Best Cat Toys for Exercise: Don’t Let Your Cat Become Too Fat

best cat toys for exerciseYou’ve probably seen them before – fat cats that are sleeping all day. Even though they might look cute sometimes, it doesn’t mean that it’s a good thing. And maybe it’s your cat that is getting too fat. In that case you’re probably getting a little worried if everything will be alright with his health. Well, I’m here to tell you that just as for humans getting too fat is a bad thing – so is it for cats. That’s why I’ve made this short list about the best cat toys for exercise that will help your cat become more active and healthy.

Before you read any further. Please know that the most important factor in the weight of your cat is the (amount of) food that he’s eating. So if you’re continually giving him huge amounts, then it’s better to give him a little bit less. Or get a high quality cat food that will make sure he gets all the necessary vitamins and minerals.

What are the best cat toys for exercise?

#1 Get a good cat tree

If you’re cat is getting to fat, then the first thing I would do is get him a good cat tree. You see, when you have a cat tree home your cat will automatically start playing around on it. Especially if it has a couple of nice soft places on top where he can comfortably lie down. He will have to climb all the way up in order to reach it. I like all the Molly and Friends cat trees since they also function as cat crabbing poles and they have catnip extract in the material built in. That means that your cat will be magically drawn to it and will use it.

cat trees exercise cats
A good cat tree has some places where your cat can lie down and relax. Preferably on the higher levels – so that he has to put in some effort to get there!

#2 Self-rotating ball

Another great thing if you want your cat to get more exercise is to get a little self rotating ball. You can get them on Amazon if you want. With a self-rotating ball your cat will try to catch it and since it’s moving away itself it can be very difficult for him. The ball will keep your cat on his toes and give him a good workout. Your cat’s instinct will get activated and your cat will think the ball is something like a little animal. Needless to say, this will keep him active and gives him some exercise. He will jump around and try to catch the ball.

#3 The old simple laser pointer

If you’re looking for a quick simple way that you can give your cat a good workout – then don’t look any further than the laser pointer. Just like with the ball, your cat will go crazy to try to catch the laser dot. Of course he won’t be able to, but this will give him a great workout in the process. You can give him this exercise a couple of times per week. I recommend you don’t do it too often. Your cat might at some point realise that he’s never going to catch it and stop paying attention.

Why is it important that your cat gets exercise?

If your cat is a home cat – then he must do something for his hunting instinct

Most cats that are staying in apartments or homes are not moving enough. Cats are outdoor animals by nature and if they’re not moving and jumping enough, this can make your cat feel miserable. On top of that it’s a cause of him getting too fat and this can have serious health complications in the long run. So if you can let your cat go outside once a while then this is absolutely perfect. He will climb some trees and maybe even catch a little mouse or bird. This will satisfy his hunting instincts and he’ll be active as well!

Now, I realise that this is not an option for many cat owners. Maybe you live in an environment where it’s unsafe for your cat. Or there is no way he can enter your apartment without you letting him. In that case it’s a good idea to simulate some of the hunting aspect in your cat’s life. You can get some of the best cat toys for exercise that I mentioned before. This will help him be more active.

Letting your cat go outside is a great way for him to get some exercise!

Too many cats are getting too fat

Not getting enough exercise is only one part of the equation. if you’re serious about your cat’s health, then you also need to give him the right cat food. And in the right amounts. Always check the package of the food to see how much servings a regular cat needs. And don’t feed him more. Even if he’s asking for it. Now, if your cat is eating way too much, then it’s a good thing to slowly reduce his portions. So that he won’t feel like he’s starving. In the end, it’s your responsibility that your cat gets enough exercise and doesn’t overeat.

Conclusion best cat toys for exercise

I hope you enjoyed this article about the best cat toys for exercise. The health and well-being of your cat is very important and – just as humans – your cat needs to be active and do some sort of exercise. This can be done naturally. Just let him go outside and he will find ways to be active. He’ll start climbing trees and go hunting. If this is not an option, then you can get some cat toys to simulate his hunting instinct.

Also consider giving him less – or better – food. So that he’ll become less fat. often this is enough to make him feel healthier and lose weight. And the more happy and in-shape your cat is, the happier you’ll be!

 

 

P.S. if you enjoyed this list of the best cat toys for exercise, then you’ll probably like my article about the best cat toys for bored cats as well! Click here to read it.

Best Cat Toys for Indoor Cats: 3 Cat Towers for Optimal Cat Happiness

Cats are creatures that need to be active. But unfortunately they don’t need to be active the entire day such as some other pets. What this means is that your cat has to be active and play for about 1-2 hours every day (of course depending on your cat). But when he’s not allowed to go outside, then you have to make sure that he can play inside. After all, cats are meant to be outdoor animals. And you can’t just undo thousands years of developing his instinct by having him in your house al the tie. In order to make sure your cat will still be active and up to his instincts, ve decided to make this short list of the best cat toys for indoor cats. Feel free to read through it and get something for your cat so that he won’t be bored when you’re not at home!

What are the best cat toys for indoor cats?

Since you’re probably not going to be home all the time (you’ve got work and a social life), there are a couple of requirements for a good indoor cat toy. After all, you can’t just put something in your house and hope that your cat will like it. Maybe he won’t and then it would be a waste of time and money. So before we get into the list of the best cat tos for indoor cats, I want to quickly let you know what a good cat toy needs.

