One thing every cat owner can attest to is that a feline in the family will never leave its owners with a dull moment. A cat’s energy level can easily go from zero to 100 in a matter of seconds–from that sunny nap in the window to a ramped up romp throughout the house, the family cat will always entertain. Domestic felines possess amazing agility, balance and reflexes, making their movements and speed fascinating, perplexing and at times even captivating to the observer.

Cats enjoy activity as much as they enjoy those long naps in the sun. As much as cats reap the benefits of natural sunlight, the activity in their lives is also vital for good health, and imposing an active lifestyle on the indoor domestic cat is something every retailer needs to address. Cat owners can best ensure and provide this activity in the form of planned playtime. Establishing regular play periods with the family cat is, by far, the best way to ensure the maximum health benefits that exercise can provide.

However, the full spectrum of benefits provided by exercise is sometimes not totally realized by many cat owners. A domestic cat is one type of pet that is easily left unattended. So often, a sleeping cat with no disturbances is often thought of as a problem that doesn’t need to be fixed. But, lack of activity will eventually have its toll. More and more cat owners are beginning to make a connection between their health regimens and their pet’s. So consequently, the idea of exercise is not so difficult to sell.


Healthy Play
The best place to begin with cat customers is to make them aware of what health benefits exercise provides. Regular play periods encourage activity, which reduces risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, pancreatitis and liver disease. Activity will also reduce the risk of future problems, such as difficulty walking, running, getting up and down, and breathing. Exercise will improve the overall health of their pet by promoting healthier skin and coat, brighter eyes and improved behavior.

Additionally, regular playtimes will create stronger bonds between the family and the kitty. Exercise not only nurtures physical development and conditioning, but also improves the mental and emotional health of the cat. Planned exercis or play periods actually becom a type of therapy. Many behavioral problems, such as aggression, elimination problems, neurotic behaviors and scratching can be traced to stress and anxiety. Cats are intelligent animals and are quite sensitive to their environments–both physical and emotional. Planned play periods can release tension and alleviate stress. Therefore, if behavioral problems are determined not to be physiological, planned routine playtimes become a great stress reliever for both cat and owner, resulting in better health and wellbeing for all involved.


Toys, Toys & More Toys
Sales of cat toys can often be sporadic and seasonal. One way to straighten out the sales curve in cat toy sales is to sell and merchandise the concept of healthy exercise. Sell the concept of toys for exercise as being a necessary part of every cat owner’s closet. When this happens, cat customers will be faced with the dilemma of which type of toy will provide the ultimate exercise for their cat.  Some toys will enhance running, while others may encourage jumping. Others are more interactive and will produce stronger bonding between the cat and other family members. Some toys and exercise items, such as scratching posts, might produce better results for modifying behavioral problems.

To keep up with cat customers, the cat department needs to be inventoried with a good variety and selection of cat exercise products. There is no shortage of good cat toys. In fact, it is usually difficult to pick from the countless varieties on the market. The important thing to think about when stocking the shelves is variety–in regard to cat use, owner interaction and type of exercise. Interactive toys such as feather toys, wands and poles, laser toys and other toys that require the owner to participate are great sellers. There are also many action toys that encourage running, pouncing and hunting, such as electronic toys, balls and other catnip-filled items. Cat tunnels, bags and crinkle sacks encourage crawling and curiosity, and they provide hiding environments.

Cats also love to climb and jump. Cat owners can provide an environment with cat condos, cat trees and window shelves, and the family feline will take it from there.

Merchandise cat toys and furniture with a message that shows how these items can be both fun and beneficial for good health. Combine these items with treats, feline diets, crates and other cat items in the store. Regularly rotate toy positions on pegs for maximum exposure. By establishing a need for these products, seasonal items can be year-round sellers and playtime becomes healthy entertainment for everyone. 


John Tyson is a freelance writer and photographer who resides in Charlotte, N.C. He has 20 years combined experience in the pet industry as a multi-storeowner, general manager and industry journalist