Have a bored indoor cat? Or you feel they crave adventure. But the primary question arises: how can we entertain them? Well, if we think about their ancestors spending their time hunting and galivanting in the woods and taking care of their young ones. On the contrary, indoor cats do not get all the things mentioned above. So, how can we create an environment where they can be happy both physically and mentally?
Do you know? Boredom can lead to severe physiological and behavioral concerns in indoor cats:
- Excessive grooming: Licking their fur or extreme overgrooming can lead to skin inflammation or hair loss.
- Hostility towards other cats: Your feline companion can be overly aggressive towards other cats.
- Inappropriate eating: It causes intestinal harm and perhaps fatal diseases in your cat.
- Excessive scratching: It can lead to infections, skin disorders, or allergies to your pet's skin and coat.
- Inappropriate urinating: It leads to problems of territorial marking, bacterial infection, etc.
Attention-seeking behaviors:
Cats seek attention in order to communicate their needs. They might be going through stress or anxiety.
What if we say that there are some activities for indoor cats that you can practice to keep them entertained and save them from all the boredom? Below are seven fun activities for your indoor cats that you, too, can enjoy:
Interactive hide-n-seek:
Playing with your cat can be super fun. You need ample space to let your cat run and hide. Encourage your cat to explore the house by hiding tiny toys or snacks. Even better, you could strategically divide up and place meals they eat across the house.
A sudden strike and a fast tap of the paw on your feet as you pass or discover your cat while it's hiding out in secret will help you have a great time with your friend and build a strong bond with them. Playing hide-and-seek activities can help unleash your cat's inborn hunting impulses and also satisfy their curiosity. It also allows cats to observe their surrounding environment, make them more aware.
Chase games:
Tie a string to a toy and let your cat chase it everywhere; by doing this your cat will become more active and confident in social situations. You can use a variety of toys available in the market or create your own.
Wave the toy in front of your cat at first. When they ought to become interested in this and prepare to participate. Slowly move the mouse around the floor. Your cat will attempt to jump on it or catch it. Finally, to motivate them to exercise, walk about the room while dragging the mouse over the floor. Also, cats are natural night predators, try dimming the lights while playing this game dimming the lights during this game.
Create a window seat for birdwatching:
Provide a seat for your cat next to a window to get a complete view of the outside world. Bird activity, passing wildlife, and shifting landscapes all captivate cats.
By having a window view, you allow them to interact with the noises and images of the outside world, which piques their interest and keeps them from becoming bored. So offer them a comfortable place next to your window and let them enjoy some fresh air.
Play along the stairs:
Offering a vertical space to your kitty is ideal for their physical growth. And what is better than stairs? If you have safe stairs, you can create a perfect playground for your cat. They enjoy playing fetch and running up and down the stairs endlessly. They also enjoy lying and wrestling on the stairs.
In addition to being places for exercise, vertical areas give cats a sense of security and cerebral stimulation as they watch over their domain. So, encourage your cat's playful instincts by tossing toys up and down the stairs for them to chase.
Use boxes:
Do you know? A recent study from the University of Utrecht found another explanation for cats' love of boxes. They performed the study by providing half the shelter cats with boxes and the other half with no boxes. According to the research, the cats who had the boxes actually recovered and adjusted to their surroundings more quickly. This demonstrates how helpful boxes are for cats to help them adjust to change!
Cats adore boxes for a variety of reasons, but the major one is that they are small, contained environments. As ambush predators, cats have an innate tendency to seek out little spaces where they may hunt, hide, and feel warm and comfortable. Perfectly sized, snug cardboard boxes were ideal. Your cat will love playing with cardboard since it has the ideal texture for them to bite and scratch at.
Create toys:
Creating your simple toys can help your cat bring out their inner hunting and curious behavior. There are various toys available in the market, but you can try out some simple things and convert them into interesting toys for your feline companion, like:
- Paper bags: The sound of a paper bag intrigues cats, and hence, it is a great toy for them.
- Bits of crumpled paper or foil balls: Let your cat chase down foil balls and engage in some physical activity.
- Cardboard boxes: As discussed earlier, boxes are a great way to engage your cat in fun activities like creating a maze out of it.
- Ping-pong balls: Bounce soft balls and let your cat catch the ball. This would keep them engaged for a long time. Tie a shiny little thing to a string and drag it across the floor for your cat to chase it.
Puzzle feeders:
Using a puzzle feeder helps your cat to mimic the natural way to eat in the wild. Self-feeding involves both mental and physical engagement; puzzle feeders restore some of that stimulation to mealtimes.
There are various reasons cat behaviorists suggest puzzle feeders for cats. Some of them are mentioned below:
- It helps your cat to eat slowly and safeguard them from vomiting.
- Offers extra exercise during mealtimes.
- Saves them from obesity
- Reduce boredom.
- Keep your cat's mind active; encourage it to think.
Thus, a number of advantages were noted by the researchers in a recent study on the use of puzzle feeders with cats, including weight loss, a decrease in hostility towards humans and other cats, and a reduction in fear and anxiety.
Thus, there are many activities to amuse your feline companion, especially if they are indoor cats, as primarily all these are based on physical and mental stimulation. The most significant lesson is to give your cat plentiful affection while honoring their boundaries and attempting different methods to make them cheerful.
There's nothing more relaxing than spending quality time with your bundle of cuteness. Use this time indoors to play, converse, groom, show them lots of love, or even read to them! This will not only make your bond more robust than before and keep them engaged!
As you can see, all it takes to bring the quality time enchantment back inside your home is a little effort! Keep in mind that your cat, who often follows their schedule, may find this new habit, which involves more time spent indoors, to be quite a change.
Give your cat the space and time they need to adjust, as a sign of respect for their needs. When you finally discover an activity that your pet enjoys, don't stop exploring and trying new things to keep the spark alive in your indoor adventures.
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