Requirements of good indoor cat toys:

#1 Lets your cat be active

A good cat to should let your cat be active. After all, that’s the whole point of a cat toy. It should stimulate your cat and let him use his hunting instincts. It should allow him to play and develop his coordination and balance. Each of the following cat toys has this built in it. So you know that they are good. And as always, be sure to check it when you’re thinking of getting a new cat toy for your cat.

#2 Is durable

The second thing that a good indoor cat toy should be is durable. The chances are very high that your cat will be using it to sharpen his claws on (instead of your furniture hopefully!). And it would be shame if you’d have to do away with his new toy because it wouldn’t be durable. That’s why I always recommend to buy quality stuff (it might cost a bit more, but that’ll be worth it).

#3 He can play when you’re not around

The final requirement for a good indoor cat toy would be that he can play with it even if yore not around. Why? Because there will be many days when you (or your family) won’t be home for large periods of time. And you don’t want a bored cat in your house. That is a surefire way to get him to claw all your curtains and couches. So a good cat toy would be something that he can play with even if he’s home alone. So that he can play whenever he wants to.

best cat toys for indoor cats
Don’t let your cat get bored – find out what the best cat toys for indoor cats are!

Recommended best cat toys for indoor cats

#1 Kitty City Tower

This is one of my favorite cat toys of all time. The Kitty City cat tower is like a combination of Lego and regular cat towers. You see, you can create your own tower for your cat. This is great if you like to make something for him. You can try out new structures and see if your cat likes it better or not than the old one. And if he doesn’t? No problem – just create a new one!

The great thing is that you can add all sorts of little playthings to it. Think about cat shelters, a place where he can claw his little paws. Or even some toys to hang on it so he can try to catch it. The Kitty City cat tower is really an all-inclusive cat playground. It’s not too expensive and if you have the money you can even get 2 sets. Why? Because then you can create an even bigger tower with more stuff for your cat. Not to mention that it will be a blast for you to build it anyway!

You can read my full review of the Kitty City cat tower here.

#2 Molly and Friends Cat tower

Molly and Friends is a brand that creates high quality stuff for your cat. Especially their cat towers are very popular and chances are that you’ve seen it at one of your friends places. The great thing about their towers is that they are made from very durable material. And also that they have some catnip in them. So you’ll be sure that your cat will want to chill and jump and play on it.

Depending on the model of the tower they also include several cat shelters, cat crabbing poles and little hanging toys that your cat can play with. If you want more information – then you can read my full review about the Molly and Friends cat tower here!

#3 Other cat toys for indoor cats

I recently wrote another article about the best interactive cat toys. In it I described why it is important that your cat has something to play with. And I also gave 4 examples of good toys that your cat can play with. You can either get one of the towers that I talked about in this article (be sure to check my reviews). Or be sure to read my article about the best interactive cat toys.

Cats are creatures that need to be active and if they don’t it might harm their development. You can read my best interactive cat toys article here.

 

 

 

P.S. I hop you enjoyed reading about the best cat toys for indoor cats. If you have any toys or ideas that you’d like me to include, then please feel free to leave a comment. I would be glad to update my list with your suggestion!

Best Cat Toys for Bored Cats: 5 Toys for Keeping Boredom Out

best cat toys for bored catsKeeping your cat active and healthy should be one of your top priorities as a cat owner. Unfortunately, there are many ways that this can go wrong – and one of them is when your cat is bored all the time at home. This happens a lot with people whose cat(s) don’t get any playtime outside. After all, cats are made to be wild animals in the outdoor, so keeping them inside in your apartment won’t be too good for them. But there are some things that you can do to make things better. That’s why I’ve compiled this list of the best cat toys for bored cats. Take a look and see if there’s anything in there for your cat!

You might know that usually here on Prokittens we take a more natural approach to cat health. After all, it’s a good thing to let your cat(s) go outside once a while and give them a good cat tree inside for example. But there simply will come up times in your cats life when he will be bored. Having some good toys close by will keep boredom and bay and will keep your cat active and healthy. not to mention that watching him play with all his toys is a pleasure for you too!

Top 5 best cat toys for bored cats

#1 YoFUN interactive rotating cat ball

The YoFUn interactive ball is a self rotating ball that will randomly move. It can move in every direction (360- degrees) and this means that your cat will be chasing it. From the moment your press the *on* button, it will continuously move throughout the house while emitting a red light.

This will draw the attention of your cat and he will start chasing it. It’s the perfect thing to keep your cat’s coordination and hunting skills up to par. So it’s not only a good plaything against boredom, but it’s also a great exercise for cats. As you know, cats are hunters by nature and if you keep him too long inside without any hunting experience or simulation – it’s not good for his instinct. The Yofun interactive ball will help your cat be active and healthy.

You can order the YoFUN interactive self rotating cal ball here on Amazon.

#2 Cat tunnel with ball

This one is more for smaller cats (or kittens). It’s a 3-way tunnel where cats can climb into and play. It’s made from premium durable material so it won’t tear as cats will scratch it. It also has a little peephole so that cats can look out of it from the top. And to make it even better it has a little playball that your cats can play with.

bored cats
If your cat is staying inside all the time, then chances are high that he’s bored.

If you want to have a little cat tunnel in your house/apartment so that your cat(s) can play in it, then this 3-way cat tunnel is one of the best available. It will give your cat a place to explore and relax in so that he won’t be bored again when you’re not home.

Find out more about the 3-way cat tunnel here on Amazon.

