Cat to 5k - Get with the program!

The Cat to 5k program is a 9-week course of training designed to get your cat off the couch and running a full five kilometers in only nine weeks! You should ease your cat into the running program gradually, working them up from long walks, to walking and jogging in combination, and finally into a steady five kilometer (3 mile) jog.

As anyone who's attempted to start a running program knows, it takes tremendous willpower to stick it out long enough to make running a pleasure. Your cat will have the same experience, so it's important that you're very encouraging and understanding of their needs while you're training with them.

Before each run, warm up your cat with a brisk, 5-minute walk. Perform each run three days per week.

The Schedule

  • Change Units
  • Miles
  • Kilometers
  • Minutes
Week 1 Alternate between 1 minute of jogging, and 1½ minutes of walking for a total of 20:00 minutes.
Week 2 Alternate between 1½ minutes of jogging, and 2 minutes of walking for a total of 20:00 minutes.
Week 3 Three Repetitions:
Jog 200 yards
Walk 200 yards
Jog 400 yards
Walk 400 yards
Week 4 Jog ¼ mi
Walk ⅛ mi
Jog ½ mi
Walk ¼ mi
Jog ¼ mi
Walk 18 mi
Jog ½ mi
Week 5 Jog ½ mi
Walk ¼ mi
Jog ½ mi
Walk ¼ mi
Jog ½ mi
Week 6 Jog 1 mi
Walk ¼ mi
Jog 1 mi
Week 7 Jog 2 ½ mi
Week 8 Jog 2 ¾ mi
Week 9 Jog 3 mi
Week 1 Alternate between 1 minute of jogging, and 1½ minutes of walking for a total of 20:00 minutes.
Week 2 Alternate between 1½ minutes of jogging, and 2 minutes of walking for a total of 20:00 minutes.
Week 3 Three Repetitions:
Jog 200m
Walk 200m
Jog 400m
Walk 400m
Week 4 Jog 400m
Walk 200m
Jog 800m
Walk 400m
Jog 400m
Walk 200m
Jog 800m
Week 5 Jog 800m
Walk 400m
Jog 800m
Walk 400m
Jog 800m
Week 6 Jog 1.6km
Walk 400m
Jog 1.6km
Week 7 Jog 4km
Week 8 Jog 4.5km
Week 9 Jog 5km
Week 1 Alternate between 1 minute of jogging, and 1½ minutes of walking for a total of 20:00 minutes.
Week 2 Alternate between 1½ minutes of jogging, and 2 minutes of walking for a total of 20:00 minutes.
Week 3 Three Repetitions:
Jog 90 seconds
Walk 90 seconds
Jog 90 seconds
Walk 90 seconds
Week 4 Jog 3 minutes
Walk 90 seconds
Jog 5 minutes
Walk 2½ minutes
Jog 3 minutes
Walk 90 seconds
Jog 5 minutes
Week 5 Jog 5 minutes
Walk 3 minutes
Jog 5 minutes
Walk 3 minutes
Jog 5 minutes
Week 6 Jog 10 minutes
Walk 3 minutes
Jog 10 minutes
Week 7 Jog 25 minutes
Week 8 Jog 28 minutes
Week 9 Jog 30 minutes