fat cat won't ever play!

Our fixed female cat is 8 years old and has never been very active. We have tried every conceivable type of toy to no avail. She seems to be aware that it is our hands moving the feathers, strings, etc. and therefore not interested or intrigued enough to move. Also, her sister is very active and will often jump in when we are trying to play with the her.
This has become a real issue now as she has become morbidly obese. She does not eat very much and we do not "free feed" her but she still gains weight because she barely ever moves!
Can anyone help me with some ideas? I love her so much and am afraid she may soon develop heart problems or worse.

Have you tried a lazer pointer - my cats LOVE it, they run around for hours after it and it helped my Peedoodle to lose weight, as well as introducing Kahu into his life. He has lost weight and looks so much better.

I would take her to the vet and get her checked out for diabetes and other internal problems just to be safe. If you have a cat condo, feed her on the top level- train her to a harnass and leash and start letting her take you on walks outside. Install a bird feeder outside one of your windows and provide a ramp she can run up and a perch where she can sit and watch the birds. Talk to your vet about her diet and have him recommend the proper food for her.

If you live in a multi-level house, put the food on one floor and the litter on another. Walking up and down stairs is a small form of exercise also.

Thank you for the advice. We have a laser pointer. As with all toys it only holds her interest for about 20 seconds max. Another problem is that we live in NYC so our apartment is small and gives little opportunity for running space. She had serious health problems about 9 months ago, so taking her back to the vet now is a good idea no matter what (although he yells at us for her weight problems and tells us to just "Chase her around the house.")I have seen a weight loss powder supplement at my pet shop, does anyone know if this is healthy or effective? Or kitty prozac? I am sort of willing to try anything. She is already on a special diet and really eats very little compared to her active sibling... If she only moved a bit more
Nicole
PS: I was registered here before but I forgot my code so I had to re-register... just FYI.

yikes-yet another fat cat like my Katy!!!!!!who also is very disinclined to move from the front of the fire or 'bunny hop'towards the feeding station. I have found that a 'panic mouse' bought from the Internet will hold her attention for quite a while as it whizzes round and round. I only use the slow speed at the moment. She lies on her back and pats at it. Not so good really but at least it is something. The vet told me that if maybe i bought a harness/leash and 'dragged' her up and down the garden a few times a day that might help. I have tried the chasing up the stairs and back but she gets a bit frightened so that was stopped. I have now found that by rattling the food in a metal plate will get her running! So now i feed a little bit for the taste and then move around the room/s with her chasing me for a bit more etc. etc. She has been on a diet for 10 months with no change downwards, nothing wrong with her just lack of exercise. If you come up with any thing that works with your girl please pass it on! I know we are in for a very long haul so please dont get discouraged - it just takes a long time.

Definitely this cat should have a complete physical, possibly some blood work & even some x-rays as a possiblity. Cats can get arthritis & even hip dysplasia & those things could limit activity.
Then,if all is fine healthwise, try to see what interests this kitty. Maybe feathers, maybe fur, maybe squeaking toys or rattling balls. If the only motivator is food, do as one poster suggested & put the food somewhere that will force her to walk at least a bit.
As a last resort, one could add a puppy which would most likely liven things up a bit!
Deb E

Get another vet! You do not just chase a cat around the house! That only scares them and in turn cause them to be wary of you and in the worst case, run away! GRRRRR!!!

Perhaps you could try a toy with real feathers attached to guage her interest. Or rattly mice...my two love those for some reason.

OR...you could try food rewards....low calorie ones of course! Lure her to follow you about the apartment.

I would perhaps try talking to a vet about diet supplements before using any of them. If you do decide to go to the same vet, tell him of what you tried and ask him to come up with useful suggestions that don't involve scaring your cat half to death.

Please, please! The smile face was meant to clearly show that adding a puppy for the cat to get exercise was just a joke!And *I* never suggested that you chase the cat.
No more humor from me!
Deb E

No i think it was me who mentioned 'chasing up the stairs' - if you ever saw my Katy you would know what a joke that really is! I did not mean to cause offense but sometimes things are taken a little too literal.
My vet has told me that cats dont seem to suffer from arthritis the same as dogs (but she did add that could be because cats dont complain about it like dogs). She did give me some chewy type tablets with green mussels? because maybe it hurts Katy to jump about with all the weight she is carrying, pressure on the joints and that. They smell very strongly of fish and Kate loves them, maybe that is worth a try elinicole, although they do seem to give her an appetite.

There is a fair amount of arthritis in older cats - but cats cover for themselves much better than dogs do. They reduce their own activities,don't have to go on long walks anyway & only a few fo them participate in sports like agility.
The Norwegian Forest cat people deserve credit for bringing cat hip dysplasia to the forefront. If you do a search on cat hip dysplasia or the CFA (Cat Fanciers Assocation) you will get to sites that provide a great deal of information.
OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals)now has a registry for cats as well as dogs regarding hip dysplasia.
I think I know the small pellets someone mentioned feeding - my cats LOVE them & I did feel they helped my older cat who passed on recently who had bad arthritis related to being hit by a car before I got her.

Hi Deb,

I think it was me that got you upset.

I wasn't angry at you. I was angry at the vet for suggesting chasing the kitty around the place. I don't think that scaring a cat half to death is going to help with any problem.

I realized that later (amazing what time differences & email can do!) & felt like a dip!
And I agree with you - chasing a cat simply makes a fat skittish cat who hides & doesn't exercise.
Deb E

I knew that my vet was giving some terrible advice there. Anyone who knows cat will tell you that it is the very rare cat who will actually run when being chased. Run to the nearest tiny hiding place? YES. Become mistrustful from then on, definitely YES.
This is only number 4 on my list of serious grievances against this vet. Why did I not switch long ago? I think I was seduced by all of his celebrity client's photos hanging on the walls, next to the New York Magazine spread proclaiming him "One of NY's ten best."
After he misdiagnosed and then nearly killed my chubby girl last March I decided to avoid him and go only to his female partner. But although she is competent and nice, the place itself is greedy and rotten and I have come to regret this decision as well.
Anyway, we just ordered some new electronic toys. We will see how they work out...