How to get cat more exercise?

[black_cat]

IF your cat is overweight, yes that will limit how long he is willing/able to play. As he loses weight, his endurance should increase!

That makes sense

If he's enjoyed feather wands in the past, definitely get or make him a new one! Keep trying different sorts of toys too, you never know what kinds an individual cat will like.

I DIYed one, but he wasn't in the mood to play. I'll try again later.

If your goal is to help him with weight loss, diet is of course a part of that as well. More wet food than dry food, and no free-feeding dry food are the first two steps!

I'll ask my parents about it, but they might say that I'm just worrying too much.

Food puzzle toys are great for those cats who can't shake their dry food addiction, and they come in so many different styles nowadays you're sure to find at least one that your cat will enjoy .

 

[Dinogrrl]

Any play is good!
Another cheap favorite for cats is hair scrunchies. Bottle caps or milk jug caps also go over well . Sprinkle them with catnip if he's into that!

 

[SpotTheCat]

He's an older boi- 11 or 12. He likes a piece of string, but is it really helpful if he's only moving one paw, or his front paws? He likes to lay down and play with it with his paws, not chase it or pounce on it.

He is quite old so don’t expect too much from him. Just smacking with his paws should help a bit. How overweight is he?

 

[Tervuren]

Puzzle toys helped me get weight off my kitty after I adopted her. Read reviews before you buy though, some of them are a pain (literally) to open to put food in! Also make sure you’re using a measuring cup for his food, and not free feeding. You could also take him outside for supervised adventures. Nothing like a squirrel or bird to get a pudgy cat moving lol.

 

[black_cat]

He is quite old so don’t expect too much from him. Just smacking with his paws should help a bit. How overweight is he?

I don't know what a healthy weight for a cat of his size should be. he's quite a large cat anyway, not just around the waist- he's probably twice the height of my friends' cat.
Here is he for a bit of a size comparison:

Gummy bears and jellybeans for scale lol

 

[black_cat]

We have invented fun games such as: walking back and forth around the basement and getting a little treat on either side (he follows me if I have the treat bag) and walking up and down the stairs for rewards on either sides, as well as playing with a feather stick thing

 

[SpotTheCat]

I don't know what a healthy weight for a cat of his size should be. he's quite a large cat anyway, not just around the waist- he's probably twice the height of my friends' cat.
Here is he for a bit of a size comparison:
View attachment 2685326
Gummy bears and jellybeans for scale lol

I have 3 cats thry are all different heights, weights and chubby lookingness. Like with dogs none purebreds can look quite different to each other. I don’t go by weight with any of my animals since even with a purebred their can be quite a range of healthy weight. Can you feel his ribs or spine? You should be able to slightly with out much presser.
This is the sort of thing I use. But keep in mind that some cat have thicker coats then others, which can make them feel or look fatter slightly and some are built a lot chubbier looking then others.

 

[Isadora]

Ever watch Jackson Galaxy? He has a YouTube channel and did the My Cat from Hell tv show. He once said that all cats love to play (exercise!) But we have to find the right toy. Some cats it may be a laser (my kitties love them) others cats may like a string, or a feather teaser, or one of those circular place is tubes with a ball. We just need to figure out what your kitty prefers.
He's a very handsome boy, btw. I have a large black cat as well and I adore him.

 

[black_cat]

Ever watch Jackson Galaxy? He has a YouTube channel and did the My Cat from Hell tv show.

I've seen some My Cat from Hell, but I didn't know that the guy did his own thing.

He once said that all cats love to play (exercise!) But we have to find the right toy. Some cats it may be a laser (my kitties love them) others cats may like a string, or a feather teaser, or one of those circular place is tubes with a ball. We just need to figure out what your kitty prefers.
He's a very handsome boy, btw. I have a large black cat as well and I adore him.

He really likes a little egg with a weighted bottom, but of course that's because it has a hole that dumps out treats. Maybe if I could figure out how much to feed him/day, I could feed part of his dry food in that?
I've made him some catnip toys, which he likes, but loses interest in quickly, and also sort of likes feather things and strings.

 

[black_cat]

I have 3 cats thry are all different heights, weights and chubby lookingness. Like with dogs none purebreds can look quite different to each other. I don’t go by weight with any of my animals since even with a purebred their can be quite a range of healthy weight. Can you feel his ribs or spine? You should be able to slightly with out much presser.
This is the sort of thing I use. But keep in mind that some cat have thicker coats then others, which can make them feel or look fatter slightly and some are built a lot chubbier looking then others.
View attachment 2685496

He's probably at 8 (but at least closer to 7 than 9), which is embarrassing. He's always been pretty much the same, ever since we got him as an adult (he was a bit fatter when we got him, but they were also giving him two whole cans of wet food/day, as opposed to one, which we do now (1/2 in morning, 1/2 in evening). I've always just accepted it as the way he is, but now that I've thought about it, it's definitely a problem.