How Much Exercise Do Cats Need?
Cats spend a lot of time sleeping, lounging, and grooming and tend to have short bursts of energy throughout the day and night. Provide your cat with opportunities for both physical exercise and mental stimulation through toys, scratching posts, and interactive playtime with people.
Physical Benefits
Regular exercise helps cats burn calories and maintain a healthy weight. This can help prevent obesity and reduce the risk of associated health problems such as diabetes and arthritis.2 Plus, exercise helps maintain and build muscle tone and strength in cats.3 This can be especially important for older cats, who may be more prone to muscle loss and weakness.
Mental Benefits
Exercise provides mental stimulation for cats and helps prevent boredom, anxiety, and depression, which can lead to destructive behavior and other behavioral concerns. Playtime with interactive toys or games can help keep cats mentally sharp and engaged. Regular playtime and activity can help reduce stress and anxiety, prevent behavioral problems, and encourage social interaction with humans and other pets.
5 Easy Exercise Ideas for Cats
Finding the best exercise options for your cat is all about knowing what your cat enjoys. Some cats spend time playing independently while others are more likely to play when a human initiates play. Cats tend to be most active around dusk and dawn, so these are great times to initiate a play session with your kitty.
Try these ideas at home to encourage your kitty to exercise:
Interactive Cat Toys
Interactive cat toys, like food puzzles and battery-operated toys, enable your cat to play without a human. Some cats will bat around tiny toys like catnip mice or balls, but some lose interest if they cannot interact with the toy. Some interactive toys dispense food or have compartments to hide treats, which is great for food-motivated cats. If kitty needs to shed some pounds, use vet-approved low-calorie treats in these toys, or consider using them for meal time! Making a cat work for its food is a great way to help them lose weight and be mentally stimulated.