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The Growing Sport of Cat Agility! Jerry Alexander Cats jumping through hoops? Hard to believe, but it's true. Cat Agility, a new cat competition sport, is catching on. Like dog agility, it was inspired by the gymkhana courses that horses run, and adapted to fit a cat's natural abilities. Cats run the agility course with the support of their handlers, negotiating obstacles designed to demonstrate their athletic ability, speed, coordination and the quality of their training relationship with their handler. The event is timed with points off for obstacles missed or not completed. Cat Agility was originally introduced by the International Cat Association club, ICAT (Cat Agility Tournaments) in the fall of 2003, and since, cat owners everywhere seem to have jumped at chance to show off their animals in this unexpected way. Play Every Day Must be for special breeds, you say, but any cat with a strong bond to its owner can succeed at cat agility training. If your cat will chase a feather lure on the end of a stick, she's a candidate for cat agility. Once a cat gets the hang of following the teaser and negotiating obstacles, they generally consider the whole thing one big game. And any cata "not just those with pedigreesa "can compete. For information, check out www.catagility.com. To see a video news report, with cats running the course, click here and scroll to the clip, When Cats Compete. The Agility Course Obstacles To train your cat, start with a teaser toy and a few makeshift obstacles set up in your living room. The obstacles in the course include: Ramp The ramp is the easiest obstacle. Carpeted to create a surface with secure footing, the cat simply walks up the ramp, across the top and down the other side. Bar Jump In the early stages of learning, all jumps should be small and enticing. You can add a ramp at first to help your cat get the idea of jumping over the bar. Tire Jump Training your cat to jump through the tire is approached in the same way as the bar jump. Most cats catch on quickly. Jumping over obstacles is a natural thing for them to do when chasing their prey, whether it's a mouse in the barnyard or a toy in a living room. Tunnel The tunnel is a long fabric tube laid flat on the ground, and is challenging because many cats decide that the middle of it is a nice place to stop for a rest. Weave Poles Weave poles are a series of upright poles positioned in a straight line that your cat must run through alternating from side to side. They'll follow the teaser around the poles. Natural Athletes Cats are one of the most athletic creatures on earth with a flexibility that leaves even yoga practitioners jealous, and Cat Agility opens new possibilities for cats to demonstrate their physical and mental intelligence. Cat agility has everyone taking a fresh look at how cats can be trained. Some trainers use food to motivate their charges. Others train using a regimen of toys and clickers. Just remember that your cat needs to be well rested and well groomed before you start. You don't want them stopping to nap or lick their fur. They Do it for Themselves For most cats, the challenge on the day of competition is relaxing enough to start playing in the first place. Once they're comfortable in their environment, they generally go full throttle and totally enjoy the competition. Cat agility organizer says dogs do an agility course for praise; cats do it for themselves. ======== To learn more about the topic visit cats and Articles about cats. Jerry Alexander is a webmaster and author. His articles, can be found at his Author's web site. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jerry_Alexander http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Growing-Sport... Post a Comment | Share | Print Christmas Around the World Every wonder how Christmas is celebrated in Japan? How about Greece? You can read about these, as well as more season trivia, in the ArcaMax Holiday Feature. The feature also has fun games to download, craft projects, free recipes, and more. Visit the ArcaMax Holiday feature. Subscribe to ArcaMax Trivia instantly for more fun facts and quizzes every day by e-mail. Find out more before subscribing. -- From the ArcaMax editors   Today's Reader Submitted Photos Visit our full Cats & Dogs Photo Gallery Share your Cats & Dogs photos.   Advertisement Free Zippo Lighter! URGENT: Just Add PayPal Info To Collect Your Payments Now!   More from ArcaMax Recent Stories in Cats & Dogs • Dog Air Travel Tips - Take your Dog Anywhere • How To Eliminate Your Cat Allergies - No More Sneezing, Wheezing or Itching • Simple Steps for a Happier, Healthier Dog • Tips on Assisting Aging Pets Suffering from Arthritis • Pet Proof Your New Home Other News on ArcaMax.com • Current News • Entertainment News • Political News • Weird News

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