Moving a kitty's litter box upstairs and keeping their cat food downstairs is one way of encouraging them to lose weight.
That is the left-field suggestion from veterinary journalist Pete Wedderburn, who explained that such simple steps will ensure your feline friend regularly gets the blood pumping by climbing the stairs.
He explained: "It's quite difficult to climb a hill compared with walking on flat ground and it's the same with pets.
"You should get them to move up and down by moving things upstairs or even having high perches in the house or a high up bed."
The animal expert elaborated further, explaining that cats are very aware of all three dimensions around them and feel naturally at home being at different heights.
For owners willing to go all out to whip their cats into shape, Mr Wedderburn recommended a cat 'gymnasium', which encourages them to climb up onto different perches and usually includes an elevated sleeping area.
