Cat Turned Personal Trainer Delights Viewers As She Uses Treadmill With Mom

A cat called Sushi has delighted viewers on the internet after a video of her enjoying a treadmill run with her owner went viral on social media last week.

In the video, shared on TikTok on Saturday by the cat's owner, under the username Sushilorena, Sushi can be seen jumping on her owner's treadmill as she exercises, running alongside her with a very "proud and accomplished" look, determined to finish the exercise.

The hilarious clip, which is just one of a series of Sushi's workouts with her owner, comes with a caption that says: "PT Sushi Lorena!"

Cats need at least half an hour to 40 minutes of exercise per day, according to the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA). But house cats who don't have access to a garden don't get to move as much and usually end up carrying extra body fat.

If your cat doesn't have access to the outdoors, so can't go for walks on their own, PDSA suggests introducing them to a daily routine of exercising starting with two sessions of about 15 to 20 minutes each day, which you can increase as they get fitter and more enthusiastic.

"Make sure you keep play sessions short and always give them enough time to rest in between. Never force your cat to do anything they don't want to," the PDSA says.

While in the wild most of a cat's exercise comes from hunting, you're going to have to be more creative with your apartment cat, recreating this behavior by playing with them.

The PDSA's top tips for playing with your feline friend include playing with your cat at the beginning and end of the day, which is when they're most active; playing in short sessions, giving them time to rest in between; and making sure they have a variety of toys to choose from.

The video quickly gained popularity on social media, attracting animal lovers from across the platform. It has so far received over 789,000 views and 100,000 likes.

One user, Lea_M_Rodriguez, commented: "The look he gives you. Is like, 'I'm with you mom, whatever it takes." And Melissa Barnett said: "She's taking this so seriously." Hazel added: "Why does the cat have the cutest of walks though."

Christine_bhamer wrote: "The determination on his face!" And Stewieem joked: "I need that cat for motivation." SweetieRosie4 said: "Warms my heart how cute this kitty is." And cat_mom1209 added: "Kitty looks so proud and accomplished!"

Another user, lisadoug4, commented: "What a precious companion!" And Joey said: "THE LITTLE TROT. THOSE LITTLE FEETS. OMG MY HEART." Ali joe bean wrote: "I won't get on [the] treadmill without moral support kitty." And CLARÁ added: "Not this cat maintaining the infamous 'cat walk' throughout the vid."

Newsweek reached out to Sushilorena for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.