5 tips to get a cat to move more

Although cats are naturally active and will play and move when given the chance, it is not necessarily a cause for concern if your cat sleeps a lot during the day. Many cats sleep during the day and save their energy for nighttime hunting and playing. With indoor cats, it’s often a bit different; they generally receive fewer stimuli. Boredom, other behavioral problems, and weight gain can then be a risk. That’s why it’s important to provide a cat with enough challenge and exercise, even if it seems like they’d rather spend the whole day curled up comfortably on the couch. But how can you best encourage your cat to get physically active? In this blog, we give you 5 tips on how to get your cat moving more indoors.

Playing with a Cat

Although a lounging cat may look like it’s having the time of its life, a cat that gets too little physical exercise can indeed develop health problems in the long run. There are many risks associated with overweight in pets. Did you know, for example, that an overweight cat lives on average 2 to 3 years less? In this blog, you can find more information about overweight in pets.

Sufficient exercise is therefore definitely vital! Since it’s harder to take a cat outside on a leash for a walk, playing with a cat is not only a good but also a fun solution. Below we give you 5 tips for the most enjoyable cat workouts:

Tip 1: Find the Right Toys

Cats, like people, need variety. This means cats can also get bored with their toys. Changing up toys is an easy way to prevent play fatigue and also keeps our feline friends interested. Fortunately, there is now a huge selection of cat toys available. If you have a cat that loves to hunt and jump at moving objects, interactive toys can be an ideal solution. These toys move on their own and can trigger a reaction from the cat. Toys with catnip are also often favorites among cats. Catnip toys are specially designed to stimulate the senses and awaken a cat’s natural instincts. It may also happen that you have toys at home your cat ignores, but they love a crumpled piece of paper. In that case, you can take your cat’s ‘feedback’ into account and buy toys that make a crinkling sound.

Another good tip is to put the toys away when the cat is done playing. If they have constant access to their toys, they are more likely to get bored of them faster.

Tip 2: Use Food Puzzles

Food puzzles are a really fun way to turn meal and treat times into stimulating and enjoyable games that get a cat moving and thinking. There are various types of food puzzles available in pet stores, but you can also make them yourself. For example, think of toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, plastic containers, or cardboard boxes where you can hide the food or treats. Even a towel or old clothing can work as a food puzzle. Put the kibble or treat inside, roll it up, and you have a great puzzle for your cat.

Tip 3: Provide Enough (Vertical) Scratching Posts

Having enough climbing opportunities encourages cats to move more. Think of a cat tower and scratching posts. As natural hunters, cats benefit from high places because they can oversee their territory from above. The more levels and hiding spots, the more challenging and fun it is for a cat. Additionally, it encourages them to jump and climb. A scratching post or cat tower near a window stimulates a cat even more to climb up because they can look outside and experience where sounds and smells come from. Moreover, a scratching post helps a cat to stretch and bend its body.

To encourage extra movement, you can also choose to feed your cat at height and possibly offer food in different places around the house. This partly mimics nature, where the cat has to search for its prey to catch it. By spreading out the food, you can let a cat ‘hunt’ for its meal.