Regular and moderate exercise will help to keep your cat's aging joints limber and strong.
It will strengthen and tone her muscles, maintain her at a proper weight, increase her energy level, help her sleep better, strengthen her cardiovascular system, and keep her internal organs strong and healthy.
Just as important, play and exercise will fend off boredom, keep her mind sharp.
And help to prevent the emotional shifts that all too often accompany old age.
And here is a bid bonus, playing with your cat will make you feel better too, and will help to keep the bond between you strong.
As your cat enters her senior years, she will not, of course, need as much exercise as she did as a kitten and young adult.
But barring a health problem that precludes activity, she does need to do more than toddle to the food bowl and litter box a few times a day.
Unfortunately, she may be less willing to self exercise than she used to be, so it is your job to find ways to encourage your cat to move around.
The good news is that the best exercise is play.
Forget the burn; just encourage your cat to play with you.
Granted, getting an adult cat to play can be a challenge, particularly if she has been spending most of her time in sedentary pursuits like eating, grooming and sleeping.
The challenge may be compounded if your cat has a physical limitation such as poor hearing or vision, for instance, may make it more difficult to engage her interest.
With a little imagination, though, you can probably get her up and moving.
Remember, no matter how sweet and pretty and cuddly, your cat is a hunter at heart.
Appeal to her predatory instincts with toys that move and that make high pitched squeaky sounds.