Everyone knows that cats love activity. They constantly want to play, run around the house, and hunt for different moving objects. Cats are predators and the natural instinct of a cat is to catch mice, rats, etc. But the lifestyle of modern cats has changed significantly. Since they no longer need to hunt to feed themselves, they spend most of their lives in the house. As a result, some cats have become less active. The reason may be in the lack of space, overweight, age, or habits. Outdoor cats have a possibility to do physical activity, play games, and hunt. More often, the cats living in the apartment become inactive - there is a little place to run, especially if the owner sets boundaries and prevents their violation. In order to prevent decrease in the cat’s activity, it is necessary to ensure its physical activity.
Why Exercise Is So Important for Cats
Why does cats need exercise?
1) It’s common knowledge that physical activity is the prevention of obesity. The most dangerous consequence for a cat’s health is gaining excess weight.
2) Indoor cats spend all their lives in an apartment without leaving its boundaries. In this case, exercise for an indoor cat is an excellent remedy for boredom. This affects not only the cat’s physical health but also psychological. If the cat is bored, it begins to play pranks, for example, tear furniture, show aggression, bite and scratch, lie apathetically all day.
3) Physical activity increases muscle tone, ability to concentrate, and also helps to combat anxiety, chronic diseases, and depression.
4) It improves metabolism, blood circulation, and stimulate mental activity. Summing up the benefits of physical activity, we can say that cats need exercise.
How many playtimes Per Day Does Your Cat Need?
The cat owner can play a big role in improving the physical activity of his pet. You should exercise your cat. One of the most important things you can do for your cat is to play with it. They are playful and curious, so as soon as you start playing - the cat will immediately be there. It is very important to support this desire of the pet and play with it, thereby increasing its physical activity. Playing with the cat is not only fun, but it is also necessary in order to help your pet with physical development (improving flexibility, agility, and endurance), as well as to improve its coordination and social skills, to get rid of aggression, and to cope with stress. If you ignore playing with your pet, then soon it will become lazy, inactive, and will start gaining weight.
Joint games naturally strengthen the bond between the cat and the owner. But how to ensure the cat’s physical activity, if the cat’s biological clock is significantly different from the rhythm of human activity. The owner must take into account the peculiarities of the work of the cat’s body, as a serious deviation from the biorhythms can lead to poor health and health problems.
Cats belong to nocturnal animals. Their body is arranged in such a way that during the day the body functions are slowed down, and at night they are tuned to an active rhythm. That is, at night their organs function actively, slowing down their rhythm during the day. Cats are often the most active early in the morning as well as in the evening, making these periods the perfect time to play. Games and other forms of interaction do not need to be imposed, they should not disturb the calm, the hours of rest of your cat. Use your favorite toy and start playing games lasting from 2 to 10 minutes a couple of times a day, this will be enough to ensure physical activity. Ideally, cat playtime per day should take 20-30 minutes. The main thing to remember is that you need to exercise with a cat systematically - every day.
How to Play With Your Pet
Many cat owners have no idea how to exercise cat. In order to maintain the activity of your cat at the proper level, provide your cat with toys, this is really very important. A toy is like a cat exercise equipment. They give the cat an opportunity to develop while entertaining.
As cats are hunters, games are based on their desire to hunt. They subconsciously want to track down prey, hide in ambush, catch up with the victim, and attack from around the corner. Therefore, most games are primarily an imitation of hunting. Among the most popular games, there are always those that involve fast and unpredictable movements, the presence of squeaking toys.
You can stimulate the cat’s game with the help of various home items, as well as specialized toys. A cat can hide in a cardboard box, play with a crumpled piece of paper and a small rattling object, or chase a tennis ball — in general, it will play with everything that reminds of hunting. It is also worth taking into account special toys from pet stores. They are designed specifically for animals from safe materials without harm to life and health. Nowadays, you can find a huge assortment of toys, such as laser pointers, cat puzzle toys, cat trees, furry fake mice, etc.
Laser Pointers
The laser pointer is one of the most beloved toys for cats. Playing with a laser is accompanied by overcoming obstacles, chasing, running, jumping, and sudden attacks. Both adult cats and kittens adore chasing the red dot. Such a game has many advantages.
1) Playing with a laser is a great exercise. This will help the cat to engage in physical activity, train breathing and agility, stretch all muscle groups, and strengthen the musculoskeletal system, actively running around the apartment.
2) The laser is a great opportunity to satisfy the hunter's instincts.
3) Such a game will help the cat to relieve stress and tension, as the cat is given great freedom of action. After playing with the laser, the cat sleeps soundly at night.
4) There is a big advantage for the owner. If you are a busy person and it is difficult for you to find time to play with your pet- laser pointer for cats is a great solution. Cat laser pointer automatic does not require human presence at all. You can relax or go about your business while entertaining your pet. Before leaving for work, all you have to do is just to press a button and the cat will be playing the allotted time.
In our store, you can buy a laser pointer to please and satisfy your pet.
Cat Puzzle Toys
Separately, it is worth noting the cat puzzle toy. Puzzles are a structure (for example, in the form of a box or a tower) with holes and one or more bright objects inside. The essence of the game is that the cat itself moves the object, trying to pull it out of the structure. There are several varieties of them, for example, cat food puzzle toys. Such puzzles are filled with food and cats try to pull it out to feed themselves. This is a great solution for apartment cats. Such an excellent game satisfies the pet’s need for hunting. Puzzles are a great opportunity not only to occupy the pet, but also to develop its physical shape, ingenuity, and quick wits. It also prevents stress and strengthens sleep.
Cat Trees
The cat tree is a stable structure on the floor with several platforms, tiers, loopholes, tunnels, as well as special toys and accessories. These trees are covered with a special material that involve cats to scratch. This is an excellent solution for the owner who faced the problem of scratching on interior items.
Are cat trees good for cats? It is very important for the cat to find a safe place in the house in order to hide, calm down, and keep warm. In such a tree, the pet can rest, sleep, play sports, and play. It is a functional place to provide the cat with comfortable conditions. Such equipment will not only become a favorite pet’s place but also help to protect furniture and other interior elements from the sharp pet’s claws.
Furry Fake Mice
As mentioned at the beginning, the cat has a natural instinct to hunt and catch mice. A cat mice toy comes to replace live mice. The mouse is an incredibly popular toy among cats. This toy helps the cat use its natural instincts to chase and play with small prey. A good advantage is that the toy stimulates the cat to engage in physical activity, improving physical and psychological health.
All in all, there are many toys the cat may be interested in. Each owner in practice can determine what type of game the pet will find the most entertaining and support its interests by devoting time to games.
Take care of your cats, do not forget to play with them, and give them positive emotions!
Time spent with a cat is never wasted.