Koko the Cat's Rules for the Game of Sparrow

"It's something we invented - like tennis, with one player and no net," said Qwilleran. "I make a sparrow out of paper and tie it to a piece of string. Then I swing it back and forth while Koko bats it with his paw. He's got a substantial backhand, I want you to know. Every time he connects, he gets one point. If he strikes and misses, that's a point for me. Twenty-one points is game. I'm keeping a running score. After five games last night it was Koko 108 and Qwilleran 92."

"I'm betting on the cat all the way," said Arch.

- Jackson Braun, Lillian. The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. New York: Jove, 1986