Filed under: art, cat paintings, Confessions, Florence, Oregon, pet paintings-stories, susan canavarro | Tags: Bull Leaping, Bull leaping gold medal, cat-sitter Sue, Cricket the cat, Stella and Chewy
The most famous depiction of bull leaping is a fresco discovered in the Palace of Knossos in ancient Crete. It shows a human leaping over the horns of a bull, flipping or cartwheeling the length of the bull’s back. The sport, if it was a sport, begins with a bull and a running man charging each other, the man grabbing the bulls horns to use as a spring-board and flipping over backwards, doing a handstand on the back of the creature, and using his strength to spring up and over the rump to land on ones feet. Surviving this feat was rare.
There are many depictions of bull leaping and many archaeologists have theorized reasons for this activity. Even today there remains a group of modern tattooed-bull-leaping-sportsmen in France and Spain leaping over cows. This is a link to the National Geographic interactive educational Bull Leaping description.
My bull leaper, Cricket, is charging and jumping over a stationary exercise bicycle (the bull), only she begins with its seat or rump, not the horns or handlebars. No video, so you’ll just have to imagine her in this sport and vicariously enjoy the fun she is having. She started when she was a kitten. She enjoyed racing 8 feet across the length of the catio to two cardboard boxes she used as a springboard to leap on to the bike’s seat, then straight over to the handle bars. She managed to maintain her balance on the bars, turn around to leap back to the seat and boxes and race again to the far end of the catio. Over and over she used the bike and cardboard boxes in this manner, exhausting herself, honing her running and strength and balance skills. And keeping me entertained all the while.
In this image she is staring intently at the ball I recently placed near the handlebars, the bull’s horns. She is leaning on the bull’s rump, and it looks like she is wondering if the ball is worth the challenge. Do I really want that ball? Do I really want to play cat-sitter Susan’s game? Is it worth getting mangled by those horns?
1. Pondering, is it worth the challenge?
This next image shows she has made up her mind. She is going for the ball. Tentatively she reaches out to it, but realizes her leg stretch isn’t quite long enough. She tries several times, while still maintaining her ground on the bulls rump.
2. Decision made, she reaches across the divide…
3. Reaching, stretching, just a little more, and she’s there!
She takes a minor leap and lands her front paws near the ball, grabs it with her teeth, however, she is in a mighty precarious position. She now has to finish her routine, but how does she get from point A-Rump to point C-Horns? Especially without dropping the ball? It’s a monumental task…a challenge in which she has to get a grip and take the bull by the horns. Her crooked tail fluffs in excitement.
4. The catch is in her mouth, now what?
5. Feeling stretched!
We can see she still carries the ball in her mouth. Okay, she’s got both front paws on the horns, now all Cricket has to do is get balanced, adjust her forepaws and somehow leap on to the horns so she is there with all four legs. Can she do it?
6. Teetering and Turning
She teeters back and forth, and finally inch by inch, teeter by teeter, turn by turn, she maneuvers her body around so she is now facing the opposite direction. Balancing is tricky. Still a bit wobbly perched on the front edge of the horns, Cricket is now pondering the trip back. She has to leap back to the bull’s rump with the ball still in her mouth to win the game. And then…
Heading back to the bull’s rump, the finish line…
She steps gingerly on the lever to get closer to the bull’s seat. She is almost home.
Finally, all four paws on the rump
The movement and power of the jump has created a forward momentum. She brakes as forcefully as she can to avoid vaulting off the edge of the seat. She rocks back and forth to regain her balance.
On the bull’s rump, she will need to turn her body once again and face the judges. The ball must remain in the mouth all the way through this sport. It is about the agility and balance of the cat plus their multitasking abilities.
Turning, trying not to fall off, not to drop the ball
This is getting tense folks. We’re waiting on the edge of our seats to see just how Cricket will end her bid for the gold medal. Leaping the bull is no easy task, but so far she has done a splendid job. Long ago, in ancient times, if a young powerful athlete failed to leap the bull perfectly, he was dead. Cricket is taking her time… wanting to make this last step just right.
Remember, she needs to do it with the ball still in her mouth. It takes concentration to hold that ball and at the same time maneuver into the last perfect position.
The final turn…and OOPS!
Oh no, Folks, she’s dropped the ball! Cricket has dropped the ball! She may have lost her one and only chance to win the gold medal. This is disastrous!
She’s looking up, looking for reaction, did someone see that I just dropped the ball? Maybe not. Hopefully not. This is the end. I’m not sure I can get through one more Olympic challenge after this. I think I’m done. Oh woe is me. Pleeeeeeease let it not be the end. She hears hissing from the stands.
Wanna-be Gold Medalist awaiting her scores
Despite her disappointment at dropping the ball at the end of a perfect challenge, she waits patiently. A true sports-kitty. She sits. Waits for the final score. She sits staring off into the void she created for herself today, the black hole of failure.
The crowd is off their seats, meowing, ratcheting up the meows to growling and hissing. We can’t tell if they are happy she fumbled the ball, or if they are unhappy with the knowledge she may lose.
Wait! here it comes…
The officiating officer of the games announced the winner of the Gold Medal: And the winner of the Gold Medal is... in anticipation the crowd breaks into a cacophony of roars. Deafening. Roaring Cricket! Cricket Cricket! We want Cricket!
A gold-plated paper wad.
…The winner is Miss Cricket!
Amidst the roar and excitement of the crowd, Cricket accepts the gold-plated paper wad, designed by a renowned Florentine cat-toy designer. Set before her on the pedestal, a large bowl of Stella and Chewy Chicken nuggets and a large container of bottled water. So hungry and dehydrated from her strenuous bull leaping, she growls and hisses as she chews. No one is going to steal away her meal. Let them eat wad.
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Confessions of a Florentine Pet Sitter 
Definitely sounds like an Olympic event!! She is a rock star!!!
Comment by Meanette April 4, 2015 @ 6:22 PMGood writing!
Hello there! Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
Comment by Susan April 4, 2015 @ 6:47 PMSusan
I have seen Cricket on the “Bull” . I even tried to take a few pictures of her but she was not cooperative.
Comment by Sue April 2, 2015 @ 5:05 PMGreat story!
Thanks Sue. Glad you enjoyed it.
Comment by Susan April 2, 2015 @ 6:19 PMWhat fun . I enjoy you cat stories
Comment by Anonymous March 30, 2015 @ 9:44 AMThank you!
Comment by Susan March 30, 2015 @ 10:01 AMWhatever you are drinking stay on it. Your creative juices are flowing to be the best I have seen since I met you.
Love the sketches and the verbage.
Comment by RACEMUT March 20, 2015 @ 10:07 PMThanks so much. I’m very glad you are enjoying the cat stories. I’m having fun with them. -sc
Comment by Susan March 20, 2015 @ 10:32 PMLOL
Comment by Susan March 20, 2015 @ 10:32 PM