We are cat rookies, having had Purrcy only a month. But.... It's funny what he likes and doesn't. We got him a very cool spun bamboo kitty-ball bed that he won't go in. Won't, won't won't. We got him a nice cat perch he won't climb on. I would hate to drop that much money on some exercise gear and him him ignore it. Heck, I have an expensive bicycle "trainer" that clamps the bike on a roller to ride indoors when the weather is bad. I don't use it myself, could I expect more out of Purrcy?
[/size]The wheel says it is primarily for Bengals, which have different exercise requirements - much higher in energy - than a Ragdoll. Your cats size is not regulated by exercise but by the size of Mom and Dad. If you want to have a larger raggie, talk to the breeder about what they would expect for sizes. My boys range from 12-20 pounds and the big guy had a big dad. The kittens are active but the older guys tend to be pretty laid back when it comes to exercise.
Hope this helps.
Sue
(12-28-2011 12:33 PM)Ragsmomma Wrote: [ -> ][/size]The wheel says it is primarily for Bengals, which have different exercise requirements - much higher in energy - than a Ragdoll. Your cats size is not regulated by exercise but by the size of Mom and Dad. If you want to have a larger raggie, talk to the breeder about what they would expect for sizes. My boys range from 12-20 pounds and the big guy had a big dad. The kittens are active but the older guys tend to be pretty laid back when it comes to exercise.
Hope this helps.
Sue
Ok, I've already talked to the breader about mom and dad. The reason I want the wheel, is because I don't want him to get fat while growing big.
(12-28-2011 12:14 PM)bicycleguy Wrote: [ -> ]We are cat rookies, having had Purrcy only a month. But.... It's funny what he likes and doesn't. We got him a very cool spun bamboo kitty-ball bed that he won't go in. Won't, won't won't. We got him a nice cat perch he won't climb on. I would hate to drop that much money on some exercise gear and him him ignore it. Heck, I have an expensive bicycle "trainer" that clamps the bike on a roller to ride indoors when the weather is bad. I don't use it myself, could I expect more out of Purrcy?
This is fine, many companies offer returns if the cat does not start using it in 90 days.
The reason to get this would indicate someone who has not had cats. If one wants a cat to be more active, then interactive toys like wands and da bird will be much more successful. This device puts me in mind of trying to push rope. (Do not diet a kitten, but diet is the other important element. Also understand about Ragdoll anatomy that they have a fat pad on the stomach that is not an indication of overweight and they have a body type unlike a Siamese, for example. A human athlete is certainly the wrong mental picture.)
A vet who is not familiar with ragdolls will tell you that they are fat. Years ago, Rags had a dewclaw on his hind leg, which didn't belong there. It had poked through the skin and I was not able to see my regular vet. I saw another vet who was sure that the "nail" poking through was a broken bone and wrapped his leg with the green sticky ace bandage. She also told me tht Rags was "fat" and showed me the chart they had to prove it. I told her I would not diet a healthy kitten for her or anybody else. I got my vet the next day who had me bring Rags in and get the bandage off and when I told him about the weight issue, I could hear him groaning in the background. The other vet was gone shortly after that and I think that Rags did a high 5 over that. We did have to have the two hind dewclaws removed as they were causing problems. The body shape of a ragdoll is different from a lot of other cats and if you want a "sleek" cat, you may need to rethink getting a ragdoll. My boys get their exercise playing with each other and tonight Max was tossing a squeaky mouse in the air and then chasing it. I think JanH is right that trying to get them to exercise is like pushing a rope. I think if I told my boys they needed a treadmill, they would think I had lost my mind. There are lots of toys that give them exercise and playing is the best form of exercise. I'm assuming you are an athlete but most Ragdolls are not. Their level of preferred activity is playing but they leave the rest to the experts. Good luck.
Sue
(12-28-2011 08:50 PM)Ragsmomma Wrote: [ -> ]A vet who is not familiar with ragdolls will tell you that they are fat. Years ago, Rags had a dewclaw on his hind leg, which didn't belong there. It had poked through the skin and I was not able to see my regular vet. I saw another vet who was sure that the "nail" poking through was a broken bone and wrapped his leg with the green sticky ace bandage. She also told me tht Rags was "fat" and showed me the chart they had to prove it. I told her I would not diet a healthy kitten for her or anybody else. I got my vet the next day who had me bring Rags in and get the bandage off and when I told him about the weight issue, I could hear him groaning in the background. The other vet was gone shortly after that and I think that Rags did a high 5 over that. We did have to have the two hind dewclaws removed as they were causing problems. The body shape of a ragdoll is different from a lot of other cats and if you want a "sleek" cat, you may need to rethink getting a ragdoll. My boys get their exercise playing with each other and tonight Max was tossing a squeaky mouse in the air and then chasing it. I think JanH is right that trying to get them to exercise is like pushing a rope. I think if I told my boys they needed a treadmill, they would think I had lost my mind. There are lots of toys that give them exercise and playing is the best form of exercise. I'm assuming you are an athlete but most Ragdolls are not. Their level of preferred activity is playing but they leave the rest to the experts. Good luck.
Sue
Ok, I know that ragdolls have different bodytype and I am happy with the look most ragdolls have. All I want to prevent is getting him really fat and/or limit his food while he is growing. If you say playing will surely be enough, then this may be all I need. I just wanted to explore this option.
You should not limit the cats food while it's growing.