Avoiding Injuries

Adjusting to any running program is a risky proposition. While ramping up the effort it's especially important to watch your cat for signs of injury and stop training immediately if found. Cat's wont stop, so it's important that their caretaker is vigilant with their approach to injury prevention. Fact is, running injuries are more likely than not, but it's important to note that most injuries are very minor, and the health benefits of CatTo5k more than outweigh the risks. No pun intended. Here are some tips to help identify and treat common kitty injuries.

Observe Your KittyYou should by now be very familiar with kitty's habits, mainly how she looks when she walks, eats, jumps, or sleeps. Before and after each run, watch your kitty closely to see if she is acting differently than normal. If she's only just started running, she may appear stiff. We have tips for helping with that below. The main symptoms you'll want to look for are limping and trouble jumping. If either of these present, don't run your kitty!

Massage Your KittyPrevention is the best medicine, and kitty massages are one of the best ways to keep your kitty limber and ready for each day's run. Before and after each run, gently take your kitty into your hands and massage her legs, her neck, and along the length of her spine. She'll enjoy the massage even more than she enjoyed her run!

Take A BreakSo your kitty was injured :( The quickest way for her to get better is to simply take a break from running. Depending on the severity of the injury, you could take a break for only a few days, or as long as a month. What's important is that you don't rush your kitty. Even after no symptoms of injury are present, the kitty may still be healing, so it's recommended that you wait a couple days after symptoms have passed to start running again.