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Five ways to get your cat into shape


Does your cat need to shed some weight? (Picture: Getty)

Is your feline looking a bit chunky?

Cats are glorious in all sizes, but it’s important to look after your pet and make sure they’re at a healthy weight.

According to International Cat Care, between 39% to 52% of cats in the UK are considered overweight or obese. For a cat to classify as overweight, it carries 10-19% more weight than is recommended for the breed, and if a cat weighs 20% more than the recommended weight, they’re considered obese.

If have a small apartment and don’t have a garden for your cat to roam around in, don’t worry.

There are plenty of easy and inventive ways to keep your house cat in tip top shape.

And if you’re unsure how much your cat should weigh, chat to your veterinarian as there are various factors that could affect the answers.

Invest in exciting toys

If a cat isn’t in the mood to play with you, they probably won’t – but there are ways to entice them into playtime.

Help them work up a sweat by investing in wand-shaped toys that have a distracting feature at the end, such as a mouse or feather.

‘You can keep your cat amused with toys, climbing towers or activity centres,’ a representative from Cats Protection tells Metro.co.uk.

‘These can be bought or made – a cardboard box with holes cut into it or a ball of tin foil can be perfectly adequate.

‘Play is more fun if you get involved too – you can use fishing rod toys with feathers on a string to mimic their prey. Opportunities to exhibit hunting behaviour are often triggered by toys which move and attract the cat’s attention.’

Another excellent option is a multi-level cat tower or a scratching post. Not only will your cat have a spot of their own, but it can also help them shed the excess weight and have something to do when they’re bored.

Get them a workout buddy

Sometimes all you need is another person (or in this case, cat) to help motivate you.

If you only have one cat, join a local feline hangout group or see if any of your friends or colleagues have a friendly cat who might be in need of a new pal.

However, do tread carefully when introducing the pair, as there’s a chance they won’t get on.

Should that be the case, do not attempt to force your cat to socialise.

Change their eating technique

Feeding puzzle balls are a good way to change your cat’s eating technique (Picture: Getty)

‘House cats are given food bowls so it doesn’t take long for them to eat their daily ration or allow them to make use of their great senses,’ said a representative from Cats Protection.

‘Try using feeding puzzle balls to give part, or all, of your cat’s daily ration.

‘It’s best to let cats get used to this gradually, to ensure they have enough to eat and don’t become frustrated.’

Create an exercise course

Use boxes, pillows or other items lying around the house to create an exercise course where your cat has to get from one end of the room to the other.

To incentivise them to run through the course, you could also place a treat at the finish line (but be careful not to use too many treats, given the purpose of the exercise is to get the cat to lose, not gain, weight).

Take your cat to a private garden

If you don’t have a garden of your own, it can be worth trying to find an outdoor space for your cat to explore.

Some people opt for using cat leads and going for walks, however the RSPCA warns against doing so as it can cause your cat to feel stressed or agitated.

To avoid this, ask a friend with a garden if you can pop over for the day and bring your cat with you.

That way you can have a coffee with a mate while your cat gets an adventure in a safe, enclosed space.

Also, if you live outside of the city in a green area with smaller, enclosed parks, that may also be another option. However, it’s good to visit the park on your own first to see if there are any potential dangers.

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