Exercise Good for Your Cat

Perhaps your kitty's exercise regimen consists of a mad dash around the house - a furry bullet dashing from room to room. Or possibly it's jumping up on surfaces, tearing up the carpets and furniture, or attacking your feet in the middle of the night. Or maybe it's stalking or pawing at some moving critter, like a fly or a lizard.

Exercise is as important to your cat as it is to you. Young cats as well as healthy adult cats need regular periods of exercise. Even our senior pets need regular exercise to maintain their health and well-being. Here are some tips from the http://www.petplace.com

Play stimulates your cat mentally. When kittens play together they pick up social skills and self-sufficiency. They refine their stalking and pouncing, as well as the coordination and timing required to make a kill. They learn about their environment by exploring and climbing, and they find the best spots to hide in and lie in wait for their victims.

Adult cats, too, enjoy toys that allow them to simulate natural stalking and hunting activity. Commercially available toys are often inviting, but your kitty would probably be happy with anything that he can chase or pounce on.

Here are a few things you can try:


Roll a table-tennis ball across the floor. Sit back and watch as your kitty chases, stalks and swats the ball.
Wad up a piece of paper, attach an old tie around it so that you can drag the paper around the floor. Soon your cat will launch an attack.
Get a tall scratching post, preferably one with "branches," that your cat can run up and down.
Scratching posts assist your cat to flex his muscles and to shed old claw sheaths.
Provide a large paper bag or cardboard box for your cat to explore.
Buy a laser toy to play with your cat.