Advice

If your pet is more like a couch potato than a curious cat on the go, it's time to pump her up. Play. Experts agree that some of us should do it more. It improves health, enhances appearance and adds a sense of mental well-being. And it only takes a few minutes a day. Exercise. You are your cat's own personal trainer.

"Exercise benefits felines with increased overall health, including a longer lifespan," says veterinarian Carol Tice, DVM of the Cat Clinic of Cary, North Carolina. "It relieves stress, reduces aggression and keeps cats alert. Exercise just makes cats feel better." A feline fitness plan may seem strange to you, but there are ways to get your cat in condition.

Let's Play!
It may sound like work, but to cats, exercise is just plain fun. One of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to keep your kitty fit is to play with her. Just 15 to 30 minutes a day of play can help keep your cat in shape and strengthen the bond between the two of you. Here are some tips to get you and your cat in the habit of regular exercise:

There are hundreds of cat toys on the market today as well as lots of low- and no-cost toys you can make yourself. "Cats get bored," says Tice. "Have a good variety of toys, but alternate which ones you leave out."

However, even the best toy won't get your cat active without you. Cats like interaction. Although the toy is part of that, having a playmate will double her interest and the time she spends exercising.



A Neat Trick
Although cats won't necessarily perform tricks like a dog, they can play various games that will keep them on the move—and in shape. It doesn’t take much effort on your part. For example:

Walk This Way
Cats can, indeed, be trained to walk with a leash. Sometimes, walking outdoors is especially good for apartment-bound pets. It gives them room to stretch their legs. It's also an excellent way for owners and their felines to spend time together.

Getting your cat used to walking on a leash will take time, patience and the right equipment. The process will be easier if you follow these tips:

The Buddy System
Sometimes, the best exercise comes from a fellow cat. Cats who are left alone during the day can benefit greatly from a companion feline. Two cats will amuse themselves for hours playing games of their own invention. Older, more sedate cats can be jump-started into exercise with the addition of a kitten to the household. “Just be careful to keep the overweight adult cat out of the high-calorie kitten food,” warns Tice.

Children also make wonderful playmates—with a few restrictions. Kids younger than 12 should be supervised. Teach them to play gently using cat toys, never their bare hands, and to stop playing when their pet becomes tired or over-stimulated.



Just Do It
Regardless of the type of exercise you choose for your cat, make sure she enjoys it and benefits from it. Exercise can strengthen muscles, increase heart rate and rev the metabolism. Felines in top condition have fewer health problems. Conditioning also helps keep your cat mentally alert and reduces stress and destructive behavior—something that will benefit you both. The key is you! Choose an exercise routine that easily fits into your life. Finding extra time these days is hard, so couple your own activities with your cat's conditioning.

Don't set unrealistic goals. Often, putting a simple twist on your normal activities will be just right for your pet. “Tie a length of cord to the back loop of your jeans, then attach a scrap of fabric to the loose end, letting it drag on the floor, and do the housework that way,” suggests Tice. “Your kitty will have a ball!” The possibilities are endless. And, just like humans, take your cat to the doctor before starting any exercise or diet program. With regular conditioning, your sedentary pet will soon be “feline” fine!



Toy Story
You don't have to invest in fancy toys to get your cat in top condition. You'll find plenty of safe, enticing playthings around our house. Here are some common items that will help:

When you're done playing, pick up items so your cat doesn't accidentally swallow something.



Keep Her Diet in Top Shape, Too
If you're going to encourage your cat to exercise, be sure to give her the best fuel. Premium nutrition is a key component of a cat's fitness regime.

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Apparently, cats are like potato chips. Stopping at just one isn’t easy. On average, cat owners have 2.4 cats (according to the American Pet Product Manufacturer’s Association). In fact, 71 percent of all cats living in the U.S. reside in multi-cat homes.

