Hill's Science Plan Adult Dog Food Variety Pack is composed of 12 loaf cans: 6 with Chicken, 3 with Beef & 3 with Turkey. It is a complete pet food for adult dogs 1–6 years old.
Chicken recipe, small breed dry dog food with for the weight support and balanced nutrition for overall health. With small kibble size for tiny mouths, quality protein for lean muscle.
Hill's Science Plan Sensitive Stomach and Skin Small & Mini Adult Dog Food with Turkey is a complete premium pet food for small breed adult dogs aged 1–6 years. This deliciously soft mousse is enriched with ingredients that support digestive health & skin care.
Chicken recipe dry cat food with L-carnitine and fewer calories for ideal weight management in adult cats. Packed with high-quality protein, omega-6s, and vitamin E for shiny fur and healthy skin.
Hill's Science Plan Sterilised Adult Dry Cat Food with Salmon has a unique weight management formula to help burn fat, build muscle and keep sterilised cats lean. Made with high-quality, easy-to-digest ingredients.
Hill's Science Plan Sensitive Stomach & Skin Adult Wet Cat Food with Turkey is a complete pet food for adult cats, aged 1–6 years. This highly digestible wet food comes in a pouch and supports healthy digestion, as well as nourishes skin and promotes a thick and lustrous coat.
To make a protein, amino acids are linked together in a long chain. The chain is then bundled into to a three-dimensional structure, like a tangled ball of yarn.
Learn what your pet's microbiome is, how it contributes to your pet's gut and overall health, and why nutrition is important in maintaining healthy microbiomes.
In people, the right diet is very important. If you are eating the wrong way for your metabolism, activity level, age and lifestyle you could end up with health issues.
Kara Murphy
|January 03, 2025
Cats are naturally very active creatures that love to run, chase, jump and pounce. While a healthy cat usually gets plenty of exercise going about their day, a home environment with lots of opportunity for play is also essential for keeping them physically and mentally healthy. According to the Blue Cross, this is especially important for indoor cats, who don’t get the activity and mental stimulation of the outdoors.
Don’t worry – cats don’t require toys with a hefty price tag. In fact, virtually anything can be an inexpensive toy for your furry friend. They can find joy in cardboard boxes, discarded newspapers and even ice cubes. So take a look around the house, use your imagination, and you’ll realise that there are plenty of cat exercise and play ideas that won’t cost you a penny!
Here are seven free and fun games for cats to get you started…
Cats love nothing more than to chase and pounce. Give them something to chase by sliding your hand underneath a blanket, and they'll be on the hunt in no time. If the claws are out, a thin blanket might not be enough to protect your fingers from scratches. If need be, use a stuffed animal or other object to protect your fingers from your fierce predator.
According to the PDSA, cats love batting at something that moves easily across the floor, such as a ball. Lightweight objects that can go far with just a small pat are best, so don't recycle that junk mail just yet; crumple it up and roll it in front of your cat instead. They'll likely bat it across the floor, chase it down and swat it away again. Your cat might even start "fetching" it and bringing it back to you to throw again and again and again.
Like with the blanket, you can move an object around under the paper (a spoon, pencil or chopstick) and watch it become an irresistible target for your cat! Or you can tent the paper and let your cat hide underneath while you walk by dragging a wand toy. Attack!
There's something about a crinkly brown paper bag that can keep a cat entertained for days. It’s an ideal spot to hide until the perfect opportunity to pounce presents itself, and playing with small toys inside a paper bag keeps the fun going far longer. It's always a good idea to make holes on both sides of the bag and the bottom, just in case your cat tips the bag on top of themselves, so there’s no danger of them getting trapped inside.
This cat workout takes a little DIY effort on your part, but you can do it! Here’s how to create a fun tube toy for your cat:
Now it's time to play! You can cut small holes out of the opposite end of the box and stick a toy through different holes for the cat to try to catch (think whack-a-mole) or you can put treats in the tubes and let your cat work to get them out. For cats who love their food and find this too easy, you can block the tubes with small crumpled up pieces of paper or cloth to challenge their hunting skills.
Play a little ice hockey with your cat by sitting on a tile or linoleum floor and batting an ice cube back and forth. First one to score wins!
