Would Usain Bolt beat a domestic cat over 100m?

are they both running barefoot?

Well Bolt would be in his spikes. And the cat would certainly me a minimalist guy, if not barepaw.

Cats top speed is higher, acceleration is also better. Cat might start lagging after 60m

My cat Marquis could have him easy. I've been training him specially for this type of event, so if the Bekele match up falls through - he's nearly ready

Blocks no problem - I've trained him to sit down. Although he usually expects some cat food (without addititives). He can tuck into that on the set position.

Reacting to the gun - no problem - he runs like fxxx when a car backfires. The only problem is running in a straight line. However once we've ironed out that small detail the race is set:

I see the race unfolding now - Marquis surprising Bolt with his fast start. 4 legs better than 2. His top speed also tops Bolt.

But, my cat is not really trained to 100m, he normally does reps to about 60m (the nearest tree). Bolt's huge stride will start pulling back the lead of Marquis the rescue cat, from the wrong side of the tracks.

It's close Bolt is breathing down his fluffy kneck, but I can see Marquis now holding on for the win... by a whisker

http://www.fotosearch.com/BNS358/bn266032/

My cat Lucky, a neutered tom domestic short-hair of slight build would hand Bolt his hat.

Also, Lucky has more confirmed kills in his short life than Chuck Mawhinney and Carlos Hathcock combined.

Cat would win at 30-40 meters.

Bolt would own him at any distance beyond 50 meters.

Some of the above posters should beware - many an over-zealous owner has ruined the future career of their phenom pet by creating unnecessary message-board hype.

Please just let Marquis and Lucky enjoy their running for now. They'll thank you for it in future.

Fast Finisher wrote:

Some of the above posters should beware - many an over-zealous owner has ruined the future career of their phenom pet by creating unnecessary message-board hype.

Please just let Marquis and Lucky enjoy their running for now. They'll thank you for it in future.

Just because I sucked as a sprinter doesn't mean I can't live vicariously through my cat!

I suck at languages wrote:

Cat would win at 30-40 meters.

Bolt would own him at any distance beyond 50 meters.

So do you reckon the cat would beat Dwain Chambers over 60m? (Both clean.)

Like you'r ever going to be able to find a clean cat to race, much less a clean DC.

Fast Finisher wrote:

I suck at languages wrote:

Cat would win at 30-40 meters.

Bolt would own him at any distance beyond 50 meters.

So do you reckon the cat would beat Dwain Chambers over 60m? (Both clean.)

My cat is well looked after and all, but there's no way she could handle Bolt over 100m. Big chances are that she would line up beside him and then roll over, exposing her belly for some scratching. During the scratch phase, she would no doubt fall into the deepest sleep ever, awakening many hours later ready for a meal. Bolt would be all the way back in Jamaica by then.

I once watched my cat (a fat, 10 year old red point Siamese/Norwegian mix) jump over 6 feet into a tree after a bird from a squat. He was only about 10 pounds.

On another occasion he was acting bad and had angered my mother after getting into food on the table. The back door was open about 20 feet from table, and after my mom went after him he literally flew from the table out the door and bounded over 50 feet through the back yard into the woods behind my house and disappeared for a few hours.

I've been around world class track athletes and I can tell you, they are no where close as fast as my fat old cat was, and he spent the majority of his time happily indoors.

Over 100 meters would be a long way for a house cat though, but I'd give one 8-9 seconds if it stayed in a straight line. Even an out of shape house cat cat could probably hit a 40 in under 4. remember that for the combine.

How are you going to get the cat to stay in his lane?

Is either one of them running relaxed?

Mr. Obvious wrote:

How are you going to get the cat to stay in his lane?

Still working on that one

i dont know, but i will tell you my cat will not come in overtrained, my cat is saving energy just in case by sleeping 15-20 hours a day, didnt jeff galloway and many others say rest is at least as important as training, my cat takes this to heart sleeping pretty much all day and night, but doing some training by jumping over fences and getting on rooftops.

No way. The physical ability of the cat is irrelevant if he doesn't understand the idea of racing. I don't think that they cat has the mental capacity to understand that he is supposed to try to get to the finish line before Bolt.

Bear of Bad News wrote:

No way. The physical ability of the cat is irrelevant if he doesn't understand the idea of racing. I don't think that they cat has the mental capacity to understand that he is supposed to try to get to the finish line before Bolt.

he would if a tasty bleeding treat was waiting for him just past the finish line.

Bear of Bad News wrote:

No way. The physical ability of the cat is irrelevant if he doesn't understand the idea of racing. I don't think that they cat has the mental capacity to understand that he is supposed to try to get to the finish line before Bolt.

Hey, speak for your own cat. My cat is a genius. He would have no problem with the concept of a race.

He is getting a little old and slow though. Last time I clocked him it was 9.61 sec to get from under the couch to his food dish (3.2 meters).

Surprise! wrote:

he would if a tasty bleeding treat was waiting for him just past the finish line.

Hmm. I feel like this would be considered receiving outside help, thus potentially result in a DQ for the cat. I don't know the rules that well, though. Anyone with a better knowledge of the rules have an idea as to whether or not placing bait at the end for the cat would be legal?