How you can Hold an Indoor Cat Entertained (10 Superior Suggestions & Concepts)
Final Up to date on: Might 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 pleased and forestall boredom. Bored cats and cats that don’t get sufficient train ultimately begin to expertise unfavourable well being points, together with stress, weight achieve, and despair.
Due to this fact, it’s essential for indoor cats to have a number of alternatives a day to get some train and leisure. Completely different cats could have totally different preferences on what they discover enjoyable and fascinating. Listed below are some methods you can also make your private home 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. Happily, you possibly can 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 enjoying with the identical toys for a few days, you possibly can exchange them with different toys. This rotation will make the toys really feel like new, and your cat is extra prone to take pleasure in enjoying with them for longer.
It’s also possible to sprinkle catnip or silvervine on the toys to encourage your cat to play with them. It’s useful to order these treats for sure components of the day in order that your cat has one thing additional particular to sit up for when enjoying with their toys.
2. Cover 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 powerful remark expertise, so offering alternatives that interact their senses and searching expertise can forestall 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. It’s also possible to deal with shelling out toys and conceal some dry cat meals in them. These kinds of actions present rather more stimulation and pleasure for cats moderately 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 will do some window watching, they’ll most definitely recognize having a window perch put in. You could find a number of totally different sorts of window perches at various value factors, so it’s very doable to seek out one that matches inside your funds.
Make 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 a good stage of foot site 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
It’s also possible to 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. A majority of these movies will characteristic totally 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. These movies can also include nature noises like chook whistling. Simply be watchful of your cat once you activate these applications as a result of they could be tempted to pounce in your TV display.
5. Save Cardboard Packing containers
Most cats take pleasure in dim and comfortable areas, which is why you’ll discover many cats having enjoyable with cardboard packing containers. So, the following 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 may even put bedding or pillows contained in the packing containers to make them heat and cozy.
You probably have a number of packing containers, attempt utilizing scissors to chop entrance holes and duct tape to connect them collectively. It’s an incredible low-cost solution 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. You probably have a smaller residing house, you can also make it extra cat pleasant by including extra vertical areas. Vertical areas may be created by putting in cabinets, changing bookcases to cat platforms, or including a cat tree to your private home.
Your cat could have enjoyable climbing and leaping from platform to platform, which might even be an incredible 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 might be above the bottom.
7. Set up a Birdfeeder
Putting in a chook feeder close to a window may also present leisure in your cat. When putting in a chook feeder, attempt to hold it a number of ft away from the window. It will really feel much less threatening for birds and encourage them to strategy the birdfeeder. Cats can even benefit from the view higher. Whereas cats have glorious imaginative and prescient, they can’t see as well up close and have bother seeing issues which might 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
You probably have a yard, it could be 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 secure various to having your cat roaming open air 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 entice different bigger animals to your yard. In case your cat reveals any signal of misery, take away them from the cat run and convey them again indoors calmly and instantly.
9. Train Your Cat to Stroll on a Leash
You probably have a very courageous, social, and lively cat, they can be taught 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 begin with getting your cat used to sporting a harness earlier than attaching the leash. Use loads of treats to reward your cat each time they arrive close to the harness or are sporting it. Finally, you’ll be capable of connect a leash and stroll your cat open air.
Begin by strolling your cat in an space that’s near your private home. You can begin to broaden your vary as your cat turns into extra comfy. Simply remember the fact that strolling a cat may be very totally different from strolling a canine. Your cat shouldn’t be prone 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 Pals
Some cats have extra social personalities and don’t thoughts assembly new folks or residing with one other cat. For those who discover that your cat is feeling bored, chances are you’ll need to contemplate bringing residence 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 residence a brand new cat to stay with an introverted cat can find yourself inflicting extra misery and points throughout the residence.
Cats can typically be extra comfy round folks than different cats. If that is so, invite pals over in order that your cat can obtain extra consideration. It could even be useful to ask pals to look at your cat or rent a cat sitter in the event you plan to be away from residence 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 private home. 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 power, attempt making some changes to your private home or their every day routine to include extra stimulating actions. Your cat will make sure you recognize the brand new enrichment actions, and these new additions will solely assist create and keep a contented and peaceable residence for you and your cat.
Featured Picture Credit score: Boyloso, Shutterstock
In regards to the writer
Cat mother to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that’s her one and solely little one. 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 every other. With a ardour to teach the general public about the whole lot, there’s 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 acutely aware residing – and loving!
