “101 Dalmatians.” It’s towards the beginning; a few dog owners walk their dogs down the street. The dogs all resemble their owners in size, coloring, and manner. Greenblatt and Roadrunner might not be so physically similar, but I can’t think of a better matched pet and owner.
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*(This image by polandeze is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
