Teeni’s Tips - Exercise Your Cats The Lazy Way
Posted on April 13, 2008 - Filed Under Teeni's Tips
Allrighty then, my little crumb-makers (nieces and nephews),
Do you ever feel like your indoor cats aren’t getting enough exercise? I sure do. Toast is huge and I need to make sure he gets more exercise to stave off any future health problems. I found an easy way to do it without really exerting any more energy myself. Maybe it can work for you too.
Here’s what I did. I found a cheap child’s jump rope at the dollar store. It had plastic handles. On one side, I broke off the handle and tied the rope into a knot at the end…a BIG, kitty-claw-satisfying knot. Then I looped the handle end of the jump rope through some of my belt loops on my jeans, so that the long end with the knot was hanging down the middle of the back of my legs (sort of like my own rope-tail) and dragging on the floor behind me.
Then I just went about my daily business and chores, dancing around the kitchen while I cook, running up and down stairs, doing laundry, dusting. The cats were following me all over the house and trying to get that knot! Of course I stayed still and let them “get” it every so often. It was fun for all of us and much better than having them lay around the house all day. The only time I think it wouldn’t work is if I were vacuuming, since the cats hate the noise of the vacuum cleaner and scatter to all ends of the house when I turn that baby on.
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22 Responses to “Teeni’s Tips - Exercise Your Cats The Lazy Way”
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If you yourself are really lazy, yet easily amused, a laser pointer sends them jumping at the dot every time. Not that I would know anything about that.
Oh, HAHA! I actually do have a laser pointer. Well, we have TWO. I was afraid the cats would fight if they both chased the same dot and ran into eachother (which turned out to be the case). So now hubby can get one going and I can get one going. And you are right - it really IS amusing!
I wonder if you have a cat. I don’t remember you mentioning one.
I have the laser pointer. Both my cats go nuts when I zoom it all over the place. It’s hysterical when you jiggle it really fast and their heads track it perfectly.
They like it so much that if I just touch it and teh chain makes the slightest sound, their heads pop up and they’re looking all over for it.
They can hear the lasers chain clink the slightest, but ignore me when I tell them to stop doing something bad.
LOL. Oh yeah. Cats definitely have selective hearing. Laser pointers must be the top cat toy, huh?
My cat just went to the vet yesterday and they said he needs to lose two pounds in the next year…my cat is not impressed with the vast majority of toys, so maybe something simple like the rope-tail will work! LOL..thanks for the tip
Aww. You’ve got a kitty too? I hope he likes my idea.
I just put a fish in my pocket.
ROFLMAO! Just when I least expect it from you - whammo! Nice one. **still laughing**
lol. I have my momentsss
I have three black male cats. Two of them are brothers and the other one is a very slim cat (10 yrs. old) with lots of energy. The younger two (8 yrs. old) are both lazy fat cats. I call them dumb ass and fat ass. Yoda, the skinny one will chase the laser pen while the other two just lay and watch. Though one of the fat cats will fetch toys and bring them right back to me and wait until I throw them again. Mostly they get their exercise from fighting with each other.
I might try your idea just for the fun of it. I used to have a greyhound. It’s sort of like the greyhound trying to catch the bunny. I’m glad you let the cats catch it sometimes.
Hey Joan! Maybe kitty-tail-walking can become a new part of your exercise repertoire! Who knows? It could end up helping to shed a few pounds!
Your cats sound very pretty. Black cats are gorgeous. You will have to post some pics.
Sounds like fun for the cats!! I have also heard of the laser pointer idea, I’m sure it would drive them nuts!!
They LOVE the laser pointer thing! They just want to get it so bad - you can see their frustration mounting! It’s fun to watch and participate in but I feel bad and since they can’t really ever “get” the laser dot, I needed to find something they could feel good about. LOL. I’m such a sap for my “kids.”
I love Teeni’s Tips! So funny! Next time you do this you gotta set up a video camera!
I’m thinking of setting up a camera and videotaping their tricks. Each one is talented in a differnt way. That’s all I’ll say for now.
