Cats are happier and healthier when they get plenty of daily cat exercise and live in a stimulating environment. Unfortunately in many families, cats are over fed with food, treats and people scraps and get little or no exercise or stimulation. Obesity is one of the most common conditions veterinarians see in their cat patients. Daily cat exercise can also help to alleviate some behavioral problems that occur due to boredom (marking, self-mutilation, scratching and excessive licking).

As cats get older, they tend to become more sedentary. Overweight cats also more sedentary than their normal weight counterparts. Older and overweight cats need to be encouraged to play. Ways to introduce play i.e., exercise is by:

1. Playing with your cat for at least 15 minutes a day. Use a wand toy for the cat to chase or play hide and seek. Use both quick motions and slow ones to entice the cat. Also let the cat catch the “prey” to keep them interested in the toy. Use a flashlight to initiate the cat to chase the light around a room. Not only will your cat get some exercise but you can strengthen the bond between you two.

2. Act on their hunting instincts by providing toys that can be batted around and chased as they would do with prey in the wild. Cat toys used in daily cat exercise should be given sporadically and then put away for awhile. The variety and novelty of the toys will act to spark play.

3. Provide a multi-level cat tree, tower, or condo. These provide areas to stretch, scratch, leap and climb. Attach spring loaded toys to the condos or hide food or treats for the cat to interact with while you are gone.

4. Provide a multi cat household so the cats can interact by wrestling, chasing each other, grooming each other and passively providing daily cat exercise when you can not be there.

Toys do not need to be high end or expensive to get the job done. Cardboards boxes and paper bags for cats to hide in, climb out of and the look for treats are a great and inexpensive way to provide daily cat exercise. Wadded up paper or tin foil that makes noise when swatted is a cheap way to entertain the kitties. Socks filled with catnip and crinkled paper and tied in a knot make a terrific “mouse”. Things that you should avoid as toys are things that a cat can swallow and cause a blockage such as paper clips, thumb tacks, elastic, and plastic bags.

If your cat is overweight or has a medical condition, discuss the amount of daily cat exercise to start with and how to build up to longer play periods. Many cats that have developed diabetes due to being overweight, have been able to stop insulin treatment once starting daily cat exercise and losing weight. Daily cat exercise provides energy while strengthening the immune system, lungs and heart, improve digestion and circulation.