#3 Turbo track cat toy

If your cat likes to play ball, then this turbo track is exactly what you need at home so he won’t be bored. It’s a little race track with a ball in it. Your cat can hit the ball and it will keep on going rounds on the track. It’s a good thing to have at home to keep your cat interested in – so he won’t use his claws at your new furniture. Recommended to buy multiple sets so that you can create even better tracks. It’s fully customizable so you can also change the tracks yourself to shake things up once a while.

Click here to order the turbo track cat toy on Amazon.

#4 Laser pointer

This one is a classic in the best cat toys for bored cats. You’ve probably seen videos before of cats going crazy trying to catch a little red dot from a laser pointer. It’s one of the cheapest and most fun toys for your cat. It will get his attention and he’ll try to jump and catch the laser point. Which he of course never will – but that’s all part of the game. Now, I don’t recommend using this all the time for your cat. As he might stop trusting his instincts, but once a while it’s a great thing to get your cat’s attention and relieve him from his boredom.

Get a laser pointer here.

#5 Kitty city interactive cat tower

If you like to build something for your cat, then you’re absolutely going to love the Kitty city cat tower. It’s a type of Lego tower – but then designed especially for your bored cat. And of course it’s also a lot more durable. So you won’t have to worry about anything breaking.

It’s one of my favorite cat towers, mainly because you can create something new once a while. If you’re cat gets bored with the way the tower is built – no problem. You can just create a new one for him. And the tower comes including with several toys and ball so that your cat has everything he needs to be a healthy and happy cat.

Learn more about the Kitty Cit cat tower in my comprehensive review!

Final words best cat toys for bored cats

If you’re anything like me, you just love it when your cat is playing around. It’s a great thing to see him completely focused on something and trying to catch it. Whether that’s a mouse outside, or a little self-moving ball that you bought him. Your cat was meant to be active and this list of the best cat toys for bored cats will help you find something to relieve his boredom.

 

 

 

 

P.S. enjoyed this list of the best cat toys for bored cats? You can also read my list of the best interactive cat toys for more catty ideas!

 

Best Interactive Cat Toys: These 4 Cat Play Ideas Are Great for Any Cat

best interactive cat toysIf you have a cat at home then you want to make sure that he’s having a good time. After all, a bored cat is not fun to hang around with. Luckily there are thousands of different cat toys so you can play with your cat. That’s why I’ve compiled this list of the best interactive cat toys. Take a look and see if any of them would be good for you and your cat.

Note: even though cats can have a lot of fun by themselves, it sometimes is better to involve yourself in the fun. That’s why I only chose cat toys in this list that you have some influence over (e.g. interactive). There are many more cat toys out there, but to keep a good list, I’ve decided not to add. For instance, there are many cat towers that are great for cats to have a lot of fun. But they’re not too interactive. Find more information about cat towers here.

Best interactive cat toys

Cats are creatures that need to have fun. You see it when they’re young. Kittens always find a way to play and playfight with other kittens. It’s a crucial part of their development. Not only because they have to do something to pass the time. But it’s also good for developing the coordination, balance and strength necessary to live a good cat life.

And when they’re no longer kittens, this process doesn’t stop. In order to keep all his senses (and coordination) as good as possible it is absolutely necessary that a cat can play frequently. Whether that’s with other cats, or with a toy – doesn’t really matter. But if your cat is indoor all the time, and doesn’t have any other cats to play with – then it’s a good idea to check in the following list of the best interactive cat toys if you see anything that will purr up your cat!

Looking for interactive cat toys?

#1 Kitty City Cat Tower

If you like to have cat towers in your house, then you’re absolutely going to love the Kitty City cat tower. Why? Because you can design the shape and the different levels of it. It’s like a mixture between Lego and a cat tower. Which means that you can try out different shapes of the tower and let your cat check if he likes it.

And if he doesn’t? No problem, then you just change it. Another great thing is that you can also get smaller add-ons (or just get the Kitty City tower set twice!) so you can make a huge cat tower with everything that your cat needs.

I’ve written a complete review of the Kitty City cat tower in one of my previous posts. I highly recommend you check it out!

#2 Self Rotating Ball

One of the best things that you can do for your cat is get him something that moves out of itself. This is done to simulate his hunting instincts. For example, if your cat would be out in the wild, he would probably be trying to catch birds or mice. But now that he’s inside – when was the last time he went hunting? Exactly, probably too long ago.

hunting cat
A cat needs to satisfy his hunting instincts. If he doesn’t, then you have to give him the opportunity to do so

This can be bad for a cat, since he needs to be active and his instinct demands from him that he goes out and hunts for something. It doesn’t have to be something that he can eat either. But the most important part is that it moves and demands concentration and coordination to catch.

These are 2 integral cat skills and you would do well to give your cat the opportunity to practice them.

You can go to Amazon and check out all the cat toys they have. There thousands of different little self-moving balls that you can activate. Your cat will then try to catch them and go crazy if he can’t. As we said before, it’s a good idea to let your cat do this a couple times per week so you can make sure that his internal cat instincts aren’t wasting away.

And as a bonus. It’s also a lot of fun to watch him play and try to catch the ball. Which is exactly what you want from a good interactive cat toy.

#3 Laser Light

This one’s a classic. You’ve probably already done this at some part of your life. It may not have been at your home with your cat, but chances are that you’ve played around with a laser light and a letting a cat try to catch it at some point. I recommend you just go to any site that sells little laser pens. Or maybe even the local pets magazine to get one.

