You can do yoga and/or Pilates with your cat. My experience tells me that it works very well and the video confirms it. The people who watched this video are enchanted or at least they like it. They like the interaction between cat and man. They also like to see men with cats! One woman said that she would adopt all three, by which she means this man’s two cats and the man himself.
There two more points I’d like to make about the video. Firstly, cats like to be involved when you do yoga or Pilates. This is because they think you are interacting with them. They think you are doing it for them and this may be because you have to get down to their level, more or less. You put the mat down
and you lie on it. This immediately places you at their height which is unusual and pleasant for them. I think it signifies to them that you are in the mood to interact, play and enjoy their company. This is why yoga and Pilates seems to animate cats. It gets them excited and involved. I would definitely recommend it. This is me and my cat doing Pilates:
- Feline Pilates Superman Plank
- Get down to your cat’s height and see how they like it
- Cat takes up Pilates position when his feet are tickled
Flexible cat orientated Pilates routines
Of course, your domestic cat will interfere with your yoga or Pilates routine. That’s no big deal; you simply adjust the routine slightly and don’t forget to stop occasionally to cuddle your companion. In this way you can make the exercise regime beneficial in two ways: it makes you fitter, more flexible and helps with your balance while providing your cat with some great company. Direct interactions with your cat should always be maximised for obvious reasons. This is a chance to do it. You can even modify standard yoga and Pilates routines to incorporate your cat as this guy has done. As long as you incorporate the basic moves and therefore their benefits, I’m sure that it is all right to modify them. It is said that cats are natural yogis with their stretches and elegant movements.
Not sure about holding cat
The second point I would like to make about this video is that I’m not altogether sure about the way the man lifts up his cat at the beginning. Strictly speaking this is not the way you hold a cat or pick up a cat. This is because due to gravity the body weight pulls on the cat’s anatomy including the spine. The cat needs to be supported with one hand. Although, in this instance the cat concerned accepts it and is clearly unperturbed. This man has a good relationship with his cats.
Great way to share
Cats often want our attention. Perhaps we don’t give them enough attention sometimes due to life pressures. This is a moment to slow down and share some time together. And cats love yoga mats. They can get a bit sweaty which is exactly what they like and of course they are soft so they make a perfect place to plonk down and get in the way! You just have to do your Pilates around them. In the photograph of me on this page you can see that my cat is sitting on me. It wasn’t a problem. I just carried on more or less in the usual way. Eventually he got off and went outside.