"Living with other cats is stimulating and overall a very good thing," says veterinary behaviorist Sharon Crowell-Davis, professor at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens. "Preconceived ideas about cats being solitary are simply not true. Cats are social and enjoy the company of their own kind. We’ve shown in our research of feral and stray outdoor cats that they often form complex social groups. They groom one another, pay attention to one another and play together; they wouldn’t do that if they were solitary."

Crowell-Davis says people all too often have a single cat, and eventually decide to get a second cat maybe when that single cat is five or six years old. And all that time that cat hasn’t been exposed to other cats.

"A cat who isn’t accustomed to its own kind becomes socially incompetent as an adult," she says. "But then, if a child grows up without going to school and being deprived socially, wouldn’t the same thing happen? Social behavior is greatly learned."

Crowell-Davis is among those who encourage shelters to adopt littermates in pairs or even three at a time, depending on the existing pets in the family. She says, ideally, adopt a Queen (mother cat) with two of her offspring. "Our research indicates those kittens will grow up to be confident and stable, assuming the mother is reasonably confident and stable."

The trick to harmony in multi-cat homes is a slow and gradual introduction of any new cats. Crowell-Davis says, "You don’t just assume any two people who have never met before will get along. Why make those assumptions with cats?"

When they do meet, use really great tasting food as a sort of payoff. "Give the cats a reason to like one another," says Amy Shojai, author of PETiQuette: Solving Behavior Problems in Your Multi-Pet Household (Evans and Company, New York, NY, 2005).

"Understand how cats use space," adds Dr. Debra Horwitz, a veterinary behaviorist based in St. Louis. MO. "Cats use vertical space. So, try to offer places for them to climb. And soon, each cat will have their own preferred places, some shared with other cats and some not." Resources, like food bowls and litter boxes should be kept in various places in the house rather than next to one another.

Shojai says, "Say you have two cats and two or three boxes—which would be the right number of boxes (if you have two cats)—but the issue is that they’re all in one room. The more dominant cat might intimidate the other cat from using the boxes just by sitting in the hallway. I call it playing poker—just a slight glance or simply the presence of one cat might threaten another. Litter box indiscretions are the number one concern in multiple-cat households, but they can often be avoided by locating the boxes in different places around the house."

Shojai says the same goes for feeding cats. Traditionally, owners separate cats from one another at feeding time to avoid problems, or they try to. The problem is that they often don’t succeed. IAM's solution is a new "smart" formula, a kind of all-in-one food for healthy adult cats, IAMS® Muti-Cat. Following advice of the behavior experts, the idea is to set up at least as many feeding stations as there are cats in the home—and then let the cats "hunt" for their food.

"Our lives our so busy. If you have three cats, try feeding three different diets—it’s not easy," Shojai adds.

Dr. Dan Carey, Director of Technical Communications, Research & Development at IAMS says Multi-Cat includes L-Carnitine, a nutrient to help burn fat in overweight cats, as well as high-quality protein to help maintain and even build muscle mass in cats who happen to be at their optimal weight. “There’s a balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which is very important for all cats,” says Carey. “Extra Vitamin E helps with the immune system, particularly important for senior cats. There’s hairball control as well.”

However, even if you feed your cats the best possible food, and follow the advice offered from behavior experts, the straight truth is that you can have too many cats. "Living in our homes, cats don’t have an option to come and go from the group as they please," says Horwtiz. "Consider if all the cats have a regular opportunity to interact with the owners’; there should be time for every cat in that home. And every individual (cat) requires easy access to resources."

"Your wanting to rescue cats in need means your heart is in the right place," says Shojai. "But if you have a home filled with spraying cats, it means they’re not happy. You might have too many in one place. While there’s no limit on your love, there may be on finances to properly care for the cats, or for allotted space in your home. My general rule is no more (cats) than the number of rooms in your home."

"Most people don’t go overboard," adds Horwitz. "And I’m glad that most homes have more than one cat—it is best for the cats."