Does My Cat Need Exercise?

Getting your cat to walk on a lead will take luck and some training and coaching. Some breeds of cats might be easier to train to walk on a lead. Siamese, Burmese, Russian Blues, Colourpoint Shorthairs and Oriental Shorthairs can take to the lead well.

If you want to train your cat to walk on a lead, you'll need to start when she's a kitten. Things you'll need are a collar, a harness, and a lead. By the way, you'll definitely need a harness, because most cats can squeeze themselves out of collars and all of them will try to.

It's a slow and gradual process so you'll need a lot of patience. Start by putting the collar on your cat for short periods, until she gets used to it. Then try the harness for a couple of days, without going for a walk. Then do the same with the lead. Just put it on and let your cat get used to it. After that, still inside the house, encourage your cat to take small walks with an enticing toy, or treat. Finally, you can try short walks outside and work your way up to longer walks. Walk in quiet areas, and make sure your cat gets used to the idea as well as the sound of traffic before you walk for an extended period next to a busy road.
 

 

As the weather outside gets hotter and the sizzling Summer temperatures are up on us, you have to ensure that your cat doesn’t spend too much time outside, as much as she might love to. She may look okay, but cats really aren't very sensible when it comes to heat. In fact, your cat will probably stay in the sun for far longer than is safe for her and hurt herself. For instance, patios can get really hot and cause a thinly furred belly to burn.

CatIf your cat is a light colour, especially white with a pink nose or skin, you'll have to be particularly careful. Vets regularly see white cats suffering from sunburn caused by too much sun.

So what can we do to stop our cats being frazzled by the sun? First, take a look at your garden and note your cat's favourite sunspots. Then you can try to provide some more shade in these places. Cats love cardboard boxes and will happily sleep in them. A cardboard box turned on its side makes an inexpensive shelter that will give your cat a warm sleeping place and keep her out of direct sunlight. If your cat seems to love finding the hottest patch in the garden, then you may have to keep her in during the times when the sun is at its strongest - usually between 11am and 2pm.

Left to their own devices, most cats will be active enough to keep themselves fit and sane. It's your responsibility to make sure you provide a safe environment for them in which to do it.