Cats are naturally athletic but tend to become more sedentary with age, leading to health problems. Playing with cats through activities like using toy wands, chasing strings or balls, or a game of kitty soccer can help encourage exercise. Simple toys that don't pose choking hazards, like crumpled paper or pom-poms on springs, can also provide solo play and exercise for cats. It's important to choose activities appropriate to each cat's fitness level and stop play if they seem tired.

1. Atlanta Pet Life13
coach your cat to better health with play
Few creatures are more gifted natural athletes than the cat. From almost the moment
their eyes open at around one week of age, these feline mini-Olympians are on the
move: wrestling with siblings, pouncing on Mom’s tail and shimmying up the cur-
tains.
Laser Pointer Chase
Click the pointer on,
trace some random
patterns on the floor
and watch your kitty
go nuts. Just remem-
ber that momentum
can propel your cat
into a wall or table
in a heartbeat—dan-
gerous not only for
him, but also for any
breakable items in
the vicinity, like that
crystal dish from
your mother-in-law.
String Chase
A time-honored
favorite. Just cut a
length of string or
yarn and set off, drag-
ging the end behind
you. Throw in some
U-turns and zigzags,
letting your feline
athlete catch the end
every now and then.
Cats find it especially
enticing if you pretend
you don’t know you’re
being followed.
Feather Wand Chase
Feather wands really
let a cat show off her
athletic skill. Toys
with short handles put
you close to the action
as your cat shows
off her agility, speed
and jumps, and
long-handled
models tests
her endurance
by taking the
game on the
move.
Bathtub Hockey
Drop a Ping-Pong ball
into the bathtub and
let the fun begin.
Pentathlon
The
Kitty
In fact, cats’ athletic abilities put those of even our
finest sports heroes to shame. With absolutely no
training, a domestic cat can achieve running speeds
of 30 miles per hour for short sprints, fast enough
to make Usain Bolt weep. Cats can regularly make
standing jumps of five or more than five times their
height)—LeBron can only dream. And their pirou-
ettes on stair railings, headboards and bookshelf edg-
es would inspire envy in gymnasts from Olga Korbut
to Gabby Douglas.
But much like humans, cats exercise naturally when
young and tend to slow down as they age, opting to
lounge on the couch with their people, binge-watch-
ing “Game of Thrones”. Unfortunately, this makes
them prone to many of the same ailments seen in
sedentary humans, including weight gain, muscle
loss, diabetes, depression and cancer.
Although they are exempt from virtually all other
known laws of physics, cats are actually subject to
Newton’s first law of motion: a body at rest tends to
stay at rest. Getting your kitty up and active may take
some effort for both of you, but the upside is that
it will improve your bond while it gets both of you
moving.
Solo play is important as well, and the simplest way
to encourage this is with toys. Find a few that your
cat enjoys and leave one or two out every day, chang-
ing up the selection frequently to prevent boredom.
Balls contained on an enclosed tube and pom-poms
or feathers mounted on springs are often a big hit.
Pet supply stores have a dazzling variety that goes
way beyond catnip mice or foam balls, but crumpled
paper or milk jug lids work too. Just make sure toys
don’t present choking hazards or contain toxic dyes.
Before start-
ing an exercise
program, be
sure your cat is
healthy enough for
increased activity.
Particularly if your
cat is overweight,
start slowly, keep-
ing initial sessions
brief and gradual-
ly increasing the
amount of time
spent. Don’t make
activities too strenu-
ous at first and delay
or avoid those that
can stress joints, such
as climbing stairs
or jumping. Always
watch your cat for
signs of fatigue, such
as panting, and stop
immediately if they
occur.
Your cat loves to scratch, an activity that tones
almost every muscle in her body as she hones her
claws. A sturdy scratching post is a good investment
in your cat’s—and your furniture’s—well-being.
Climbing towers go one step further by allowing
her to indulge the urge to find a vantage point for
watching (and judging) her surroundings.
Kitty Soccer
Find a clear space,
roll a lightweight ball
across the floor and
let your kitty give
chase—Real Madrid
wishes it had a goalie
this good. You’ll get a
workout by retrieving
the ball for subse-
quent rolls, as this is a
job cats leave to their
trainers.
!
For cats that are
more motivated by
food, try the snack
pursuit:
Offer your
cat just
one indi-
vidual treat or bite
of their usual meal,
then
go to
another
part of the
house and repeat
the process. When
you’re done, your
cat will have logged
some significant
walking time.
Here are five suggested exercises for your own kitty pentathlon
(medals optional)
Contributed by
Michelle Bourg lives in Lawrenceville,
GA with several cats that can all be de-
scribed as "highly food motivated."
Atlanta artist Michael Hughes' formal background in art
began at the University of West Georgia with a degree in
sculpture, and he has also studied at the High Museum of
Art.