06/11/2023
🐱 Exercise – how to get your cat to do more 😹
Exercise is important because it helps cats to keep fit, maintaining good muscle and bone strength as well as improving circulation to important organs and tissues.
🐱 How can I get my cat to exercise?
Outdoor access / outdoor enclosures - Regardless of the cats living status opportunity to exercise is important since indoor-only cats are more prone to both obesity and behavioural problems.
🐱 Play! How can I play with my cat?
Object play (solitary) - This occurs when a cat or kitten plays with a small ‘prey sized’ object. This could be anything from a toy or household object, such as a bottle top, scrunched up foil or ping-pong ball. Cats and kittens will perform this type of play by pouncing, batting, and chasing the object around, usually at high speed!
Social play (interactive, cats) - This type of play is more likely to occur between kittens and young cats, but older cats will practice social play if they have a good relationship and are part of the same social group. Social play looks a bit like fighting, but is different because participating cats will:
🐾 Take it in turns to chase each other
🐾 Their claws will be retracted
🐾 Biting does occur, but is not forceful
🐾 Vocalizations are less likely
🐾 The cats will still spend time with/near each other after play
Cats that do regularly engage in social play can have extra fun if they have objects to jump on, chase each other around and hide in. Cat furniture, shelves, boxes, and tunnels are all good items to have available to encourage social play and exercise for cats that are part of the same social group.
Locomotor/self-play (solitary) - This type of play involves climbing, running, jumping when there is no specific target, ie toy or another cat. Adding vertical space such as cat trees with perches, cat towers and cat shelves in your house may help encourage locomotor play and exercise.
Social play (interactive, people) - Playing with cats encourages exercise and allows them to participate in much needed and necessary predatory behaviours. Cats living in a multi-cat household should be given the opportunity to play with their owners individually. Some cats will be more motived to play than others and will hog the toy, preventing more timid cats from playing.
⚠️ Never use hands or feet to play with a kitten or cat, as this can encourage inappropriate play that may cause injury. This is particularly important when playing with kittens, as they can learn that this type of play is fun and will continue to play like this when they are adults, when their teeth and claws are bigger, sharper and can do some serious damage!
⚠️ Laser pens should be used with care as they can damage a cat’s eyes if shone directly into them. They are also a source of frustration as the cat cannot catch anything (ie the red dot) which removes the ‘reward’ side of the play. If a laser pen is used, cats should be given a treat or replacement toy at the end of the game that they can catch or eat.
Using food to encourage activity - Cats are opportunistic feeders and so will take advantage of any situation where suitable food is available. It can be beneficial to hide food when trying to promote more movement and exercise. Try hiding food in different areas of the house, or scatter food across the floor to encourage exploration and foraging.
Puzzle feeding - Puzzle feeding is a great way to feed cats as it makes them ‘work’ for their food. Because cats are designed to spending a lot of their time hunting, it can be boring for them if owners just put their food in a bowl – cats like to be challenged!
For more information about puzzle feeding visit http://foodpuzzlesforcats.com.
Contributors: Vetstream.