As the PDSA explains, cats love climbing and hiding. You could, of course, just give your cat an empty box for endless fun. Rescue a cardboard box from the recycling and cut some cat-sized holes on each side, and your cat will be happy for hours! But why stop at just one box when you can make a cat house? Stack several boxes, secure them together with some pegs or packing tape and drape a blanket over the top to create the ultimate kitty fort.
Get creative for hours of free fun with your cat
Cats make their own fun, so follow their lead and get creative! As you can see, there are opportunities for cat exercise, play and excitement all over your home. It doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, so go forth and play! But remember to pick up any string, ribbon or similar objects when you're done playing with your cat, and never leave them unattended with such toys as these could be dangerous if swallowed.
Your cat’s exercise needs will vary depending on their age, breed, lifestyle and health. For example, a senior cat might not need as much exercise as a younger cat. An active, outdoor cat will typically get all the exercise they need during their daily activities. But if you’re trying to help your cat get more active, a good benchmark is to aim for two bursts of high intensity activity per day lasting 5-10 minutes each.
If your cat is an active outdoor cat with a healthy body weight, they’re probably getting all the exercise they need. However, if your cat is an indoor cat, or your cat is gaining weight, they might not be getting enough.
Good indoor cat exercises will replicate your cat’s natural active behaviours – think chasing, jumping, climbing and pouncing. With that in mind, try playing “chase” with wand toys, or set up play areas with boxes of different heights.
Anything they can chase or bat around, so long as it can’t be swallowed or cause harm! Wand toys that you wave around, a squeaky toy, or even just a crumpled ball of paper will get your cat zooming around in no time!
Gentle exercise can help to reduce weight and is usually recommended for overweight or obese cats. However, keep in mind that too much exercise can put even more strain on the joints and cardiovascular system of an overweight cat. Cats Protection recommends getting your vet’s help so they can make sure your cat is exercising and losing weight in the safest possible way for them.
Cats certainly enjoy chasing laser pointers, but keep in mind that the laser can damage your cat’s vision if shone directly into their eyes and never being able to ‘catch’ the dot can be very frustrating for them. If you must use a laser pointer to play with your cat, choose one with a very weak light,make sure to keep it well away from your cat’s eyes, and intermittently ‘end’ the hunt on a toy for your cat to bite, or a treat that they can eat.
Kara Murphy is a freelance writer and pet parent who lives in Erie, Pa. She has a goldendoodle named Maddie.
Hill's Science Plan Sterilised Adult Dry Cat Food with Salmon has a unique weight management formula to help burn fat, build muscle and keep sterilised cats lean. Made with high-quality, easy-to-digest ingredients.
Hill's Science Plan Sensitive Stomach & Skin Adult Wet Cat Food with Turkey is a complete pet food for adult cats, aged 1–6 years. This highly digestible wet food comes in a pouch and supports healthy digestion, as well as nourishes skin and promotes a thick and lustrous coat.
Hill's Science Plan Hairball & Perfect Coat Adult Cat Food with Chicken is formulated to effectively help avoid hairball formation in adult cats while promoting a beautiful coat. Thanks to its mix of essential omega-6 fatty acids, this food benefits the cat's skin and fur, keeping them healthy and shiny. Our Advanced Fibre Technology helps reduce hairballs by naturally promoting their passage through the gut. This food is formulated with high-quality protein for a perfectly balanced, great-tasting recipe.
Chicken recipe dry cat food with L-carnitine and fewer calories for ideal weight management in adult cats. Packed with high-quality protein, omega-6s, and vitamin E for shiny fur and healthy skin.
Good nutrition is about the right balance of nutrients. Learn more about health issues when feeding a cat food that has an improper nutritional balance from your friends at Hills Pet Nutrition.
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Our low calorie formula helps you control your cat's weight. It's packed with high-quality protein for building lean muscles, and made with purposeful ingredients for a flavorful, nutritious meal. Clinically proven antioxidants, Vitamin C+E, help promote a healthy immune system.
Our low calorie formula helps you control your cat's weight. It's packed with high-quality protein for building lean muscles, and made with purposeful ingredients for a flavorful, nutritious meal. Clinically proven antioxidants, Vitamin C+E, help promote a healthy immune system.