Cinderblock, an obese gray cat with a really good name, has taken her first tentative steps toward total body transformation. She should be applauded for this effort and, because she’s a cat on the internet, has been ever since a video of her first attempt at water aerobics surfaced a few days ago.
As is obvious from the few seconds shown, Cinderblock does not appreciate the situation at hand. Suffering the indignity of being put in a sky blue harness and tethered to a leash, the poor girl is shown placed on a treadmill, partially filled with water to ease pressure on her joints, and being asked to take a stroll. The image of this unit of a cat, complaining to the camera about what’s been asked of her, obviously resonates with the masses. It’s the kind of thing that’s tailor-made for low-effort replies and quote tweets filled with stuff like “same” or “big mood.”
And yet, Cinderblock’s struggle has also inspired something more positive: a groundswell of support from everyone who just wants to see this ornery cat persist in her weight-loss regimen. These include, thanks to artist Alex Plante, illustrations of Cinderblock in various moods…
… along with motivational messages, memed-up expressions of solidarity, and an entire subreddit repurposed so as to celebrate the cat rather than actual cinder blocks.