The obvious benefit of doing this for your cat is that he will get to practice his concentration and coordination skills. But I still prefer to give my cat something real to play with. After all, I don’t think it’s too good for a cat if he will try to catch a laser point – but there is nothing physical for him to catch.

This may make him go a little crazy and might weaken his instinct, because he is trying to catch something that just isn’t there.

#4 Bonus: YouTube videos

The final thing in this list of best interactive cat toys is a free one. You can put on a YouTube video of other cats on your TV and let your cat watch it. It will be guaranteed fun for everyone. Your catch will be staring and mesmerizing what this other cats are doing in his territory. You can also make a video of your own cat and then let it play on a big screen.

Or turn on your phone and put the camera on selfie mode. Let your cat watch it and see how he tries to give himself a paw.

 

 

P.S. hope you enjoyed this list of best interactive cat toys. If you want more stuff for cats, please check out the Kitty Tube

Dry Cat Food Brands: These 2 Brands Will Make Your Cat Healthier

dry cat food brandsIt’s a long debate in the cat food world what is better for your cat: dry food or wet food. Even though there are no real studies done on the effects there are doubtless many benefits to giving your cat dry food. For instance, many vets believe that giving your cat dry food is better for their dental health as it keeps them sharp and makes your cat use his teeth. And that’s exactly why we’re going to discuss the best dry cat food brands in this article.

So if you’re cure curious what brands of dry cat food are good for your cat. Please continue reading.

Note: in this article we’ll first discuss the benefits of giving your cat dry food vs wet food. And after that we’ll give your our recommendations for dry cat food brands. So if you already know why you want dry cat food – feel free to skip to end to check out dry cat food brands recommendations!

Dry cat food brands

There are many types of cat food available. And it’s also true that many brands produce both dry and wet cat food. But still, here’s a short list of brands that produce high quality dry cat food:

  • Fromm
  • Orijen
  • Halo
  • Hills Science

So if you want to give your cat a good dry cat food brand, then you’re good with any of these options. Feel free to try out and see if your cat likes them.  But if you want to know the benefits of dry cat food vs wet food… please continue reading!

Why dry cat food? 4 reasons

#1 You can store it for longer

If you like to buy your cat food in bulk (like most), then it’s a very good idea to buy dry cat food. The reason or this is that dry cat food stay good for much longer than wet food. So if you can take advantage of a discount for a good brand, it’s often a very good idea to go for the dry food variant.

#2 It’s good for your cats dental health

The next reason is that eating dry food is believed to be better for your cat’s dental health. As you know cats have very sharp teeth and they need to make sure that their teeth stay in top shape. When cats are living in the wild, they naturally ‘train’ their teeth by hunting and catching mice and birds.

This means that their teeth will naturally stay sharp as they are eating tough meats. However, if you have your cats at home, then chances are that they don’t hunt as much (or at all). So one easy way to make sure that your cats’ teeth stay well is to give them dry food.

So they actually have to chew on it and this keeps their teeth sharp.

dry cat food better for teeth
Dry cat food will help your cat’s teeth stay razor-sharp!

#3 It’s cheaper

Another benefit is that dry food is generally cheaper than wet food. The reason for this also comes back to the fact that dry food can be kept in god condition for a longer period of time. But if you want to give your cat high quality food, but you’re still a bit doubting if it’s worth paying a lot of money for – I’d recommend you pick dry food cause it’s virtually always cheaper compared to the same quality of wet cat food.

#4 More natural for your cat

As we discussed before giving your cat dry food is more natural for him and this has a real effect on your cat. It will not only keep his teeth sharper but it’s also good for his instincts. Many cats seem to overeat on wet food since it’s easier from them to eat more of it. By giving your cat wet food he has to put a bit more effort into consuming the food – so he’ll eat less of it. Now, he still has to put less effort into than if were to catch a bird in the wild, but you the more his food resembles his real nature – the better!

#5 Better for his thyroid

Some doctors also believe that giving your cat dry food is better for his thyroid. The reason for this is because some studies found a positive correlation between fat food and hyperthyroidism. This might have something to do that your cat can easily eat more wet food than dry food. But still, if you wat to be sure of your cat’s health – then I’d recommend giving him dry food to be sure he won’t experience hyperthyroidism. Which can be a big deal in a cat’s life.

Best dry cat food brands – Our recommendations

We have given you a list of popular dry cat food brands in the beginning before. But because these brands still have many different options available, we’ve decided to give you 2 of our favorite dry cat food brands PLUS the recommend cat foods that they produce. Take a look and see if you like them.

Note: we have written more extensive reviews on these 2 cat foods in the specific pages. So if you want to find out more information about each of these dry cat food brands, please be sure to click the link!

  • Fromm cat foodFromm cat food is an all-natural cat food that is available in many different tastes. You can either choose between fish, meat and chicken with vegetables. The main benefit is that you can choose for grain-free. Since many cats experience stomach problems when eating cat food with grains – Fromm cat food can be a life-saver for your cat!
  • Orijen cat food this cat food is also available in grain-free from. It contains all the proteins, vitamins and nutrients that your cat needs to be healthy, happy and strong cat Absolutely recommended if you care about the health of your cat.

 

P.S. do you want a complete list of cat food brands? Feel free to check out this list of 10 popular cat food brands to get a feeling which ones could be great for your cat!

