7 Ideas to Keep Your Indoor Cat Entertained and Healthy

Even though cats may sleep for up to 16 hours a day, it’s essential to keep them active and engaged to keep them happy and prevent boredom. Stress, weight gain, and sadness are just some of the harmful health effects that boredom and lack of activity may have on a cat.

This emphasises the need to provide indoor cats with ample opportunities for play and exercise throughout the day. The things that entertain and captivate one cat may bore or bore and engage another. Here are some suggestions for livening up your cat’s home environment and routine.

Introduce Them to a Scratching Post

cat playing with scratch post
source: thesprucepets.com

Pet owners are well aware of their feline companion’s predilection for scratching. But did you know that a feline scratching pole has several benefits for its health and enjoyment beyond just keeping your furniture safe? Here are the top five advantages of providing a scratching post for your cat, from encouraging healthy claws to lowering stress levels.

Cats have an innate desire to scratch, and a durable and safe scratching post may let your pet do so in a safe and constructive way. Scratching posts are beneficial to a cat’s health because they encourage it to stretch and exercise its muscles. In addition to saving you time and money, scratching posts can discourage kittens from damaging your furniture and other belongings.

A cat’s claws will stay in good shape with the aid of a scratching post, one of the many advantages. Scratching is a normal feline habit that aids in the maintenance of sharp, healthy claws by removing the cuticle layer. This inherently helps to improve their ability to grip and climb – important traits for a nocturnal hunter.

Felines may also use scratching posts as an outlet for stress relief. Nerves can build up in cats, leading to destructive behaviours. This addition gives them an opportunity to express their energy and relieve some of that tension away from your furniture.

Similarly, kitties may use the scratching post as a form of communication. Cats often scratch in order to mark their territory, making a scratching post the perfect place for them to ‘leave their mark’ without damaging your furniture. When there’s less competition among cats, it can help create a healthier and more peaceful home environment.

Switch up Their Toys

cat playing with a cat toys
source: kitnipbox.com

It’s fun to watch your cat play with new toys, but constantly replacing them may grow pricey. Fortunately, you can extend the pleasure by simply purchasing extra toys and switching them out at regular intervals. Put away most of the toys and only leave out one or two for them to play with. After a few days of using the same toys, it’s time to switch things up. By switching them out often, you may keep your cat interested in playing with them for longer by making them seem fresh and exciting.

Catnip or silvervine sprinkled over the toys will help entice your feline friend to play with them. To keep your pet motivated to play with their toys, it’s best to save these rewards for specific times of the day.

Hide Dry Food in Secret Spots

As obligate carnivores and hunters, felines have a built-in drive to ambush and kill their prey. They are often bored, therefore it’s important to provide them with activities that use their keen sense of smell and acute observation abilities. You may achieve this by disguising cat food and treats in various rooms.

If you scatter food throughout the home, your kitty will learn to utilise its sense of smell to “hunt” for food. Toss some dry cat food into one of those treat-dispensing toys and watch your pet go crazy. Feeding them from fixed bowls deprives them of the stimulus and excitement provided by these types of activities.

Install a Window Seat

A window perch is a great addition to a regular cat bed if your pet enjoys keeping an eye on the world outside but lacks a secure nest from which to do so. You may easily select a window perch that works within your budget as there are many options available.

Make sure to put the window perch at a window that looks out into a lively street or neighbourhood. The backyard, some trees, or a busy sidewalk are all examples of good vantage points. It may satisfy its natural curiosity by watching the world go by from the comfort of your home.

Turn on Cat-Themed TV

The outdoors may be brought within by watching a specialised TV programme. You may discover a wide variety of cat-themed videos of various shapes and sizes on YouTube. Your cat’s natural curiosity might be satisfied by watching films like these.

Many films, for instance, feature images and animations of wriggling worms, mice, and beetles scurrying across the screen. Sounds of the outdoors, such as birds singing, may also be included in these videos. Keep an eye on your feline friend if you switch on these shows, since it may be tempted to attack the television.

Reuse and Recycle Boxes

cat laying in a box
source: petassure.com

Many cats prefer the dark and snug environment that cardboard boxes provide. The next time you get a package in the mail or empty a carton of soda cans, keep the boxes to use as cat toys. The boxes may be made cosier by being stuffed with blankets and pillows.

You can use duct tape to join many boxes together and scissors to make holes for access. A cat condo or tunnel may be constructed for very little money and will provide hours of fun for your feline friend.

Construct Additional Playgrounds

The majority of feline species have a natural inclination to scale vertical surfaces and survey their domains from above. You may make a modest home more cat-friendly by providing additional vertical space. Shelving, repurposing bookcases into cat platforms, or putting up a cat tree are all great ways to make use of vertical space.

Climbing and hopping from platform to platform will be exciting for your cat and provide them with much-needed exercise. You can also add cat boxes and safely connect them to the platform after your cat is accustomed to utilising the vertical spaces. Your cat will appreciate her new elevated perches and hiding places.