P.S. Congrat’s on the Bruin’s winning last night. It was a good game. I gotta cheer for the Canadien’s though…
LOL. Thanks, Paige. And it’s okay - I understand about cheering for the home teams. I will still count you as a friend!
Hee hee, that’s a fantastic idea!
The cat toys they sell are always scoffed at by any cat I’ve known but a moving knot? Now that’s just the thing!
Thanks, Kami! And cat toys can be expensive too. I wonder if something like this would also work on kids? I will have to test it out on my nieces and nephews - not that they need the exercise, but I need the fun, LOL. I bet the older ones won’t go for it.
Great tip but , I too damn lazy to exercise myself let alone my cat.
NOW how did I get a dog to excercise? MIne likes to lie around the house he acts like its chore just to get him to get outside to go to the batthroom!!!!
But dogs do end up loving it when you spend time with them and do things with them like run around, play fetch and tug-of-war and stuff. I wonder if your dog does any tricks?
he does some tricks.like when you feed him………he will lay on his back and make you pet him before he will eat.
There are others too
Aw, that’s cute.
What a great idea, did the back of your legs get all clawed up? That would be my luck!
Good question! Fortunately, my rope was long enough and my cats have good aim so my legs were fine. I did kind of hold it in my hand at times and tantalize them with it.
I love this idea. My cats are turning into hairy bags of lard! LOL I will have to try this!
Put your tunes on and go to town, Calamity!
thats pretty creative. maybe i could tie one on each of the kids….
LOL. Well, at least YOU’D have fun!
I don’t know if THEY’D like it. But hey - they’re kids - who knows?
haha very good. I do’nt have a cat at the moment but Shearer used to love the laser pointer - so funny to watch her confusion with it. It made her revert to kittenhood when we got that out even when she was ancient.
She also used to chase my hair (my hair is very long and I often plait it) - but that got a bit painful! The rope sounds much better. although knowing me I’d trip over it!!!
LOL. I thought I’d trip over my rope tail too, but I was actually more graceful than I expected. I love it when I surprise myself like that! LOL. I’m jealous of your long hair!
Taxes are done!
We have 7 cats, so we’re always looking for ways for them to entertain themselves. They seem to like long stringy things like shoelaces tied to a door knob just beyond their reach. It’s fun to watch.
*hiya Teeni*
Wow - 7 cats! I’d have a blast playing with them all! We gotta get you blogging so I can see some pics of your “kids”! **jumps up and down and waves back at ya!**
Does the TGH ever chase the tail?
And that is meant in the cleanest way possible
LOL. Oh yeah, and there’d be a lot more tail chasing if it were up to him.
thats cool! i actually get on the floor and wrestle with my cat.. he attacks my hand, and i pull him all over the floor.. he loves it!
I’m glad that works for you, Slyde! With our Toast, he never realized there is a difference between “play” and real fighting so we can’t do that with him because he REALLY hurts! Plus he’s huge - I think he’s just one gigantic muscle. LOL. And also, I would hate to have to admit that my cat beat me in wrestling. LOL. But now that I think about it, he would be a good tool to dust my floor with!
Ok, what a fabulous idea. Cats do get bored easy. Ours just lounge around - We have one HUGE cat and a normal size one but they need to be entertained too.
Teeni, I love this idea!
Thanks, Lumps! Sometimes simple things are really good.
A couple of our cats love to play fight too so I try to keep my hands covered. I figure I’m helping them with their survival skills if they ever need to use them out in the yard. One of our cats is a bit of a sissy and always plops on her back and exposes her belly, which is a huge mistake if she’s ever actually attacked. And she’s also ticklish so I made sure to tickle her belly so she’ll learn not to expose it. Or maybe she’s just an exhibitionist? :p
Teeni, I really want to get a blog, but I don’t know the first thing about blogging and especially the hard stuff like taking pictures. But, I’m willing to learn. Not right now, but later on this year, ok? You can lead me through it.
I think you’d love it, and it can get addicting. LOL. I’ll help you any way I can.
And if they really needed a good workout, you could always tie the rope to a ceiling fan.
Now, there’s an idea!