Advice for Cat Owners when Exercising

ivansmomma
ivansmomma Posts: 500
edited September 30 in Fitness and Exercise
Having four indoor, rescue kitties, ranging in age from 3-10 years, there are a few points I would like to bring up:

1. Make sure they are all asleep.
2. Keep all toys from exercise area. There is a big chance of stepping on a squeaky mouse and waking all of them up, which would not be a good situation.
3. Make sure your exercise outfit does not have any dangling ties, strings, etc. Or, that your shoes/feet look like a toy.
4. Try not to make any loud noises, such as grunting or groaning, as this could wake up the sleeping beauties.
5. If possible, keep treats in your pocket. If they do come into the room and you are not finished, you can redirect them by throwing the treats into another room.
6. The biggest advice is to love them, care for them, and even though they don't show it, they love you, too!
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Replies

  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    or...lock them in a bedroom or a crate
  • Phera
    Phera Posts: 269 Member
    My cats usually scatter if I'm jumping around the living room. My dog however thinks it's play time and starts running around like a psycho-puppy.
  • Riebop
    Riebop Posts: 275
    I swear my cats only sleep during the day while I'm at work. They do come into the room that I workout in, but stay out of my way. The only time they get close is when I'm on the yoga mat on the floor and that's one headbutting me to move so he can sit on the mat. :P
  • WonderNoodle
    WonderNoodle Posts: 549
    my carlos-the-cat likes to help me weigh in.
  • Matiara
    Matiara Posts: 377 Member
    LOL! My cats like to sit right in my path while I'm doing Turbo Jam and weave through my legs when I'm doing stretches. Other times, they will sit on my bed or their tower and watch me like I'm a very entertaining TV show.
  • stephyy4632
    stephyy4632 Posts: 947 Member
    lol
    my cats love to hop on the end of the crosstrainer while I`m on it and look nice and lazy while I`m working my butt off lol but I do agree about the toys I`ve stepped on a few cat balls (also kid toys but we won`t go there my kids should know to pick them up by now) and they are quite painful.

    I also have 3 cats two that are very Large in size and one tiny one
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Mine just look at me as if to say, "WHAT are you doing? Isn't it easier to just watch TV on the couch?"
  • Riebop
    Riebop Posts: 275
    Mine just look at me as if to say, "WHAT are you doing? Isn't it easier to just watch TV on the couch?"

    LOL!! I was thinking the exact same thing. I'm pretty sure my cats think I'm nuts.
  • cjsgrimlin
    cjsgrimlin Posts: 246
    Mine stays locked out of the room with the kids. However my sister uses one of her four cats as a jumping line while doing P90x cat had the misfortune of taking over her mat and got jumped over!!! And apparently loves it!
  • JS295
    JS295 Posts: 27 Member
    Too funny! My cats think they need to be right under my feet when I'm trying to do an aerobics DVD.
  • texastae1010
    texastae1010 Posts: 165
    Ok mine do some of the above one believes that my hair/pony tail is a play thing that must be attacked....when doing any sort of cardio (only for me if my husband is doing anything nothing they scatter or just leave him alone) I have the weaving in and out of my legs or the one cat who thinks she is dog brings me her mouse to play fetch with and yes she goes and gets and brings it back (maybe this is normal I am semi new to cats always had dogs until about 1.5 years ago lol)....also they believe that if the yoga mat is out I have put it there for them to lay on I even got a cheapy for them and nope they still want mine....and when I finish and I am all sweaty trying to drink some water and cool down then they want to pounce me but this girl + sweat + furry cat = me looking like I need to shave like no ones business and it isn't even my hair saying all of that like above sad we most love them because half the time they just make me bust out laughing
  • cjcarson87
    cjcarson87 Posts: 31
    or...lock them in a bedroom or a crate

    hahahaha omg. i have tears im laughing so hard. but seriously...I love kitties thats mean!

    edit: and way to time consuming to catch them and shove them in the crate
  • TheShelterCat
    TheShelterCat Posts: 160
    My cats usually scatter if I'm jumping around the living room. My dog however thinks it's play time and starts running around like a psycho-puppy.

    I have the same problem lol! My dog starts running around thinking it's play time and if I'm doing mat work like crunches or push ups, my one cat always sneaks up and tries to sit on my back/stomach.:laugh:
  • marquesajen
    marquesajen Posts: 641
    My cat never sleeps! Well, he does, but when we work out he is THERE. He bit my husband on the elbow and then on top of his head. If I'm doing dance stuff he stretches waaaay out along where I'm doing it. I highly recommend locking them in a room with toys, food and water.
  • vdavis_89
    vdavis_89 Posts: 334
    My cats usually scatter if I'm jumping around the living room. My dog however thinks it's play time and starts running around like a psycho-puppy.

    My dog does the same! He drags all his toys out of his toy box and tosses them at me!!
  • ivansmomma
    ivansmomma Posts: 500
    I am laughing reading all of the adventures with your pets!! All of our cats are rather large - not fat, just large - and there's no way to exercise if they want to play. I get the weaving back and forth between the ankles, too!
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I am laughing reading all of the adventures with your pets!! All of our cats are rather large - not fat, just large - and there's no way to exercise if they want to play. I get the weaving back and forth between the ankles, too!

