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Yes! Although cats sleep up to 18 hours a day, they still need to exercise their mind and body Cats, particularly young ones, can become destructive if they don’t receive enough exercise.An overweight is more likely to suffer from conditions such as  Diabetes Mellitus, liver disease, cardiac disease and arthritis.

WHAT ARE SOME WAYS TO EXERCISE MY CAT?

• PLAYTIME- play with your cat twice a day for ten minutes. Invest in some toys or make your own - cats tend to like things that move and will usually chase feathers or leather strips on a stick and fishing rod type toys. Tie some crumpled paper  to wool or string and pull along the floor.

Many cats will enjoy playing with Ping Pong balls.

Most cats will chase laser pointers and can get some good exercise this way ( but be careful not to point at eyes)

Rotate toys regularly to prevent boredom.

• MAKE YOUR CAT WORK FOR ITS FOOD- Instead of putting food in a bowl, place  a trail of food around your house so your cat has to hunt for it.

You can also buy toys that you can place treats inside and your cat will have to bat the toy around to get the treats out.

• CREATE AN ENRICHED ENVIRONMENT – many cats live a sedentary indoor life but if you provide them with things to climb, scratching posts and interactive toys, they are more likely to get off your cosy couch and start moving.
  
• TEACH YOUR CAT TO WALK ON A HARNESS - it is not easy to teach an adult cat to walk on a harness but if you train from a kitten, you will usually have  success. Don’t expect to be able to walk around the block but use it as a safe way to spend some time with your cat enjoying the outdoors. Certain breeds like the Burmese are usually outgoing, confident cats and generally take well to walking on a harness.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO PROVIDE FOR MY CAT TO BE HAPPY AND HEALTHY ?

GROOMING In addition to daily play time, your cat needs weekly grooming (daily for some long haired cats) and regular nail trimming.

NECESSITIES – All cats need a comfortable bed in a warm, dry area of the house, a scratching post and a litter box in a private location.

PROTECT AGAINST PARASITES
WORMS- there are a variety of worms that can infect cats. These can cause a variety of signs such as loss off appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, in severe cases, death. Some worms are transmissible to humans.

FLEAS are a terrible nuisance to cats and their owners. Scratching and biting at the fur are the most common signs. Fleas can also infect your cat with tapeworm. Because much of the flea lifecycle is off the cat, you must adult fleas but also break the flea lifecycle.

HEARTWORM is carried by mosquitoes and is a potentially fatal worm living in the pulmonary arteries, lungs and heart of the cat.

Advocate is a really convenient way to treat and protect against these internal and external parasites. It is simple to use with a monthly application at the back of your pets neck, so no need to administer tablets. Advocate offers continuous coverage as one application lasts all month.