How to Exercise a Cat
Schedule regular playtime with your cat., Allow your kitten to continue playing when you’re done., Encourage your older and overweight cat to move around., Make your cat search for his food., Provide exercise incentives with catnip., Train your cat...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Schedule regular playtime with your cat.
Try to schedule 10 to 15 minutes of playtime with your cat on a daily basis.
If it’s the same time every day, your cat will come to expect it and may come to you looking to play., Kittens are usually very frisky and hyper and will likely play on their own for hours.
If your kitten plays at a time that doesn’t work for you (like the middle of the night when you’re trying to sleep), alter her play schedule by initiating play at a time that works for you.If your kitten keeps you up at night, try playing with her an hour or so before your bedtime.
When you are ready to go to bed, your kitten should be tired enough to also want to calm down. , Older cats, or those that are overweight, will probably not want to play very often or for very long.
Since it’s in their best interest to exercise, encourage your older or overweight cat to move around every day.Exercise doesn’t have to be elaborate.
Simply encouraging your older or overweight cat to walk around the house, or go up and down the stairs, is helpful.
If you find a toy or a type of exercise that your older or overweight cat really enjoys, remember it and repeat that activity over and over.
If you are trying to get an overweight cat to be more active, you might want to check with your veterinarian first to ensure you don’t do anything that may injure your cat., A great way to get an overweight cat to exercise is to hide his food in small portions around the house.
In order to make him work to find her food every day, don’t hide the food in the same places all the time.Hiding spots can be on top of a cat tree, under a bed, on different levels of the house, on a windowsill, etc. , Catnip is a herb that some cats find irresistible.
If your cat is attracted to catnip, sniffing and eating the catnip can cause your cat to become more active and playful.
If your cat isn’t interested in playing, provide her with some catnip to get her going., Cats do not naturally take to a leash like a dog will, but if your cat is willing to try, it could be a fun exercise option for both you and your cat.Start by putting a harness on your cat and leading him inside the house.
Let him wear the harness for a little while and then take it off.
Give your cat treats to reinforce the proper behaviour.
Slowly progress until your cat can stay outside on a leash for a decent period of time without being scared.
Constantly reinforce good behaviour with treats.
If your cat gets scared or stressed at any point in the process, stop.
If he continues to get scared or stressed after trying the same step several times, it’s possible your cat may never walk on a leash.
Once your cat can stay outside on a leash without being scared, take him for a short walk.
Increase the length of the walk as needed. , Individual kittens will find a way to play by themselves for hours, but adult cats may get bored on their own.
If you’re away from home for long periods of time, you might want to consider getting your only cat a playmate.It’s usually easier to introduce kittens to each other than to introduce an adult cat to another adult cat, or a kitten to an adult cat.
Be sure to introduce new cats to your household slowly to avoid fighting and aggression. , Physical or rehabilitation therapists exist for pets and can be a great way to learn the best options for your specific cat.
Plus a therapist will have exercise equipment (like an underwater treadmill) that you won’t be able to get at home. -
Step 2: Allow your kitten to continue playing when you’re done.
-
Step 3: Encourage your older and overweight cat to move around.
-
Step 4: Make your cat search for his food.
-
Step 5: Provide exercise incentives with catnip.
-
Step 6: Train your cat to walk on a leash.
-
Step 7: Consider getting your cat a playmate.
-
Step 8: Take your cat to a pet physical therapist.
Detailed Guide
Try to schedule 10 to 15 minutes of playtime with your cat on a daily basis.
If it’s the same time every day, your cat will come to expect it and may come to you looking to play., Kittens are usually very frisky and hyper and will likely play on their own for hours.
If your kitten plays at a time that doesn’t work for you (like the middle of the night when you’re trying to sleep), alter her play schedule by initiating play at a time that works for you.If your kitten keeps you up at night, try playing with her an hour or so before your bedtime.
When you are ready to go to bed, your kitten should be tired enough to also want to calm down. , Older cats, or those that are overweight, will probably not want to play very often or for very long.
Since it’s in their best interest to exercise, encourage your older or overweight cat to move around every day.Exercise doesn’t have to be elaborate.
Simply encouraging your older or overweight cat to walk around the house, or go up and down the stairs, is helpful.
If you find a toy or a type of exercise that your older or overweight cat really enjoys, remember it and repeat that activity over and over.
If you are trying to get an overweight cat to be more active, you might want to check with your veterinarian first to ensure you don’t do anything that may injure your cat., A great way to get an overweight cat to exercise is to hide his food in small portions around the house.
In order to make him work to find her food every day, don’t hide the food in the same places all the time.Hiding spots can be on top of a cat tree, under a bed, on different levels of the house, on a windowsill, etc. , Catnip is a herb that some cats find irresistible.
If your cat is attracted to catnip, sniffing and eating the catnip can cause your cat to become more active and playful.
If your cat isn’t interested in playing, provide her with some catnip to get her going., Cats do not naturally take to a leash like a dog will, but if your cat is willing to try, it could be a fun exercise option for both you and your cat.Start by putting a harness on your cat and leading him inside the house.
Let him wear the harness for a little while and then take it off.
Give your cat treats to reinforce the proper behaviour.
Slowly progress until your cat can stay outside on a leash for a decent period of time without being scared.
Constantly reinforce good behaviour with treats.
If your cat gets scared or stressed at any point in the process, stop.
If he continues to get scared or stressed after trying the same step several times, it’s possible your cat may never walk on a leash.
Once your cat can stay outside on a leash without being scared, take him for a short walk.
Increase the length of the walk as needed. , Individual kittens will find a way to play by themselves for hours, but adult cats may get bored on their own.
If you’re away from home for long periods of time, you might want to consider getting your only cat a playmate.It’s usually easier to introduce kittens to each other than to introduce an adult cat to another adult cat, or a kitten to an adult cat.
Be sure to introduce new cats to your household slowly to avoid fighting and aggression. , Physical or rehabilitation therapists exist for pets and can be a great way to learn the best options for your specific cat.
Plus a therapist will have exercise equipment (like an underwater treadmill) that you won’t be able to get at home.
About the Author
Scott Wright
Scott Wright specializes in religion and has been creating helpful content for over 2 years. Scott is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: