There's a lot to do most days when you're a dog. Eating, sleeping, eating, watch-dogging, eating, growling, thinking about eating and … recreation.

The best form of recreation for a healthy, energetic dog is chasing the cat. And contrary to urban legend, this is what cats are for. Forget the old wives' tales about cats catching mice, purring on laps or providing companionship. What a load of old bollocks. Cats are primarily designed for dogs to chase.

Selection of your cat
It's important to understand that cat selection is a science. So is the chasing.
You need to give careful consideration before simply launching into a mindless pursuit… unless you are a setter, in which case most things are mindless.
Choose a cat that is robust, fit and healthy, but doesn't have any military training or done time 'inside.”
Also avoid any cats with names like Rambo, Stallone, Abdul, Hannibal, or Ginger Ninja. Those ones are best avoided, as they know moves that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up; and may put you in traction. It is not good etiquette to chase cats that are obese (most called Fluffy should be called Fatty), blind or otherwise missing organs, legs or senses (like old Blinky) or the very young or old. There's no sport in bailing up a geriatric Burmese in a zimmer frame.
Colour choice is not simply a matter of preference, there are some practical considerations here.
Ginger might seem like a good high-visibility colour, but the ginger moggs tend to be a bit feisty. Black is okay, but not good for Night Chases. I personally use a black cat and he's fine in the daytime, but closer to the witching hour he starts to merge with the dark and spooky shadows. You never know when you might inadvertently run into a whole squadron of black cats waiting in ambush - like him and his friend from No.29.
Tabbies are good sports and anything with flashes of white are great for effect.
Do not chase a cat that is bigger than yourself. Huff, this applies to you. Your best hope of cat chasing is part of a tag team. Try to buddy up with a dog of at least 30kg.

Cattitude
You want a cat that's a good runner with a bit of spunk so they can handle a degree of rumbling - but nothing with any psychopathic tendencies. This rules out quite a lot.
The cat needs to understand that it's 'game on” when the dog says so, not sneaking up while the canine is snoring in a beanbag and giving him a swipe around the chops while comatose.
And the game is off when the dog indicates, such as laying down panting for breath or the boss calls 'walk” or the fridge door opens. Any of those incidents means an immediate 'time out” and is often the end of the match.
This week, visit my mate Johnny the Aussie Butcher for some great ideas for lamb.

'Greek Roast Lamb'

Ingredients
1 kg small-boned leg lamb
1 head garlic, divided into cloves but
unpeeled
juice of 1 orange
100ml red wine
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 onion cut into wedges
1 aubergine diced
1 red pepper deseeded and diced
1 green pepper, deseeded and diced
400g chopped tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 170C. Put lamb in roasting pan and scatter garlic cloves around. Pour over juice and wine and arrange rosemary sprigs on top. Roast uncovered for 1 hour. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 140C. Skim off fat. Remove the garlic cloves. Squeeze garlic from 4 cloves and spread on top of lamb. Mix vegetables together and place around lamb. Make an airtight tent over the pan with foil and return to bake for a further 1 1/2 hours.

'Moontini'

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces vodka
3/4 ounces blue cointreau
3/4 ounces fresh orange juice

Method
Mix in a shaker with ice. Mix well. Strain and serve straight up in chilled martini glass. Garnish with an orange slice, or orange rind.

Next week: The rules of cat pursuit and how to play.