5 Tips to Exercise an Indoor Cat with Infographic

The notion of cat exercise is not one that crosses every cat lover’s mind very often. After all, cats are pretty good at looking after themselves. Playful animals, they will run and jump around throughout the day and generally get enough exercise without you having to do anything special for them other than providing them with enough safe space to play in and a few toys. Cats do not, for example, usually need to be taken out for twice daily walks in the way that a dog does. Nevertheless, some cats do need a little encouragement to get their daily workout. If your cat is getting overweight or they seem to be sluggish throughout the day, it is wise to take them to the vet. And, if more exercise is what is required for your kitty, simply follow the tips below to get them to enjoy working out!

How to get your cat to exercise: 5 tips.

1. Purchase a cat safe laser pen.

Cats love trying to ‘catch’ the little point of light that comes from a laser pen, and it is so much fun watching them doing so. Have fun with your cat by grabbing one of these little pens and seeing how quickly they can run after the light.

2. Buy a ‘cat tower’.

A cat tower is like a gym for cats, and it will really get your kitty exercising. As they climb and jump around the tower they will give their muscles a brilliant workout. If you already have a cat tower, check out how you can update it to fit your home’s style.

3. Use catnip toys.

If your cat seems a little uninterested in their toys, then you can entice them to play buy either purchasing catnip toys or by unpicking the seams of their soft toys, inserting some catnip and sewing the seam back up again. The scent of catnip makes cats go wild and so they will be running after those toys in no time.

4. Try out a cat treadmill.

If you are really struggling to get your cat to exercise, one handy item that you can purchase is a cat treadmill. Cat treadmills are quite similar to human treadmills and they help to get your cat walking. However, it is important to remember that these treadmills need to be used with constant supervision to ensure that your cat keeps safe as they are in their ‘gym’. These options are particularly good if you live in a small apartment where there is not too much space for your cat to run around.

5. Get your cat a gym buddy.

We humans feel much more motivated when we have a friend to exercise with, and the same goes for cats. So, if your cat isn’t exercising as much as you would like them to, one thing they may be missing is another feline companion to get them motivated. Getting another cat, or seeing if your kitty would like to play with other cats in the local area, is sometimes all that you need to do in order to get them up and about. Just make sure that your cat’s gym body has a personality that melds with theirs, so that they can enjoy some playful games together instead of getting in to fights.

The importance of a good diet.

Just as is the case with us humans, diet and exercise go hand in hand for cats (or should that be paw in paw?). So, it is crucial to ensure that you are giving your cat a complete diet of all of the proteins, vitamins and minerals that they need. Purchasing cat food that is labeled ‘complete’ and providing your cat with fresh water at all times is usually all that you need to do to keep them healthy. Bear in mind, too, that there are slightly different foods for kittens, adult cats and pregnant cats on the market and that it is essential to get the right type of food for your cat. However, if your cat is very overweight or lacking in energy, or does not seem to want to exercise, they might have an allergy or a medical condition. So, take them down to the vet to get them checked out so that you can ensure that they get the right diet and meds for them. Then, they should be exercising in no time.

 

Download our infographic which gives you 10 ways to exercise your cat!