Our Cat Tester Tried An Exercise Wheel, And The Results Are In

Calling all cat parents!

Since your cat probably spends most of her time indoors, it’s important to keep her mentally and physically stimulated throughout the day. Cat toys can be one of the best ways to help her fight boredom, burn energy, and feel happy and healthy.

So, looking for a new toy to keep your cat active and entertained? Enter the One Fast Cat exercise wheel.

It’s definitely a unique product (cats aren’t hamsters, after all!), so we wanted to see how easy it actually is for cats to use by putting it to the test. Was our cat reviewer able to figure out how to use her new exercise wheel? And because it claims to be a stress-free way to exercise, did she seem more calm afterwards?

Well, for starters, it’s just that — a wheel. The exercise toy provides your cat with a way to exercise indoors by walking or running on it when it’s in motion. The company claims that after exercising on the wheel, it’ll not only enhance the physical well-being of your cat, but also make her more relaxed and calm!

According to the company, while some training is definitely needed to get your cat used to the wheel, once she understands what it can do, she’ll get in on her own when she’s looking for some entertainment.

The One Fast Cat exercise wheel is black on the outside and measures 48 inches high by 47 inches wide (in other words, it takes up a fair amount of space). The actual inner surface where your cat runs or walks is 10.75 inches wide, and it comes in a few different colors and patterns.

Made of recycled plastics, the wheel is lightweight so you can move it around easily. It’s entirely cat-driven, meaning the wheel doesn’t come with batteries or a power source — your cat determines how fast she’ll go!

On One Fast Cat’s website, the cat exercise wheel goes for $249. Other cat wheels found online range from around $50 on the lower end to almost $800 for a splurge pick, and the cost will ultimately depend on the size and materials used for the wheel.

We picked Dove, one of three rescue cats who lives with her cat parent, Lauren Larsen, to test the exercise wheel for a few weeks. Even at 8 years old, Dove still has some kitten-like energy, so Larsen loved the idea of having a new way for Dove to get some physical and mental exercise indoors.

We wanted to see how our Dodo cat, Dove, reacted to the exercise wheel and what her cat parent thought of the toy.

The sleek, all-black design was a definite plus for Larsen’s minimalist style.

“I get frustrated that a lot of cat products only come in some kind of animal print that doesn't fit with my decor style,” Larsen told The Dodo. “The cat wheel's all-black design fits better with my home decor than a bold print.”

After spending a few weeks with her new exercise wheel, Larsen thought learning how to use the cat wheel was mentally and physically stimulating for Dove.

“The cat wheel is a new source of entertainment for my cat (and myself),” Larsen said. “In order to get Dove comfortable with the wheel, I lured her with her favorite treats (banana) and her favorite ball until she willingly stepped onto the wheel.”

It took some time, but after some coaxing with some snacks, Dove was using the wheel no problem. “The product claims to give cats a safe outlet for energy, which it has,” Larsen added.

Based on our tester’s review, the exercise wheel is hard to put together on your own.

“The cat wheel was a bit difficult to assemble by myself but got easier with another person's help,” Larsen said. “It felt very sturdy once it was put together; however, after a few uses, one of the stick-on pads came off. Luckily they are peel-and-stick, so it was super easy to reattach!”

Even though the product is said to be entirely cat driven, smaller cats might need some assistance at first.

“Dove is a small, light cat and needed a little manual help to get the wheel started,” Larsen said.

While she did eventually warm up to the wheel, Dove needed some time to get used to her new toy. Patience is definitely a virtue in this case.

“Dove seemed a bit intimidated by the size of the cat wheel at first,” Larsen said. “She's a very small adult cat! But despite the size difference, she was very brave and slowly warmed up to it.”

While Larsen is happy with Dove’s use of the One Fast Cat exercise wheel, and she’s optimistic that it’ll become a toy all three of her cats will enjoy and use daily, she does believe the price is a bit on the expensive side.

If you have the budget for this product (and the patience, as it may take time for your cat to get used to the wheel), then it’s a worthwhile purchase.

Since staying active is important for your cat’s mental and physical health, we think the One Fast Cat exercise wheel is a pretty cool way to achieve this!