As a cat mom, I am always worried about my furry friends when they are alone. Is your cat being bored lately? Or not active? Are you thinking of a way to get them active again and at the same time for them to be healthy? Then this blog is perfect for you!
Cats are natural hunters. They spent their time hunting for prey outside and for their food. They nap to reserve energy for their next hunt. But now that most cats are domesticated and living indoors, they already have all their needs provided by their humans and are just usually sleeping and having pent-up energy.
This can make your cat inactive and obese. Having little to no exercise, cats can also be prone to diseases just like humans. Being not active, they can be vulnerable to heart diseases, liver problems, etc. They can also have a develop stress which can manifest into behavioral issues – making them aggressive and not disciplined.
This is where cat exercise wheels can be beneficial for your furry friend. Do you know about those exercise wheels that hamsters have? Well, the same wheels are being sold in the market now but they are for cats. These treadmills are a great way to introduce a new physical activity to your bored cat. They are also perfect for those cats that are always left alone indoors.
To make this wheel works, you just need to introduce it to your cat and let them walk on it or run in its own phase. There can be a learning curve for your cat for them to start playing in this wheel since each cat has a different and unique personality.
Letting your cat play with these exercise wheels has also a lot of benefits. The benefits include weight loss, which is perfect for obese cats. Obesity is hard to treat for cats since we cannot walk them out to lose some pounds or burn calories, unlike dogs. Other benefits that they can also have are improved muscles and flexible joints when using the treadmill. Their pent-up energy will also be released and using the wheels can make your cat have good mental stimulation, less stressed, and happy.
But…Are These Exercise Wheels Safe?
Yeah, they offer a lot of good things for your cat and it is funny to see your cat going crazy on that wheel, but are they safe?
One of the major things to consider about the safety of these cat exercise wheels is their construction. If the diameter or space where the cats can walk in the wheel is too narrow, it can make your cat slip off the wheel and hurt itself. The wheel needs to have an ample space where your cat can be flexible and stretch their muscles and spine. It is good that the wheel has a surface that can support your cat when they hop on the wheel. It is also good to buy an exercise wheel that is open on both sides so that your cat won’t feel trapped and stressed. The treadmill should also be sturdy and will not collapse if the cat will run at a fast rate on the wheel.
Other cat exercise wheels are made of corrugated paper which is safe if your cat is into scratching their nails on things. This kind of treadmill is also smaller which is perfect and safer for kittens to play into. Its base is also slower which means it will be easier for your cute little kittens to jump into and start walking on it.
Where you place the exercise wheel is also another thing to consider. The wheel must be placed in a space where there won’t be a lot of potential danger for your cats like electrical outlets or things that can be broken and hurt them when they get too excited and jump on the wheel.
Doing positive reinforcements when you introduce the wheel to your cat is a must. In this way, the cat will understand that exercising on the wheel is a fun thing to do and is not a punishment. This will also make your cat enjoy the wheel and walk or run voluntarily.
Conclusion
Now to answer the question is the cat exercise wheels are safe, my answer is yes. However, there are still precautions that are needed to be observed. Also, having your cat play in these wheels is a good thing even if your cat is not obese. It makes the playtime safer than them running and wandering outside. Check more useful tips about cat wheel at Technomeow.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
Speak Your Mind