Sunday, April 22, 2012

Keeping the Indoor Cat Occupied and Active

A friend of mine once told me that they were considering letting their extremely active cat outside during the day. They were legitimately concerned that she was not getting enough mental stimulation (despite the many toys around the house) while they were at work during the day and terrorizing their older cat with her cabin fever. Faced with the dilemma of what to recommend I did some searching and here is what I recommended:

  • Ever notice how cats are instantly drawn to the new toy and will play  with it for what seems like hours, only to get bored of it by the next day? Here is a solution to make sure these toys stay interesting for longer: Have a large selection of toys available, but rotate them on a daily basis. Put all of the others away and out of sight and bring out a new batch each day after picking up the ones from the previous day. 
  • Nurture your cats desire to hunt by dividing his/her daily food portion into small dishes at random points around the house. Cats, by nature, eat small, frequent meals rather than one or two large ones. Don't forget to change it up each day, though, or else your cat will learn where to find the bowls everyday and it won't be a game anymore.
  • Use your homes vertical space. If you can put toys and food up on things, as well as at ground level, it dramatically increases your cats living space. A small 500 sq. foot apartment with 8 foot ceilings suddenly becomes 4000 feet of adventure. 
  • Create a puzzle box. Get a moving box and put pieces of tissue paper, crate paper and newspaper balls in it along with and few treats and toys. Change its location and what is inside each day to keep your cat occupied for hours. It can also be a great kitty hideout for the more shy cat. 
Keeping your cat indoors does not have to mean that she gets no mental stimulation. Be creative, keep toys simple and your cat will have an active, enriched, and healthy indoor lifestyle. 

What are your cats favorite toys? My friend Isis (left) loved this big bag and claimed as her own for several hours. 

Until Next Time, 

Mel, RVT

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