There are many ways to enrich the life of your indoor cat. Keeping in mind that every cat is an individual, spend some time discovering what your feline particularly enjoys.
Here are some ideas and objects that you may consider to enrich your cat’s daily life!
Your Cat’s Environment
Cat pheromones. Spray cat pheromone (lightly!) on your cat’s bedding and furniture. One commonly used brand is Feliway; it’s a synthetic copy of the feline facial pheromone, which is used by cats to mark their territory as safe and secure.
Make a kitty playground. From cat trees and kitty condos to their low-rent but often equally enjoyed equivalent, cardboard boxes and paper bags (remember to cut the handles off first to avoid kitty getting tangled), cats love to have objects to climb in, on, and over.
Turn on the TV. Streaming services like Amazon Prime and YouTube are full of videos to entertain indoor cats featuring footage of birds, chipmunks & squirrels set to ambient nature background music.
Make mealtime fun! In the wild, the majority of a cat’s time is spent searching/hunting for food. Allow your cat to fulfill this natural drive by utilizing an interactive feeder. If your cat prefers drinking running water, consider a pet water fountain!
Provide a view to the outside world. Install a window perch to offer a prime observatory of the neighborhood and an elevated spot from which to sunbathe.
Self-play toys. These toys can keep your feline friend active even when you’re not home for play time.
Enrichment Activities For You And Your Cat
Play with your cat! Interactive toys are a great way to keep your cat entertained, active and mentally engaged. They also give you a chance to directly connect and bond with your cat!
*Remember to let your cat ‘catch’ the toy occasionally to avoid frustration.
Read to your cat. Read aloud or sing to your cats, and have your children join in.
Train your cat. Training, including teaching tricks, provides great mental stimulation for pets. Cats can be taught to respond to any number of cues, from “sit” to “down” to “wave.” Using positive reinforcement is a great way to be successful with training your cat. Not only will it be more fun for both of you, it will also be more effective and efficient. One of the best methods using positive reinforcement is clicker training.
Adopt a friend for your feline. If you have only one cat, consider getting a second to give your cat a playmate when you’re not at home. ARL adoption counselors can help you through this process!
Meeting your cat’s mental and emotional needs helps them to lead a fulfilling life and have fewer behavior issues, and also allows you to forge a stronger bond!
