Blue's Exercise Regimen

Ponderosa Gallops

I call them that because I remember a popular Western TV show, whose starting credits were the characters all galloping their horses home or something. They may have been singing too.

We have a wide rubber mat running the whole way from the house to the barn. Blue the wonder cat spends a lot of time on it: warming up, playing with gravel chips and dead mice.

Blue is the only cat I ever had who comes when called. When he is at the barn end and I call him, he gathers himself as though about to attack, then gallops full-speed to the house. His now plump body coils and springs until he gets to me. I think he likes knowing the stones won’t hurt his feet and he will make a nice thumping sound on the mat. Then he comes in, eats enough cat food to compensate for any weight loss and goes to sleep.

Today after a very rainy night Blue decided to do a run and went into a four paw slid. He glared at me even though I had not called him.

Other than chasing mice around the dining room, his other exercise is playing with leftover Christmas jingle bells. They don’t roll straight and make noise. One has a fishing line attachedso he can pick it up and carry it around.

When the bells have all rolled under the buffet with the stored mice he can be amused by an aluminum foil ball. Each burst of exercise is followed by a snack and a nap. I’m sure the next trip to the vet they will ask how far along Blue is before he has babies.