Covered Cat Litter Boxes: Give Your Cat Some Privacy + Less Smell

covered cat litter boxesDoes your cat litter box also smell bad? It’s one of the main complaints from cat owners who keep their cats inside the house. After that comes the continuous scratching and clawing of furniture. However, for each of these 2 problems exist simple solutions. You can read everything here about god scratch posts for your cat – and this article will deal with the other solution for the cat litter box smell: Covered cat litter boxes.

On this page you’ll find everything you need to know about covered cat litter boxes. What are they? What problems do they solve? Which benefits do they offer and of course we’ll also give you a couple of recommendations (one great covered cat litter box furniture plus a sifting cat litter box).

So what are we waiting for? Let’s find out why too should get a covered cat litter box!

Covered cat litter boxes

A covered cat litter box is exactly what it sounds. Instead of having cat litter just lying around in the open, you have it covered. This can be done in several ways. Either you get a small covered box, which is the cheaper option. Disadvantage of this is that it can still look a bit out of place or the smell might get through a bit.

The second option is to get a special cat litter furniture. The litter box either comes included with the litter box furniture, or you can place it in there yourself. The obvious benefit is that nobody sees that your cat’s litter box is in there. So it’s a better option for the hygiene. However, they can get a bit more expensive and you might have to buy a smaller litter box to place inside this cabinet.

That’s why at the end of this article you can find both options!

Benefits of covered cat litter boxes

#1 No more smell

This is of course the main reason why you want to get a covered cat litter box: to get rid of the smell. As we said before it’s a major complaint of people cat owners who keep their cat inside. However, it’s a very easy solution to get a cat box with a cover. This cover will ensure that the smell stays inside.

As a bonus some newer covered cat litter boxes even come with a charcoal absorption pad inside. This ensures that literally every single smell is taken care of and you won’t notice a thing that your cat goes there to poop.

#2 It looks like real furniture

This goes for the cat litter box furniture. They are designed in such a way that it looks like real furniture. Just as if you would have small cabinet standing there with some of your personal belongings. However, this is different. Most of the cat litter furniture has a little door on the side that is big enough for your cat to enter.

Then you can put the litter box inside and you cat can do what he needs to do. This works even better to keep the smell inside the cabinet and friends or guests would never notice that your little cabinet isn’t even a real cabinet!

#3 Give your cat more privacy

How would you feel if people would be watching you while you’re going to the toilet? Exactly – not too comfortable. Now, of course this is different for cats, but giving them a bit of privacy won’t hurt, right? And if your cat is totally fine with people watching, it would still be nice for you not to see how your cat is pooping while you’re sitting at the kitchen table enjoying your breakfast.

#4 Available in many options

And as we discovered before, you can either get a regular covered cat litter box or you can get cat litter box furniture. On top of that there are also automated cat sifter boxes that take all the work out of regular cat litter boxes.

So you literally have hundreds of different options to choose from. Now, in order not to make things to difficult you can read a short list of our recommendations for covered cat litter boxes below. You can click the links included to go to the full reviews of these products. So feel free to take a look and see if these covered cat litter boxes are exactly what you need!

Recommended covered cat litter boxes

Meow Town cat litter furniture

Meow Town is a company that produces all sorts of practical cat products. Their affordable cat litter furniture is a great example of this. It looks just like a regular cabinet, however there’s a magnetic door on the side that your cat can use to get inside to his litter box.

You can read more about the Meow Town cat litter furniture on this page. It’s a list of Meow Town products, so you have to scroll down a bit to get to the cat furniture.

Hagen CatIt Smart sift Litter Box

This is a very practical cat litter box that takes all the difficulty and dirty work out of cleaning your cat litter box. It’s covered and contains an easy mechanism that cleans the litter box. It’s manual, so your cat doesn’t sit on anything electrical or mechanic which could hurt him. All you have to do is pull the lever once a day and clean the box once a week (depending on how many cats you have).

Included is a nice manual that shows you the exact steps how to get your cat used to this litter box. And it also contains activated carbon to get rid of nasty smells.

Click here for my complete review of the affordable Hagen Catit Smartsift Litter box.

Best Indoor Cat Food: What to Look for If Your Cat Lives Inside

best indoor cat foodIf you have a cat (or more) at home then you need to be very careful in what you feed them. After all, cats are outdoor animals and this means that their bodies and diets have specifically adapted to that. But over the last decades more and more cat owners are keeping their cats exclusively indoor. And this means that your cat gets completely different lifestyle than it would’ve had if it would be living outdoor. So he needs extra care and nutrition to stay a healthy and happy cat. That’s why today we’ll be discussing the best indoor cat food.

So if you have a cat who barely goes outside (whether that’s because you live in an apartment, it’s too cold outside or maybe it’s simply too dangerous for him out there), you need to have the right type of food for your cat. Food that is especially designed for indoor cats. After all, they have different needs than cats that often go outside.

Want to know what the best indoor cat food is? And why your cat needs it? Then please continue reading!

Best indoor cat food

The best indoor cat food is different from general cat food. For instance, it generally should have fewer calories and should contain all the necessary nutrients and minerals your cat needs to be healthy. After all, your cat is not jumping around outside and catching birds and mice to take care of his own food.

So the best indoor cat food should have the following:

  • Less calories – as cats are less active, you wouldn’t want them to get fat.
  • All the vital nutrients and minerals – your cat is not eating any real natural meat, so you need to make sure his cat food contains everything he needs.
  • Easy to make portions – since your cat will generally keep grazing all day long, it’s important that you can easily control his portions. Because your cat won’t and you don’t want him to gain excess weight.

