Brain exercises for your cat - Acadiana's Multi-Media News Station

 

Brain exercises for your cat

Updated:
Martin Poole / Digital Vision / Thinkstock Martin Poole / Digital Vision / Thinkstock

By Dr. Jessica Vogelsang
 

As anyone who's had their shin attacked by a playful kitten can attest, many cats love to frolic. But mind activity is also important for cats, such that it can even lead to physical benefits for your feline.

In 2002, veterinary behaviorist Dr. Jacqui Neilson suggested that mental exercises could be used to help slow down age-related cognitive decline in animals, based on studies of humans with Alzheimer's disease. Here are four ways you can keep your cat's mind and body engaged throughout the day:

1. Food puzzles. Instead of just placing your cat kibble in a bowl, consider making your cat work for the reward. Frederick Cat Vet has some easy-to-make food puzzler instructions that will keep your cat hard at work for every last bite.

2. Hunting toys. Ancestors to the domestic cat would catch 10 to 20 little critters a day, on average. Toys that give your cat a chance to exercise this strong hunting instinct by pouncing, catching or tossing them in the air are a good choice. The FroliCat Dart takes the traditional laser one step further by automatically rotating a laser beam through the room, leading your cat on an endless chase.

3. Vertical spaces. Cats like to take advantage of the full three-dimensional space in a room. Having high places on which to perch allows the cat to exercise its climbing instinct. It also affords them a safe place to escape from dogs or kids who may be bothering them down on the floor. If you don't want to pay pet store prices for a kitty condo, there are some great plans online so you can build a perch or kitty condo yourself.

4. Stimulating smells. Most everyone knows about catnip, but there are several plants that cats are highly attracted to, including catmint and valerian. The University of Vermont has a great article about planting a cat-friendly garden that lists the most popular plants.

Exercise for the brain is just as beneficial as exercise for the body. Give your cat both for a long and happy life.

 

Dr. Jessica Vogelsang is a small-animal veterinarian from San Diego. When she's not at work or with her family of two and her four-legged creatures, you can find her blogging about life with pets at PawCurious.com 

Copyright © 2011 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.

  • Blue's Pet Page

  • Please keep an eye out for this precious little Yorkie named Mattie. She is about 3 years old, and has a black and brown coat. She was last seen at her home at 118 Hellen Street in Lafayette. If you
    LOST: 13-year-old Chihuahua named Manana, nicknamed "Mania." Mania was let out of her home for a few minutes but never returned. She was last seen at her home in Southpoint Apartments on Verot School

  • "The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog." -George Graham
    "The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog." -George Graham

  • "The more people I meet, the more I like my cat." -Anonymous
    "The more people I meet, the more I like my cat." -Anonymous

  • Why Does My Pet...Drink From The Toilet? You've watched your cat's painstaking grooming ritual. Why would he go to all that trouble keeping himself clean and then drink out of the toilet? No one is sure
    Why Does My Pet...Drink From The Toilet? You've watched your cat's painstaking grooming ritual. Why would he go to all that trouble keeping himself clean and then drink out of the toilet? No one is sure

  • Do you know what you should have on hand to keep your pets safe? Natural disasters routinely grab the headlines, yet most of us don't prepare for them -- even though a fire, hurricane, or hazardous
    Do you know what you should have on hand to keep your pets safe? Natural disasters routinely grab the headlines, yet most of us don't prepare for them -- even though a fire, hurricane, or hazardous

  • Looking for a fitness buddy? Adopt a dog! By Dorene Internicola, Reuters Posted April 01, 2013, at 11:15 a.m. NEW YORK — Zeus the pit bull helps his owner slog through interval training and military
    Looking for a fitness buddy? Adopt a dog! By Dorene Internicola, Reuters Posted April 01, 2013, at 11:15 a.m. NEW YORK — Zeus the pit bull helps his owner slog through interval training and military

  • Loyalty Day, the lesser-known May 1 holiday, celebrates American freedom and the reaffirmation of loyalty to the United States. It's also a fine time to celebrate the loyalty of your loveable pets. Dogs
    Loyalty Day, the lesser-known May 1 holiday, celebrates American freedom and the reaffirmation of loyalty to the United States. It's also a fine time to celebrate the loyalty of your loveable pets. Dogs
*DISCLAIMER*: The information contained in or provided through this site section is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be and is not a substitute for professional advice. Use of this site section and any information contained on or provided through this site section is at your own risk and any information contained on or provided through this site section is provided on an "as is" basis without any representations or warranties.
Powered by WorldNow
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and KLFY. All Rights Reserved. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.