A cat owner has left the internet in stitches after sharing their cat's "rare skill" in a video that has gone viral on social media.
In the hilarious clip, shared on TikTok in October, under the username Cat.mando, the feline can be seen lying sideways on the floor, pressing his hind legs against the wall, gaining speed to slide rapidly across the room, like a spring, as soon as his owner throws a ball for him to catch.
The viral post comes with a caption that says: "My cat has a rare skill." Followed by: "He's ready for the World Cup."
Cats are known for being among the most agile creatures in nature. Besides being able to reach a speed of about 30 miles per hours, cats are also able to rotate their spines and twist their bodies much more than most other species.
According to the Cornell Center for Materials Research in Ithaca, New York, that is because their vertebrae are very flexibly connected and have especially elastic cushioning disks between them. Moreover, this limber spine allows cats to perform their elegant and graceful acrobatic feats, and it also contributes to their speed as runners.
"When the cat pushes off to start a new stride, with claws serving as spikes for traction, its body stretches to its maximum length, with every stride propelling the cat about three times the length of its body," the center added.
The video quickly went viral on social media. It has so far received over 36.4 million views and 5.2 million likes on the platform.
@cat.mando He’s ready for the world cup #cutecat #funnycat #slidingcat #soccercat #catdad
♬ original sound - Mando and Steven
One user, Tyrion & Oscar, commented: "Was a goalkeeper in his last life lol." And Madison Flowers said: "Watching this on x2 speed and cannot stop laughing." P.T added: "I was prepared for the slide, but the disappearing offscreen entirely came as a shock."
Another user, Mandissa Bermudez, wrote: "Wweeeeee. how he pushes off the wall and slides." And D'laina Shearit said: "One of my cats does the same thing. We say she's 'launching' lol."
Barb_M added: "Why I love cats. You just never know what they're capable of...." JmcRed_Dwarf joked: "Cat-a-pult."
Newsweek reached out to Cat.mando, for comment via TikTok chat.
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.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Maria Azzurra Volpe is a Newsweek Lifestyle Reporter based in London. Her focus is reporting on lifestyle and trends-related stories, ... Read more
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