    Try putting a stability ball in the same room. My cat won't go near it - she just hates it!
  • ivansmomma
    ivansmomma Posts: 500
    I am laughing reading all of the adventures with your pets!! All of our cats are rather large - not fat, just large - and there's no way to exercise if they want to play. I get the weaving back and forth between the ankles, too!

    Try putting a stability ball in the same room. My cat won't go near it - she just hates it!

    A spray bottle with water mixed with a tiny bit of vinegar works, too.
  • Jenlwb
    Jenlwb Posts: 682 Member
    Most of my workouts involve a mat- and of course it is a law of nature that if there is a mat, the cat must sit on it! Especially if he know's it's mine, and i'm allergic to him and don't want fur on it.

    I have to say that at 7kg he could use a some Jillian himself....
  • IMYarnCraz33
    IMYarnCraz33 Posts: 1,016 Member
    We have a 10 week old kitten... he's becoming more playful
    so we keep him in a cat kennel when I work out.
  • otr12
    otr12 Posts: 632 Member
    I just gotta say...

    How awesome would it be to walk into a room and look at people, and they start massaging you?
  • brattyworm
    brattyworm Posts: 2,137 Member
    all of the above... lol.. the dog enjoys giving kisses when you're on the floor stretching and also drags all of his toys out of his toy box to play, the cats will look at you like wtf... you're moving a lot...

    although the person who says they play fetch with their cat, i have one of those too.. you throw the squishy fuzzy soccer ball (tiny cat toy) and he runst after it gets it and meanders his way back to you and drops it and waits.
  • ivansmomma
    ivansmomma Posts: 500
    One of our cats will come out to the kitchen when he hears the refrigerator icemaker. He likes to get a small chunk of ice and plays 'hockey' with us. Got a pretty mean slap shot!
  • klamont9
    klamont9 Posts: 59
    For whatever reason, when do I the "high knees" during the Insanity workout, our cat goes hunting for my shoelaces! I'm afraid I'm going to step on him one of these days. But during the rest of the workout he just lays there, weird....
  • calibri
    calibri Posts: 439 Member
    Zorro enjoys watching me run on the treadmill, although sometimes he gets bored and sleeps.
  • hoyagirl03
    hoyagirl03 Posts: 220 Member
    Mine loves the yoga mat and like to sit on it while I'm doing crunches. Or sit on my tummy as I'm getting ready to do crunches. But usually when I'm jumping around doing Turbo Fire, he's asleep on the couch. He's never disturbed by the music or movement.
  • cheri0627
    cheri0627 Posts: 369 Member
    My cat walked in front of me today while I was stretching, so I picked him up and did Romanian dead lifts with him. I expected him to run away when I set him down. Instead he looked stunned for a few moments, and then he came back and rubbed on my legs, so I picked him up and did some more. He started purrrrrrrring! If only he weighed more so I could actually use him for a real work out. 13lbs just isn't enough.
  • snkeller24
    snkeller24 Posts: 459
    Yup my cat is either put upstairs or in his crate ... he finds it fun to lay on top of me while doing sit ups ... under my chest while push ups, or jumping on my back while doing push ups. He does not like being used to do bicep curls or as a barbell for press or squats ... He could clean while I work out though.
  • brattyworm
    brattyworm Posts: 2,137 Member
    My cat walked in front of me today while I was stretching, so I picked him up and did Romanian dead lifts with him. I expected him to run away when I set him down. Instead he looked stunned for a few moments, and then he came back and rubbed on my legs, so I picked him up and did some more. He started purrrrrrrring! If only he weighed more so I could actually use him for a real work out. 13lbs just isn't enough.

    I could loan you a 15 lb one and I garauntee he won't be quite as happy to be your work out toy so you could get an extra work out trying to hold on to him. I counted that as a calorie burn the day we had to do shots. The vet agreed I was allowed to keep a hold of them since they didnt fight me as much but still 15 lbs trying to get away makes your muscles work a bit. And that was times 2 since I have two of them.
  • cheri0627
    cheri0627 Posts: 369 Member
    My cat walked in front of me today while I was stretching, so I picked him up and did Romanian dead lifts with him. I expected him to run away when I set him down. Instead he looked stunned for a few moments, and then he came back and rubbed on my legs, so I picked him up and did some more. He started purrrrrrrring! If only he weighed more so I could actually use him for a real work out. 13lbs just isn't enough.

    I could loan you a 15 lb one and I garauntee he won't be quite as happy to be your work out toy so you could get an extra work out trying to hold on to him. I counted that as a calorie burn the day we had to do shots. The vet agreed I was allowed to keep a hold of them since they didnt fight me as much but still 15 lbs trying to get away makes your muscles work a bit. And that was times 2 since I have two of them.

    No, thanks. I have three of my own problem children without taking on more kitties. I'm pretty lucky with mine that they don't fight too much at the vets or anything. I do have to admit I was very surprised that I was able to do the RDLs with the one. He hates to be picked up. He'd rather climb on you when you least expect it.
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