It's not easy to get regular exercise. But it's much easier to stick with it if you have an exercise partner. Unfortunately, most people have busy lives and lots of good excuses to avoid exercise. Dogs make excellent walking partners (see Get Fit!) but absent a reliable human or a loyal dog, you can always turn to your sweet and devoted kitty to help you out.
Seriously. Cats have an impeccable sense of time. Your cat knows when
you get up – or when she'd like you to get up. She knows when
you should be feeding her, and she will clearly let you know if you've
let that moment pass. She probably expects a particular greeting from
you when you return home. She may be more in tune with your schedule
than you realize. Use that to your advantage to help you maintain an
exercise schedule.
You may not be able to convince your cat to trot
alongside you on a leash and become your daily walking partner (though
every cat is unique and yours just may do it) but you can still take
your cat out with you on walks using a pet stroller. Why on earth would
you do that? Because it's more fun to take a walk with your favorite
pet than to walk alone, so you're more likely to do it. If you start a
regular schedule of walking once or twice a day, and your cat really
enjoys the experience, your cat will be your daily reminder and
incentive to exercise.
Your cat won't get exercise in a stroller, of
course, but she will get the opportunity to see and smell the great
outdoors without the risk of getting lost, stolen or falling victim to
any of the other perils that await wandering cats. But, the experience
will give you exercise and thrill your cat's senses. Not a bad deal.
To get started, you need a quality pet stroller that is designed for
jogging. Don't expect to just put your cat inside, zip it up and go for
a nice walk. Chances are, your cat will have concerns about this
strange new object and will object to being placed in it. She has to
believe it's her idea. Open the stroller and leave it sitting out for a
few days so your cat can properly mark it as her own property (as she
has done with everything else in your house). Put a treat in it to
encourage her to hop inside. Make it comfy so she'll nap in it. Once
she has deemed the stroller worthy of being one of her
“napping stations” or “observation
decks,” try rolling it across the floor while she's inside.
If she becomes alarmed, talk to her gently and assure her that this
isn't a conspiracy to get her to the veterinarian. If she's still
frightened, stop and try again later. If she seems ok with it, praise
her and give her a nice petting or a treat – whatever makes
her purr. The idea is for her to associate the stroller with
pleasurable things.
Once she's cool with the idea that her new perch is mobile, move the
stroller next to an open door and let her view and smell the outdoors.
Gently roll her outside, talking to her, assuring her that she's ok.
Make the first trip very short and sweet, just letting her experience
the outdoors from the safety of the stroller. Praise her again when the
trip is over and you're back inside.
Eventually, you can work your way up to a long,
brisk daily walk or jog. If you do this at the same time each day, and
make it fun for kitty, your cat may soon initiate the walk. When kitty
hops into her stroller and gives you the “let's go”
meow, she's helping you stay with the plan, like any good exercise
partner should do.
Related article:
Fitness purrsonified: Our felines need to
exercise, too - and canines