Exercising Your Cat

In this day and age, physicians cannot stress enough the benefits of a regular exercise program:

Controls weight Increases energy Improves circulation Enhances lung capacity Oxygenates blood Improves heart rate Builds strong muscles Increases joint mobility Improves your mood Helps with sleep The list goes on and on...

You may not have given it a great deal of thought, yet our animals reap the exact same benefits that we do when it comes to exercise. In addition, a scheduled exercise plan can help to burn nervous energy and reduce boredom for your dog or cat, which can serve to make them less likely to destroy things. Your cat may run through your home or play with a toy on his or her own, and your puppy might chase an animal in your backyard or play with his frisbee. Yet this is, sadly, all too often the extent of their exercise program. That is why it is up to us as their owners to be certain that they are getting the exercise they truly require.

But do not worry, you are not going to get any whining, lame excuses or belly aching from your pets regarding exercise. The whole process is playtime in their minds and the bond that grows between you and your pet when you increase their "playtime" will make them love you even more.

Be sure and consult with your veterinarian before you begin. Different pets have different needs when it comes to exercise. Large dogs, for example, are going to vary from small dogs and older animals are going to vary from younger animals. Plus, the vet can give your pet a routine examination to make sure their health is good and it's safe to proceed.

Exercising Your Cat:

Getting your cat the exercise he needs is a little more challenging than the dog. Some cats can be trained to walk on a leash, but for most this is not a viable solution. Cats are designed different from dogs, too. Short frequent periods of intense activity are more beneficial to a cat than slower-paced exercise sessions.

There are a lot of wonderful toys you can purchase to help keep your cat active. But, before you spend a lot of money, you might look around the house. Many times, you'll find plenty of things around the house to create hours of entertainment for your cat. Basically, cats like to climb, bat, chase, explore and scratch. So, if you work these elements into their routine, you should have some success.

Things to climb on and explore could be a kitty cat tower from the pet store or some boxes, suit cases and paper sacks. For batting practice, a shiny ball, stuffed mouse, old sock or wadded up piece of paper should do the trick. As for the chase, a string or laser pointer can work wonderfully. And, a scratching post, piece of cardboard or carpet will do for scratching.

You definitely don't want to discourage your cat from scratching. This scratching motion will stretch and tone your cat's shoulder muscles. But, more importantly, it will keep his claws active so that he is less inclined to shred your furniture.

For an interesting change of pace, you might consider walking or running up and down a flight of stairs or hallway with a string or rope attached to your belt loop. This will get the pulse rate up for both of you! Or, create a challenge for your cat by making him work for his dinner by putting small amounts of food on several plates and scattering them throughout the house at meal time. This will make your cat exercise in order to eat and freshen up some of those tracking skills.

Remember that exercise is every bit as vital to your pet's health and well being as good food, clean water and shelter. A consistent exercise program will enhance your pet's life in many ways. If your busy schedule finds you short on time, you might consider hiring a pet sitter. A pet sitter is more than happy to come out to your house and exercise your pets. They can walk or run with your dog, take him to the park or out to play ball in the back yard. They'll even exercise and play with the cat. Your pets will absolutely love the extra attention and you'll have peace of mind knowing that they're getting the exercise they need.

Additional Pet Health and Nutrition Information can be found at http://www.yourpetslife.com/ There is information there about premium dog food as well as general pet wellness