4 Indoor Exercises To Help Your Cat Lose Weight
Easy exercises for your indoor cat
It’s safe to say that most of us agree that a fat cat is an immensely – pun intended – cute cat. Alas, being pudgy is not good at all for its health, so here are some simple activities that you can ‘trick’ your cat into doing to help them clock some much-needed exercise:
1. Treasure Hunt
If your cat has a favourite toy or is easily motivated by food, a ‘treasure hunt’ for the said prize will allow your kitty to get some movement going. While it’s not exactly the most cardio-inducing kind of exercise, it’s a good start for cats who are used to a sedentary lifestyle.
Simply place the toy or treat in a place that is relatively easy to spot but hard to reach, so that your pet will be motivated to try and get to it and exert physical effort while doing so. Usually, places that are high up like the top of a table or shelf will require the most effort from your cat!
2. Walkathons
Source: @theebrunoba rlett
Perfect for those who have a cat tower at home, organise a mini ‘walkathon’ right before mealtime by pulling a trick out of the Pied Piper’s book – walk around the house for a little while with your cat’s food before feeding them.
Your cat will follow you around and you can take this chance to help them clock some steps about the house! Even better, make them scale up and down the cat tower before giving them the food. Of course, don’t forget to shower them with praises and occasional nibbles to encourage and entice them.
P.S. Try not to stretch this exercise out for too long or your cat may get upset – a hungry cat is an angry cat!
3. Stair Climbing
Cats are curious by nature due to their hunting instincts and intelligence, so make good use of that to help your pudgy kitty shed some weight by turning your home into a place full of nooks and crannies to explore!
Whether it’s by clearing some space on your table or shifting a shelf to fill up an empty space, create “stairs” for your cat to scale the various furniture you have at home and tight spaces for it to investigate. Once your cat has explored all possible routes, rearrange some things just to spice it up a little so that your cat can regularly venture “off the beaten path”.
4. Shuttle Run
Source: @theebrunobarlett
Turning up the dial on the exercises is the ‘shuttle run’ – the cardio to get your cat’s heart pumping! Instead of feeding your cat treats directly from your hand, slide it – or throw it, your pick – across the room to make your cat sprint for it.
Once your cat has successfully gobbled down the treat, get your cat to come back to your side by shaking the bag of treats or waving another treat about! Of course, since you will be using treats for this exercise, make sure to reduce its meal portion for the day accordingly or all will be for nought.
A holistic exercise and diet plan
Source: @stripe.thecat
Exercise and diet go hand-in-hand to help ensure that your cat doesn’t become overweight, so if your tabby is looking a little tubby, make sure to reassess your usual feeding plan as well!
For a happy and healthy cat, Meowing Heads is a vibrant, healthy, and ethical brand that hails all the way from the United Kingdom. Made with 100% natural ingredients, it has even been approved and endorsed by veterinary professionals throughout the UK for promoting healthy digestion, using a unique anti-hairball formula, and being taurine-enriched.
If you’re not sure why this is important to look out for, it’s because taurine is an essential amino acid that is vital for normal heart muscle function, vision, and forming bile salts that aid in digestion.
Plus, Meowing Heads’ range of cat food is free from artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives and packed full with high-quality protein such as meat and fish, vegetables, herbs, vitamins, and minerals for a well-rounded diet. As an added bonus, its wet food range is packed in individual pouches, making it fuss-free and convenient for pet owners during mealtimes!
To get your hands on the full range of Meowing Heads cat food, @reinbiotech supplies them to a variety of retail stores all around Singapore – simply contact them here to find out which store’s nearest to you!
Note: An overly large quantity of high-quality, nutritional food can still cause your pet to become overweight, so consult with your local veterinarian on the appropriate feeding amount if unsure.
This article was written for Rein Biotech Services Pte Ltd.
