The most effective way to ensure your kitty’s health is by having him do the right exercises for the senior cat. He will be very grateful to you.
Cats, it’s a joy to play with. Even just having one at home brings joy and improves the quality of life. Anyone who says cats are anaffective and self-centered has certainly never owned one. They are nice, have a lovely sense of humor and know exactly how to keep humans company.
Maybe, at first they are suspicious, they do not allow anyone to get close to them (in this the dogs turn out to be much more naive), but it is better this way: when they build a relationship with someone, they do it out of genuine esteem and they understand with the experience of being able to rely one hundred percent.
Unfortunately, however, cats also age: and if in their youth they were considered (unjustly) lazy, when they are old they really become so. It is not their fault, but with old age comes a myriad of problems that mainly affect their motor skills and the lack of movement, consequently, leads to weight problems. Weight problems can then be translated, according to experts, into an infinite series of pathologies. The most serious are:
- Diabetes
- Osteoarthritis
- Cardiovascular diseases
What we do know about cats is that they are very vain animals. Most likely this is the case, but less likely is the possibility that they will walk up to a mirror, see their reflection and think: Oh no, I’m fat and sick, I have to go on a diet right away and do a lot of exercise, to get back in shape.
No, this is not up to them to think so (they would not get there), but to those who have the responsibility to take care of their good, that is, the humans who have adopted them.
The 6 typical exercises for the elderly cat that will restore health to your kitty
You are never prepared to assist someone in their time of need: it is something that you just do, suddenly; it is instinctive to know how, especially when it comes to people you love so much.
This is how humans take care of their kittens, from when they are born to when they are gone: with instinct, as any good parent does.
This is not to say that a guide is not needed. Having at least one starting point from which to start is always convenient.
When the cat, for example, approaches the third age, it begins to experience a whole series of physical ailments. In that case, what should we do? Can we intervene? Sure, getting him to do the right senior cat exercises.
There are six ways to persuade the old cat to exercise.
Using toys
Bring your cat some new toys. Even if he has a basket full of the old ones he prefers, get some new ones and show him.
And not just the ones you think are cute. Find out what he likes – so he’ll definitely play with it.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Does he like noise or not?
- Are you crazy about catnip or couldn’t care less?
- Does he like boxes?
- Does he like bags?
- Does he like to chase things that move?
However, everything that interests him is certainly not a good choice. As tempting as it is, stay away from some apparently suitable cat toys, especially ones with threads (like twine), as these could be ingested and cause serious problems.
Something to climb on
Cats, all cats, love to be Tarzan and feel incredibly capable when, with a silent leap, they manage to get from one place to another across the room. They can effortlessly reach heights. They would be the envy of the champions of the national volleyball team of Japanese anime.
Jumps really amuse them a lot, at any age, even when they find it hard to make it. But it is precisely for this reason that there is no better solution than to buy them a nice tower, a tree or something similar to get them to do some exercise. Or we could build it ourselves, with ingenuity and a lot of practical sense, which are the basic skills of DIY maniacs parents.
We must improvise, this is the watchword. In the end the result will always be appreciated: they only care that it is high.
Rewards and rewards
Make him feel happy with the effort he is making, give him a reason to try again and again. A crunchy or a light delicacy, which does not further damage his health; a nice cuddle, another toy: everything is good and blessed if it serves to make him feel strongly motivated.
Cats are very sensitive animals, they don’t like feeling under pressure. They collapse, get angry and, wounded in pride, could risk giving up altogether. There, however, we intervene with our support, instilling in them the confidence to succeed and giving patience and comfort. Such as? With a small prize: recognition if they succeed in the enterprise; of consolation if they fail. For our cats it will still be nice.
In the end, their motivation will not be so much the treats or whatever, but the awareness of having us by their side, that we love them and support them. All time.
Change the place of things
Use daily activities to your advantage and encourage your cat to get up and move.
Changing the position of the litter box might not work (and it would be good for everyone not to test this hypothesis), but you could try to feed the cat on a higher floor, especially if he generally has free access to the litter box. food.
If your cat has to climb steps or jump on something to get to food, she may be a little more motivated to make the effort.
Imagine how you would lose weight if every time you had to get up from the sofa and go to the kitchen to munch on every single potato. The meaning is more or less this (although our weight loss, in that case, would depend on abstinence from food). Fortunately, cats are more hungry than lazy than humans.
Bother him
Exactly: bother him. This is also part of the exercises for the elderly cat that we can suggest to you.
Cats look like cuddly and cuddly puppies (and indeed they are now), but they have the same gene within them as the largest feline predators on this planet. Let’s talk about the tigers, the lions, the cheetahs. Cats are hunters and, if they feel something potentially annoying invading their territory, they rise up in response to the counterattack.
One of the things they hate most are laser pointers, for example: after all, they enjoy following them wherever they move, to capture them.
Getting them to go hunting is a really effective way to get them to move.
Customize the exercises
Always customize any training program, based on your cat’s individual situation and abilities.
Talk to your vet to make sure your senior cat is healthy enough for increased activity, so that he can address any physical limitations or issues (such as joint pain) he may have, as well as to choose safe and appropriate activities.
Customizing workouts is also a way to have fun with your cat while you work towards a happier, healthier, and longer-lasting lifestyle.
