EXERCISING

Getting The Cat Out Of  The Couch
Cats can make laziness into an art form: snoozing in the afternoon sun, stretching a little before they plop down on your lap for the night. But as immobile as they seem, they still need to get up and moving on a regular basis. Cats are a bit different than dogs, however--they're designed for short, frequent periods of intense activity, rather than longer, slower-paced exercise sessions.

There are some wonderful toys you can buy to get your cat active, including kitty trees that will let her climb to the ceiling and mechanical animals she can chase around the room. There's no reason to reach into your wallet for toys your cat may or may not like, however, when there is endless entertainment around the house. There are a few main ways you can entice your kitty into activity:

• Things she can bat. Anything light that moves easily across the floor can give your cat a chance to practice hitting and chasing. Balled up pantyhose and paper work well; for some reason the rings that come off of milk jug caps also seem to be irresistible. Just make sure that she's not batting anything she could chew up or swallow.

• Things she can chase. The end of a moving string should bring out the predator in even the most sedentary cat. Again, just make sure she doesn't swallow the string.
• Things she can explore. Empty boxes and paper bags may get your cat to climb in, out, and on top.

• Things she can scratch. Scratching stretches and tones the muscles in your cat's shoulders and back. A scratching post--or even a piece of cardboard or carpet--can keep her active without shredding your sofa.

• Whatever game you play with your cat, don't use your hand or fingers as "bait" or as the object of teasing. This teaches him that it is all right to scratch and bite your hands--a lesson you will want your cat to unlearn in the future.

The key is to find out which kind of toy is the most tempting to your cat and to use it consistently. You may have to try a lot of different activities to before you find your kitty's favorite. Some cats can even be trained to walk outside on a leash.