5 days ago
Cat Jumps on Owner's Walking Pad, Hysterics at What Happens Next
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A black cat named Howie has become an unexpected internet sensation after a video of him sprinting on his owner's walking pad went viral.
The clip, shared on TikTok in June under the username @meowyhowie, shows the feline from Austin, Texas, running at a steady 3.2 miles per hour on the walking pad, meowing loudly as his owner reassures him that he can stop, which he soon does.
Felines can be incredibly fast; the best example is the cheetah, renowned for its ability to run at 60 miles per hour. While their domestic counterparts cannot reach this speed, they can however reach peaks of 30 miles per hour. The fastest breeds of all are the Abyssinian and Bengal, known for their athleticism and ability to navigate their surroundings at speed.
When it comes to exercising, there is no set amount of exercise that should be carried out specifically for cats and kittens, but Warren House Veterinary Group suggests having at least two play sessions per day for 15 to 20 minutes.
This short exercise will help reduce boredom, avoiding the famous "night zoomies" that cats often display, and keep them active.
The best way to exercise for a cat include: pouncing; using toys that can be pounced on; climbing; having safe areas for felines to climb on, such as scratching posts; chasing; and long, feather-type toys.
Batting is also another great choice, and rolling toys such as balls are good for this; and, last but not least, exploring, showing them new areas of the house or providing objects such as cardboard boxes or cat activity stands.
Stock image: A cat sits on a home treadmill.
Stock image: A cat sits on a home treadmill.
getty images
The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 9 million views and more than 1.5 million likes on the platform.
One user, Maassgirl, commented: "He wants you to slow it down, cats are smarter than we think, he knows you control the speed."
Sipuli91 posted: "Cats can actually get addicted to these and running wheels. That's how one of ours sounded like when she truly kicked into the running gear. Now she's busy protecting the wheel as her territory and p***** all over the living room while on SSRIs to try to stop the negative behavior caused by the wheel."
Jay added: "This isn't safe for them. He could train too much and become an Olympic champion and never return home."
Newsweek reached out to @meowyhowie for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case.
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