The Domestic Cat

Quick Cat Facts 

1. Blue-eyed, white cats are often deaf.
2. Cats purr at the same frequency as an idling diesel engine, about 26 cycles per second.
3. A cat can jump 5 times as high as it is tall.
4. The lifespan of an outdoor-only (feral and non-feral) is about 3-5 years; an indoor-only cat can live 15 years and longer.
5. It has been scientifically proven that stroking a cat can lower one's blood pressure. (True, but when a cat scratches your leather couch, there goes the blood pressure!)

The (Fat) Indoor Cat 

We've all seen it, or at least heard of it. You might see a glimpse of a paw or the curl of a tail, but what really catches your eye is the enormous belly.

I always hear that the best thing you can do for your cat, is keep it indoors. I do this with my two cats, and it keeps them clean and safe. I have seen many dead cats on the roads in the last few years, and it's just sad. But on the other hand, my older cat is fat and the younger one is on his way. They have toys, a climbing post, and each other, but that's not enough. They are fed small portions of food a couple times a day, but still they gain weight. What can be done? Here are a few things that you can do, although some depend on your space and budget.

• Keep your cat(s) food dish somewhere other than the floor. Make them jump up on a counter or table in order to get to their food. If you have a dog in the house, you probably already do this. If you have a two story home, keep the food on one story and the water on another. That way, they have to go up and down the stairs more.
• It's not enough to just leave cat toys on the floor for the cats to play with. You need to get involved in their playtime. My cats love the little furry mice that you can buy at most pet stores (or, plastic/rubber spiders)! I take some fishing line and sew it in to the mice so I can drag it around the house. (To make it even more fun for your cat, store the mouse in some catnip when you're not using it). You want your cats to jump as much as possible, so dragging the mouse along your bed (assuming your cat is allowed on your bed) and then on the floor and back up again is a good way for them to get a work out. If you have a cat tower, you can accomplish the same thing. Just make sure your cat doesn't run into the furniture while she's jumping! They get so excited sometimes, they don't look out for objects. Cats...just little kids with fur...
• Some cats can be trained to walk on a leash. If you are lucky enough to have such a cat, you can place a harness and a leash on her and let her walk around the backyard, or take her for a walk. Just make sure you are quick enough to pick the cat up if danger is near.
• If you have the budget and the space, you can buy an outdoor enclosure. These can consist of mesh tunnels connecting to a larger mesh play area, which you can purchase online. Or if you (or someone you know) have some carpentry skills, you can build your own using chicken wire, wood, bamboo, ect. You can create an enclosure that is connected to your house, with a cat door that lets the cat come in and out as she pleases. If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, you might want to place some type of material on the top to keep the cat dry. If you don't want your cat to have contact with the ground, you can build a floor or build it a few inches off the ground. And of course, add some potted catnip.

Ideas for Homemade Cat Toys 

• Rubber Band Rope
  Both of my cats love rubber bands. I recently made a rope by tying some together. You can attach various objects to one end. The rubber bands are easy to replace if your cat breaks them, but make sure your cat doesn't eat them! (My younger cat likes to play with and eat rubber bands.)
• Sock Toy
  Place some catnip in a zipplock bag, and poke holes in it with a needle. Place this bag in an old sock. You can add a couple small bells or crinkly candy wrappers, if you want. When you're done adding the goodies, tie the end with string or sew it shut.
• The Box Toy
  Take a topless box and cut a hole in one side. Make sure the hole is big enough for your cat to fit through. Turn the box upside-down so that the bottom is now the top. Poke a couple small holes in the top. Attach some cat toys to some string, twine, ect., and place these inside the box with the other end of the string poking out of the holes. Tie knots at the end of the string, or tie it around a popsicle stick (this will prevent the string from being pulled through the hole).