So now that you know a couple of things you should look out for when buying cat food for your indoor cats. Let’s quickly discuss why exactly they need different food than cats who are roaming all day outside. Continue reading to find out…

Why do indoor cats need different food? 5 reasons

#1 They are less active

As we discussed before, cats that live inside are simply less active than cats that are living outside. This is because cats like to play around In their environment and inside there is simply less space and activities for him to do. So unless you get a good cat tower, your cat will simply spend less energy than his outdoor friends.

And the last thing you want is for your cat to get fat. After all, just like for humans, extra fat can clog the body and you don’t want your cat to feel unhealthy or to get a bad disease because he’s overweight.

#2 They don’t hunt

The second reasons why they need extra food is because indoor cats generally don’t hunt. The main thing that indoor cats need extra is highly nutritious food. The reason for this is simple. Cats who hunt, also eat what they find (mostly). And this means that they are getting many vita nutrients and minerals through the birds and mice that they eat.

So an outdoor cat can more easily get by on a lesser quality cat food. Because he’s getting important nutrients from other places. However, your indoor cat does not have this luxury. He needs the best indoor cat food you can get simply to make up for lost nutrients that he’s not getting.

hunting cat
Cats who hunt outside need more calories than cats who stay inside.

#3 It’s warmer

Another reason why there’s a difference is because indoor cats have a more warm life. If a cat is living outside, he needs to burn more calories just to keep himself warm at night, or in winter. So logically he will need more calories to stay warm.

Your cat that’s chilling inside all winter does not have to worry about staying warm. The temperature is virtually always constant and if he gets cold, he’ll just go to the heater or cosily chill with you to get warmer.

This means that indoor cats also burn less calories than if they were to be out on the streets more.

#4 Cats are natural grazers

You might have noticed that your cat prefers to eat all day long. Instead of having a couple of larger meals, he prefers to go and eat every hour of couple of hours. This is because cats are natural grazers.

Now, the main implication is that you need to be able to easily control his eating portions. Otherwise he will simply eat all day (and night) long and this will make him fat. Luckily cats can easily adapt and if you get a good indoor cat food that you can measure portions with, you can keep him trim, healthy and strong.

#5 They need minerals and vitamins

The best indoor cat food makes sure that your cat gets all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins that he needs. This will ensure that he stays healthy and strong. And that he will live a long happy cat life together with you!

Best indoor cat food – our recommendations

We have reviewed many different types of cat food on this site. However, there are a couple of brands that are simply better than others. So here are out best indoor cat food recommendations:

  • Fromm cat foodthis cat food is available in many different tastes. The most popular ones are the fish, meat and chicken variants. You can get them grain-free if your cat is allergic to it.
  • Orijen cat food high quality and very nutritious cat food that is also grain-free. It’s made from quality sources of protein (meat and fish) that will ensure that you cat stays happy and vital.

 

P.S. want to see a complete overview of the most popular cat food brands? Take a look at this top 10 cat food brands list and see if you can find a good taste for your cat!

Cat Condos for Large Cats: What to Look for if Your Cat is Bigger

cat condos for large catsAre you almost jealous of your friends who have small cats who fit in every single cat condo that’s available? Is your cat pretty large and do you want to find special cat condos for large cats? If you are, then you’re at the right place. Many large cat owners know exactly what you’re talking about.

Since most cat condos are made for indoor cats, which tend to be a bit smaller, it can be quite a problem to find good cat condos for large cats. However, if you look well enough you’ll be sure to find some good ones.

To take away the searching effort on your part, we’ve prepared this special article with a couple of tips for condos for large cats. But if you decide to go the route of finding one yourself – we’ve added some special tips in the end that will guide you to finding the perfect condo for your large cat.

So, let’s not wait any longer and dive into the cat condos for large cats!

Cat condos for large cats

Large cats are just like small cats. They also want a nice place to lie comfortable and where they can simply hide away from the world for a couple of minutes of hours. The only thing is that they’re bigger – so they do not fit (or cannot comfortable lie down) in regular cat condos.

Unfortunately there are not many condos available for larger cats. So one of your best bets is to actually look for cat houses that are suitable for several cats. If 3 small cats can fit, then your large cat will also easily fit in there.

On final thing to check though, is the size of the door. You of course want a cat condo with a door that’s large enough for your cat.

Our recommended cat condos for large cats

To save you the trouble from having to look all around your local pet stores or small ecommerce sites on the internet, we’ve prepared a short collection of poplar cat condos for large cats. As you might know, we’ve reviewed many different types of cat products on this site, and condos for cats is one category.

So feel free to read up on the reviews posted below. Short summaries are written below, but if you want the complete overview of the specific cat condo – please click the given links to my comprehensive reviews.

We’ve divided the most popular cat condos into 2 categories: Indoor and outdoor. So whatever type of condo you’re looking for – we’ve got you covered.

cat condo for larger cats
Larger cats need larger places to rest and play!

Indoor cat condo: Go Pet Club Cat Tree

The Go pet Club Cat Tree is not only a cat condo, but it’s also a cat tree. Now, at first sight you might think: why have a pet tree when all I want is a simple cat condo for my cat? And you’re right. However, having a cat condo inside a cat tree offers numerous extra benefits for you and your cat. Take a look at the list below:

  • Your cat can also play in the cat tree – and later relax in his own cat condo
  • Cat scratching poles are included in the cat tree – so your cat can keep his claws in top shape without ruining your furniture.
  • It’s a lot of fun for you to watch too – if you’re anything like me, you’ll love to watch your cat play around and be active, which is exactly what he’ll do with the GO Pet Club Cat Tree.

