My Overweight Cat Does NOT Want to Exercise

I have a confession. I don’t like going to the gym. So, I TOTALLY understand why my adorable Sammy does not want to turn his lifestyle 180 by abruptly becoming “active.”

My cute, loving, wondercat is a three-year-old neutered male who weighs 15 pounds. (That’s 150 in people-pounds.) He is just a little bit too meaty. Thank goodness he is not at the point of having his belly dragging the ground (I dated a guy whose family included “Puff” the cat. She looked like someone took a pig and attached a cat’s head. Barf.) However, the vet says he is too heavy. We can’t feel his ribs. And, he is an expert at inactivity.

Ok – I exaggerate. There is the occasional scamper around the house. Also, he might chase after a toy mouse which is thrown. But, being a cat, that behavior is subject to his mood, the day, the zodiac sign, moon phase, you name it…

I do notice that the type of cat food we are serving has an effect on his activity and liveliness.  My partner (technically the “master” of Sammers and his mama) can get penny-wise, pound-foolish sometimes.  He succumbs to the temptation to save a few shekels by buying mainstream brand-name food.  However, if I buy their food, I go with the more expensive vet-recommended victuals.  I definitely see a difference in the kids’ liveliness (and if the company wants to pay me to be a spokesperson, I’ll gladly reveal the name of the food, hahaha.)

If you haven’t figured it out: Sammy is an indoor cat.  We (his human cat-food-giver staff) both work part-time.  So, we do have time, if not the inclination, to lead a feline “sweatin’ to the oldies” class for Sammy and his mom.   By the way, his mama is normal-to-thin.  The vet also said that when you have a two-cat household, often one cat is thin and the other is fat (ok, pleasingly plump, Sammers.)  I guess this phenomenon may be the result of the fatso scarfing up any leftovers that the healthy, sensible cat leaves.

Back to my dilemma. I think I can effect all the needed changes in food type and portions. My challenge is getting the kids to buy into the exercise component. We have many toys, really I think every type there is. But, when I bring one out and start shaking-throwing-coaxing, Sammy is highly likely to ignore me. (On the other paw, his mother is likely to give me a look that says “Did someone forget to give you your meds today?” She’s a tough one, that mama.) Must I coat every toy in catnip to instigate some interest?

My heartfelt quest, then, is to discover how to get my cats and me into a daily Canadian Air Force sort of exercise habit. They’re worth it!