Final Up to date on: Could 1, 2023 by Crystal Uys
Whereas cats can sleep between 12–16 hours a day, they nonetheless require loads of train and leisure to remain completely happy and stop boredom. Bored cats and cats that don’t get sufficient train ultimately begin to expertise unfavorable well being points, together with stress, weight acquire, and despair.
Subsequently, it’s essential for indoor cats to have a number of alternatives a day to get some train and leisure. Completely different cats may have completely different preferences on what they discover enjoyable and fascinating. Listed below are some methods you can also make your property and your cat’s every day routine extra entertaining and thrilling.
Our 10 Favourite Methods to Entertain Your Indoor Cat:
1. Rotate Their Toys
Whereas it’s good to have your cat play with new toys, shopping for new cat toys can get fairly costly. Thankfully, you may simply purchase a number of toys and rotate them in order that the enjoyable lasts longer. As a substitute of laying out all of the cat toys, simply have one or two out in your cat to play with and retailer the remainder away. After taking part in with the identical toys for a few days, you may substitute them with different toys. This rotation will make the toys really feel like new, and your cat is extra more likely to get pleasure from taking part in with them for longer.
You may as well sprinkle catnip or silvervine on the toys to encourage your cat to play with them. It’s useful to order these treats for sure elements of the day in order that your cat has one thing additional particular to look ahead to when taking part in with their toys.
2. Conceal Meals Across the Home
Cats are obligate carnivores and hunters, so part of their pure intuition is to cover, stalk, and pounce on their prey. They’ve very delicate noses and robust remark expertise, so offering alternatives that interact their senses and looking expertise can stop boredom. You are able to do this by hiding treats or cat meals round the home.
Distributing meals round the home will encourage cats to scent out and “hunt” for his or her meals. You may as well deal with meting out toys and conceal some dry cat meals in them. These kinds of actions present rather more stimulation and pleasure for cats quite than feeding them their meals in stationary meals bowls.
3. Add a Window Perch
In case your cat doesn’t have a secure space the place they’ll do some window watching, they’ll most probably admire having a window perch put in. You’ll find a number of completely different sorts of window perches at various value factors, so it’s very doable to search out one that matches inside your price range.
Be sure that to put in the window perch on a window that has some motion outdoors. Examples of excellent views would come with the yard, close by timber, or sidewalks with an honest degree of foot visitors. Your cat’s curiosity will probably be satiated as they watch all of the motion occurring outdoors whereas staying safely indoors.
4. Activate Cat TV Reveals
You may as well deliver the outside inside by turning on a cat TV present. There are all types of video clips particularly made for cats that you’ll find on YouTube. Most of these movies will function completely different sorts of issues that can pique your cat’s curiosity.
For instance, you’ll discover many movies with clips and graphics of squiggly worms, mice, and bugs scuttling throughout the display screen. These movies might also include nature noises like chook whistling. Simply be watchful of your cat once you activate these applications as a result of they might be tempted to pounce in your TV display screen.
5. Save Cardboard Bins
Most cats get pleasure from dim and comfy areas, which is why you’ll discover many cats having enjoyable with cardboard packing containers. So, the subsequent time you obtain a cargo within the mail or end a field of soda cans, save the packing containers and use them as toys in your cat. You possibly can even put bedding or pillows contained in the packing containers to make them heat and comfy.
When you’ve got a number of packing containers, strive utilizing scissors to chop entrance holes and duct tape to connect them collectively. It’s a fantastic low-cost strategy to construct an entertaining cat rental or tunnel in your cat to play inside.
6. Create Extra Vertical Areas
Most cat breeds wish to climb and observe their environment from greater vantage factors. When you’ve got a smaller dwelling house, you can also make it extra cat pleasant by including extra vertical areas. Vertical areas might be created by putting in cabinets, changing bookcases to cat platforms, or including a cat tree to your property.
Your cat may have enjoyable climbing and leaping from platform to platform, which might even be a fantastic type of train for them. As soon as your cat will get used to utilizing its new vertical areas, you can too add cat packing containers and securely connect them to the platform. Your cat will love having new hiding areas and napping spots which can be above the bottom.
7. Set up a Birdfeeder
Putting in a chook feeder close to a window also can present leisure in your cat. When putting in a chook feeder, attempt to preserve it a number of ft away from the window. This can really feel much less threatening for birds and encourage them to strategy the birdfeeder. Cats may even benefit from the view higher. Whereas cats have wonderful imaginative and prescient, they’ll’t see as nicely up shut and have hassle seeing issues which can be inside a foot away from them. They’ll have rather more appreciation for a chook feeder that’s put in at a distance in order that they’ve a transparent view of all of the motion.
8. Set Up an Outside Cat Run
When you’ve got a yard, it is perhaps useful to arrange an out of doors cat run. Outside cat runs are fully enclosed constructions that additionally typically present platforms for cats to climb on. They’re a protected different to having your cat roaming outdoor and risking them operating away.
When utilizing an out of doors cat run, make sure that to at all times supervise your cats. Their curiosity might put them in precarious conditions, or they may appeal to different bigger animals to your yard. In case your cat reveals any signal of misery, take away them from the cat run and produce them again indoors calmly and instantly.
9. Train Your Cat to Stroll on a Leash
When you’ve got a very courageous, social, and energetic cat, they are able to study to stroll on a leash. When coaching a cat to stroll on a leash, it’s essential to discover a harness that matches each comfortably and securely. You’ll have to start out with getting your cat used to carrying a harness earlier than attaching the leash. Use loads of treats to reward your cat every time they arrive close to the harness or are carrying it. Finally, you’ll be capable of connect a leash and stroll your cat outdoor.
Begin by strolling your cat in an space that’s near your property. You can begin to increase your vary as your cat turns into extra comfy. Simply remember that strolling a cat could be very completely different from strolling a canine. Your cat is just not more likely to stroll by your facet. So, occurring walks together with your cat will look extra like having your cat on a leash and permitting them to discover their environment.
10. Introduce Your Cat to New Mates
Some cats have extra social personalities and don’t thoughts assembly new individuals or dwelling with one other cat. For those who discover that your cat is feeling bored, you could need to think about bringing dwelling a brand new playmate. Nonetheless, it’s essential to make sure that your cat has a social persona and likes being round different cats. Bringing dwelling a brand new cat to reside with an introverted cat can find yourself inflicting extra misery and points inside the dwelling.
Cats can typically be extra comfy round individuals than different cats. If that is so, invite buddies over in order that your cat can obtain extra consideration. It could even be useful to ask buddies to look at your cat or rent a cat sitter in the event you plan to be away from dwelling for lengthy hours in order that your cat isn’t alone and feeling anxious or bored.
Conclusion
There are many issues that you are able to do to deliver extra leisure in your cat into your property. Making changes, like putting in a window perch or hiding treats round the home, could make a world of distinction in your cat.
So, in the event you discover that your cat is feeling bored or has pent-up vitality, strive making some changes to your property or their every day routine to include extra stimulating actions. Your cat will you should definitely admire the new enrichment actions, and these new additions will solely assist create and keep a contented and peaceable dwelling for you and your cat.
Featured Picture Credit score: Boyloso, Shutterstock
In regards to the creator
Cat mother to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that’s her one and solely youngster. For now! All through her life, she has been launched to the particular love that may be discovered within the bond with a cat. Having owned a number of felines, she is greater than sure that their love is unmatched, unconditional and in contrast to another. With a ardour to coach the general public about every little thing, there may be to learn about felines, their habits, and their distinctive personalities, Crystal is devoted to creating positive that every one cats and their house owners know the significance of aware dwelling – and loving!
