Exercise
Exercise:
Docile
cats or those who are kept indoors become fat and flabby and have
less resistance to fatigue and illness.
Thus exercise is a necessity.
Over half the cats veterinarians see every year are
overweight, many extremely so. Being overweight
has some serious consequences for cats, just as it does for people.
In fact, the average lifespan of an obese pet is years shorter than
that of pets who stay slim and trim. Weight related diseases include
arthritis, heart
disease, diabetes, liver disease,
bladder problems and many types of cancer.
Most of our
house pets are not very active. Not only are many of them overweight
but they also don't get enough exercise. This is bad for their health
and contributes to behavior problems - a cat that is bored and inactive
is more likely to be destructive or aggressive.
Make sure your
cat gets the exercise he needs. If he tends to be lazy, get him
up and moving with a game of chase the string or roll the wad of
paper. How often does your cat really cut loose and RUN? Probably
not often enough.
If your cat
is already overweight he'll need a playtime exercise program and/or
a restricted calorie diet.
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