Exercise Tips for Cats
Most cat lovers don’t consider exercise to be a particularly important part of their pet’s routine, thinking that they get all the exercise they need from their usual prowling around. That’s true to some extent, but cats can be a bit lazy at times, so it’s always a good idea to encourage your cat to exercise.
The benefits are many. You cat will be much more healthy. This may not be too obvious when the cat is young, but when old age creeps up, it will make all the difference, and will help to prevent a whole range of diseases taking hold. Here are 5 exercise tips for cats that can make all the difference:
1 – Cats are inquisitive and like to explore. A cat tower can provide lots of different spaces and levels for your cat to play and exercise in. Most good pet stores will sell you a multi-tiered cat tower, or you could make your own one if you have a leaning towards DIY woodworking. Just make sure that the cat tower is interesting with lots of different elements to attract attention and provide a fun place to play. That should keep your cat coming back for more, which is exactly what you want.
2 – Do you have a treadmill at home? If you do, you can teach your cat to use it. Make sure the treadmill is rotating slowly so as not to scare your pet when starting out. Your cat may not take to it immediately, but persevere and it will come to like it after a while. A cat can also be trained to use a wheel, the kind that hamsters typically use. It has to be a larger wheel than a hamster wheel, of course, but if you can set this up, your cat will use it, if you take the time to train it properly. It will provide excellent exercise too.
3 – A cat on its own can easily get lazy and lounge around most of the time. That’s why two cats together, providing they get along together, is an excellent way to ensure exercise. Even older cats will wrestle with each other in the way only cats can. They will chase each other and launch surprise attacks. Your cats will love all this activity as it provides stimulating engagement, and of course, important exercise.
4 – A cat on its own will play with a variety of toys. They don’t have to be expensive pet store toys either; your cat doesn’t know the difference between old household items and something that costs a lot, so keep it simple. A ping pong ball is an excellent example of a simple and inexpensive cat toy. Your cat will play with it for hours, and if it punctures the ball, it can easily and cheaply be replaced with another. Playing with toys is an excellent way to provide your cat with essential exercise. Boxes tend to be a favorite for our feline friends!
5 – Cats don’t take to a leash like a dog does, but they can be trained to. In this way you can take your cat for a walk, just like taking a dog for a walk. It provides excellent exercise for your cat, and it gives your pet lots of interesting things to look at. It will also provide you with a good excuse for some exercise, and that can only be a good thing!
If you enjoyed learning about new cat exercises, then you may enjoy reading the following articles as well.