As we all know, most cats are happy to sleep, walk to the food bowl, and sleep again. Unfortunately, this is not the best exercise regime when trying to get a cat to lose weight. Lucky for us there are a number of things you can add to your cats’ environment to help them get more exercise.

A simple cardboard box with a few holes in it can be a great toy when it’s filled with bikkies, they have to move the box around to get the food out. This can be very helpful for cats that gorge on their food as it slows them down, preventing them from overfilling themselves.

Putting your cat’s food up on a climbing tower helps to make them “work for it”, or if living in a multi-story home, put the food upstairs. Climbing towers are also helpful for day to day use, as cats like to sit up high so will regularly climb it.

You can also exercise your cat from the comfort of your couch; fishing rod toys are awesome for your furry friend. Cats are hunters, so chasing a small fluffy thing that moves erratically is a great game. Just remember to keep the sessions short, and don’t over-do it. If your cat is particularly rotund you increase the risk of injury by having them jump up and down, so floor sessions only until they lose a bit of weight.

Motorised toys also help to keep your cat moving, these can be stand-alone units, or remote control. Whatever toy you use, make sure you allow your cat to “catch” it every now and then, as they can lose interest or alternatively become fixated on it (as is the case with laser toys).