The Cat Track

When taking the cats for their annual check up, I was told that that they could both do with losing a bit of weight. I was really annoyed with myself, especially as they're still so young. I was pretty sure their meals were about right (although it's hard to tell when I feed different brands with different feeding suggestions!) so I decided to cut down on treats first and try to increase the amount of exercise they get.

One disadvantage of having indoor cats is that it's harder for them to burn calories than it is for outdoor cats. Having the catio has helped, but mine isn't huge so other than jumping between shelves and chasing each other down the cat proofed passageway they don't get as much exercise as I'd like. A good work out with a wand toy is a great way to get your cat to expend some energy but like me you may not have as much spare time as you'd like for play sessions. That's where The Cat Track comes in.

I did feel a bit ridiculous spending £179 for a cat wheel, but it's actually one of the more affordable ones on the market that I've come across and that sale price is still available at the time or writing. Normally priced at £249, it has been reduced to £199 and can be ordered at a further discounted £179 if you subscribe to their newsletter. The difference in price compared to the more expensive options is because it's suitable for small and medium cats. You'll need to look elsewhere if you have a large breed of cat.

Still, I was surprised by how big it was. I did measure up before buying but it was hard to visualise exactly how big it would be. Sadly it was a wee bit too big for the corner I intended to put it in, so I had to rearrange the lounge slightly to accommodate it. If you have less crap than me you'll probably have an easier time finding a home for it. Ideally, you want it standing against a wall for extra stability. Mine is against the stairs which isn't ideal, but we've got used to the location. It's smack bang in the middle of the lounge and always fun when guests get a show or confused delivery drivers ask what the hell it is.

Putting it together was hugely stressful but then I can't even manage Ikea furniture. I struggle to understand instructions as the best of times, and generally rely on videos to work it out. Thankfully The Cat Track does have an assembly video to help you out. Getting the nobbly bits of plastic through the holes was the most time consuming bit for me as I kept sliding it in wrong, but I am the least coordinated person I know so I expect most anyone else would get the hang of it eventually. 

Once I finally got to the stage where the entire wheel is slotted together, J had to take over as I simply did not have the arm strength to do it. Even he struggled with it! I would highly recommend an extra pair of hands, ideally someone with a fair amount of muscle. It's helpful to have a large amount of space to put it together too. Space is already limited in our house, so most of the frustration for me was not having the room to lay out the parts clearly and manoeuvre the wheel efficiently as I was building it.

Near the end of construction we realised we were missing one of the pieces that secures the metal bars in place at the bottom. This was disappointing considering the expense. I was going to get in touch with the company and ask if it was possible to get the part I needed, but instead we ended up placing that section against the step to keep it secure, and six months later it has remained in place, so I'm less aggrieved about it now.

Once you've got the wheel built and in place, the next hard bit is getting your cat/s to use it. I wasn't too concerned about this stage as Opal and Mica figure things out pretty quickly. Sure enough, Mica was happily getting on it when I placed a treat on top and not too bothered about me moving it slightly whilst he was on it. Within a week he'd worked it out. Opal was more cautious and less keen to get on it even with bribery. Having seen Mica running on it though, she too was using it just a few days after him.

Unfortunately it is a bit of a glorified and very expensive scratching post to my cats. They love scratching the foam inside, but as it's black it's not too noticeable. It would be nice to get a replacement lining but as it's stuck on I expect it would be hard to remove it cleanly anyway. 

Both cats like to use the wheel late at night when we're asleep, because of course they do. Luckily it's only for short bursts at a time, and whilst it's certainly not what I would call quiet, I personally can sleep through it. I expect if we had a door between the wheel downstairs and the bedroom upstairs that would lessen the sound a lot.

Cat wheels are a big expense so you need to be confident it's the kind of thing your cat/s would use. A lot of people buy them for more athletic breeds but I think they're a good purchase for energetic mogs too. If you have the room and it's covered, they would make a lovely addition to a catio if you don't have an appropriate space indoors. I'm pleased to say a reduction in Milkies and the use of the wheel has resulted in some weight loss and they're on track (if you'll pardon the pun...) to their target weight.