The tree is suitable for larger cats so you won’t have to worry about anything. The only thing I’d recommend is to put the tree in a corner for extra stability. This will ensure that it’s stable enough even for larger cats.

Click here to read my full comprehensive review of the Go Pet Club Cat Tree.

Outdoor cat condo: The Kitty Tube

If you’re looking for a good outdoor cat condo, then you won’t find anything better than the Kitty Tube. With its charming name it’s the best outdoor cat condo currently available on the market. It’s suitable for larger cats and even offers a lot more than that:

  • Isolation against heat/cold – if you live in a climate with cold winters or hot summers then you want to protect your cat from that. The Kitty Tube is isolated very well, so it will stay cool in summer and warm in winter.
  • Protection from wind and predators – it will also offer your cat shelter from wind and predators. Predators such as dogs and coyotes cannot enter the Kitty Tube and it is made from strong material that will make sure it stays strong and intact.

If you want to find out more information about the Kitty Tube, then I recommend you check out my full review of this great outdoor cat condo here.

kitty tube condo
The Kitty Tube protects your cats from harsh weather such as snow or extreme heat.

Cat condos for larger cats: summary

So, to give you a quick review of everything we’ve discussed. When looking for a bigger cat condo there are several things you need to bear in mind. First: do you need an indoor or an outdoor cat condo. If you’re looking for an indoor cat condo then it might be a good idea to choose a cat condo that comes with a cat tree for optimal use of your space. It also offers many other benefits for your cat including extra play options and an included cat scratching post.

And if you need an outdoor cat condo it’s a good idea to look for one that offers complete protection against the weather (and maybe natural enemies of your cat).The Kitty Tube is a perfect example of an affordable outdoor cat condo that does this.

 

P.S. The Kitty Tube is absolutely recommended if your cat spends a lot of time outdoor. And the Go Pet Club  cat tree is a great cat condo if your cat is almost always inside of your house!

Best Natural Cat Food – What Should A Brand Include for Perfect Health?

best natural cat foodIf you have one or more little cats running around in your house, then you only want the best for them. Whether they’re little kittens or older and wiser cats, they all have one thing in common. They need the best natural cat food that they can get in order to be healthy, happy and strong cats.

But what is the right type of food for them? If you’re looking to find out what the best natural cat food is for your feline friends, then you’re on the right page. First we’ll shortly discuss the 5 things that each cat food should offer your cat.

And then if you’re curious, we’ll give your our recommendations for best natural cat food that will make your cat a healthy and active cat!

So, let’s not wait any longer and dive in!

Best natural cat food

There are many low quality cat foods available. And they all have several things in common. That’s also why you should be careful if you’re buying a new type of cat food for your cats. The main problem is finding a brand that uses high quality ingredients as this is the most important things.

High quality cat food -> High quality of life for your cat.

So what exactly should a high quality cat food brand offer you? Continue reading to find out the 5 things every natural cat food brand should have…

What should you look for in the best natural cat food

#1 High quality

The first thing is that it should be high quality. How do you check this? Well, the main part to find out whether cat food is high quality is to carefully read the following things:

  • Ingredient list – carefully check the ingredient list. In general, you want this list to be as short as possible and you don’t want to see any weird names that you don’t understand.
  • Productions methods – many higher quality cat food brands choose to make their blends in small batches. This is opposed to lower quality brands that virtually always make their food in big factory batches. This makes it more difficult to control quality and often quantity is more important to them than quality.

#2 Available grain-free

The next thing that you should look at if the cat food is available grain free. The reason for this is because many cheaper brands add grains to their cat food mixes because grain is a cheap ingredient compared to meat and fish. Unfortunately, meat and fish are the real nutrition that the body of your cat has evolved to eat.

Many cats even react adversely to eating grains. That is logical since cats in the wild don’t eat grains and their bodies do not know what to do with it. So if a brand is available grain-free then this is also a good sign that it is a good natural cat food brand.

#3 Suitable for cats from all ages

Another thing to check for is if the cat food is available for cats of every different age. Although nutritional requirements differ for kittens and for older cats, in general most cats have a very simple diet. All they need is meat and fish and if they get this in high quality variants, then the cat food should be good for them.

Some cat food brands market that their food is especially good for kittens or older cats, but this is most often nothing more than a marketing plot. The best natural cat food is suited for cats of all ages.

healthy cat food
Cats of all ages should eat natural and healthy foods!

#4 Contains the right types of protein

The next important thing is that the cat food contains the right types of protein. What are the right types? Take a look at the following list:

  • Meat – a good cat food should include meat as your cat has evolved to eat mainly meat.
  • Fish – fish is also an excellent option of protein for your cat.
  • Eggs – even though cats do not eat many eggs In the wild, it still is a great source of protein that your cat can use to be healthy.

#5 Made with biological ingredients

Now that you know what types of cat food are great for a cat’s health, it’s also important to check whether the sources of these animal proteins were biological. After all, if your cat is eating chicken that has been pumped full of antibiotics and growth hormones, then you can expect that this has an adverse effect for your cat.

That’s why it’s good to check how the meat that is used in the cat food was been produced. Biological is virtually always better than factory meat. And your cat will notice the difference!

Best natural cat food: our recommendations

We have reviewed quite a lot of different types of cat food. But here are the most popular variants that we absolutely recommend to give to your cat if you’re looking for the best natural cat food available.

These 2 brands of cat food will ensure that your cat gets all the right nutrients he needs to live a good cat life full of energy and health.

Here they are:

  • Fromm cat foodavailable in any different types of tastes but one thing is sure – your cat will absolutely love it. Click here to read my full Fromm cat food review to find out everything you need to know about this food.
  • Orijen cat food another great option if you care about the health of your cat(s).grain-free and made only from biological ingredients – you can be sure that your cat will feel great eating Orijen cat food. Click here to read my comprehensive Orijen cat food review.

 

P.S. curious for other types of cat foods that are also great for your cat? Click here for a top list of 10 cat food brands. This list includes all types of high quality and/or biological cat foods that will do a lot for the health of your cat. And remember: a happy cat is a happy you!

Orijen Cat Food – Give Your Cat the Nutrition He Needs

orijen cat foodIf you’re a proud cat owner then you want only the best for your little feline friends. There are many things that are important if you want to give your cat a healthy and strong lifestyle and one of the most important ones is that he gets the right nutrition. And that is exactly why we’ll be discussing Orijen cat food today! Orijen cat food is a healthy source of protein, vitamins and minerals for your cat. SO you can rest assured knowing that your cat is getting everything he needs.

Note: in this Orijen cat food review we first discuss the company Orijen. Then we’ll shortly discuss the 2 types of cat owners who can benefit from giving their cats Orijen. Finally we’ll list the 5 reasons why you should buy Orijen for your cat and we end off with a good place where you can buy this cat food for a good affordable price.

About Orijen

Orijen is a company that produces high quality pet food. They mainly make food for cats and dogs with the following premise. They believe that most pet foods nowadays are not good for your pet. Why? Because even though the way of producing cat food has changed a lot in the last years, your cat’s biology hasn’t changed in the last several thousand years.

So it only makes sense to feed your cat what he would eat in the wild, right? And that’s exactly what Orijen accomplishes with their biological and nutritious cat food. Every taste is made with the things that a cat should eat. That’s why their products do not contain grains or potatoes – but mostly only meat, eggs and fish.

So your cat will get the nutrition that he needs.

orijen cat food reviews
Orijen cat food is great food for your cats!

Orijen cat food specifications

Since Orijen produces many different types of cat foods, we have picked their most popular taste here. This is Orijen Dry Cat and Kitten food. Here are all it specifications:

  • Protein – over 90% of the Orijen cat food is comprised of lean proteins.
  • Size – you can buy this cat food in bags of 4 or 12 pound.
  • Biological – all the ingredients are certified biological.

Note: for more specific information about Orijen cat food and the prices for each size, please refer to this page.

Two types of cat owners who’ll love to give their cats Orijen cat food

  • Cat owners who want their cats to eat an all-inclusive healthy cat food – Orijen contains all the vitamins and minerals that a cat needs to be healthy, happy and strong. So you won’t have to worry about that.
  • Cat owners who don’t want their cats to eat grains or potatoes – most other cat foods include grains or potatoes because it’s cheaper than meat or fish. However, cats are not designed to eat this and many cats actually react badly to it. You’d do well to feed your cats grain-free cat food if he does not tolerate it well.

5 benefits of Orijen cat food

#1 Grain free

As we’ve discussed before, Orijen cat food is grain-free. This is very important since many other brands (even the expensive ones) add grains and potatoes to their cat food. The reason for this is simple. It’s not because your cat needs it. On the contrary. This is done because these are cheaper sources of calories and filling for the cat food.

But they are not necessarily good for your cat. That’s why it’s important to choose for cat food that does not contain grains or potatoes if you care about the health of your cat!

#2 Keeps your cat healthy and strong

The right cat food is very important if you want to keep your cat healthy, happy and strong. That is why Orijen cat food contains a unique mix of ingredients that will allow your cat to be as active and healthy as possible. And a happy cat means a happy you!

#3 Protein from meat and fish

The protein in Orijen cat food is from meat and fish. These are all sources that cats eat in the wild. Their bodies have evolved to perform well when they eat these types of protein and I would dare to say that it is the only type of protein that really goes well with the biology of the cat. And you wouldn’t want to feed your cat something that his body isn’t equipped to handle well, right?

#4 Contains all the vitamins and mineral your cat needs

On top of the right proteins, it also contains all the vitamins and minerals that your cat needs. This is because meat and fish in themselves contain the right micronutrient balance and this will go through to your cat when he eats it.

#5 Good for cats of all ages

The final benefit of Orijen cat food is that cats of any age can eat this food. SO whether you have a couple of kittens at home, or some older cats – you can rest assured knowing that all of them will get the healthy nutrition that they need when they eat Orijen cat food.

Orijen cat food reviews

“My cat absolutely loves Orijen cat food. Before we got some cheaper variant from a local store, but he had to throw up after eating and stopped eating it at all. Luckily he now eats well again!”

– Jim

 

“We have several kittens and larger cats and we need a high quality cat food that is suitable for cats from all ages. Orijen perfectly fits with our needs because it is healthy and good for cats of all ages.”

– Maria

Where to get Orijen cat food?

If you too want to get your hands on a bag of Orijen cat food to give your cat the health and nutrition that he needs…

… then click here to order Orijen cat food & give your cat the nutrition that he needs!

buy orijen cat food

 

P.S. did you know there are other tastes of Orijen cat food?  Why not try the Fish mix from Orijen!