How to Keep your Cats Entertained.

Did you know you have to keep your indoor cat busy? Imagine you’re a happy indoor cat: everything is at your paws. You’ve got food, water, nice humans, and a comfortable bed. But between the power naps, the eating and the drinking, what else is there to do? That’s when you need to make sure your indoor cat is entertained or your friendly feline can turn into a little lion of destruction.

Why does my bored cat need that mouse toy?

At Purrniture, we’ve known this for years, but there’s a real lack of knowledge out there when it comes to cat behavior. Healthy cats need enrichment. It’s not optional.  By enrichment, I mean everything from cat furniture and towers, to tunnels and toys. We’ve all seen the cute cat toys shaped in the form of a mouse, fish or ball.

According to Best Friends Animal Society, cats have natural behaviors and to be healthy and happy, they have to be able to express those natural behaviors. Cat toys do that and help meet your cat’s mental and emotional needs, keeping them entertained. 

Trick your cat that old toys are new.

I can hear what you’re thinking: you have lots of cat balls but your furball doesn’t play with them. Just like humans, felines get bored easily. You need to have an adequate stash of toys where you can rotate them in and out each day. Never leave the same cat fish toy out day after day. 

Your cat will think old toys are brand new if you take them away for a few days. If you roll it in a little catnip first, your cat will really think it’s special. If your cat is very finicky about his or her toys, you can’t go wrong with feather or fishing pole toys. Just stick a pole with a mouse on the end in front of their face. Even if they don’t like it, they’ll think you’re annoying and then swat at it to get you to move it. (You should get them to move, even if it’s just a little bit.) 

Another important enrichment tool is the interactive cat feeder, which to a feline can also be an interactive cat toy. Why not make your bored kitty work for their food? Interactive feeders come in a variety of sizes, styles and price ranges. Most of them involve putting their food in a maze so your cat has to pick out each piece of kibble piece by piece. It’s not only great to keep a cat busy, but it makes them work harder for their meal. That can help burn calories if they’re overweight and can prevent the after-meal vomiting some cats do after eating too fast. Remember in the wild, cats hunt prey so they can eat. You’re really not helping their natural instincts by just placing a full bowl of food in front of them.

Keep your indoor cat busy by taking them for a walk.

While some people do let their cats go inside and outside, it generally is not safe and not recommended by most animal welfare organizations and veterinarians. There are so many dangers an outdoor cat faces: cars, coyotes, less than reputable people. The lifespan of an indoor/outdoor cat is also far lower than a cat who lives solely inside. 

But that doesn’t mean you can’t take your indoor cat outside. Take them on a walk. Be warned It won’t necessarily be like walking a dog in the beginning. You’re not going to walk straight. You’ll zig-zag and follow Fluffy wherever she wants to go, you might even go into the bushes or the neighbor’s house. 

You’ll also need the right equipment. Your cat should not be attached to a leash through their collar. Not all cat collars are designed for leashes. You need a walking harness and leash specifically designed for a cat. The metal hook on puppy leashes is too heavy for a cat’s neck. Catster Magazine has a great article with pointers on how to start the process of walking your cat. More and more cat owners are doing it and finding out how rewarding and fun it can be.

If walking your cat on a leash doesn’t work, pet strollers work great because you can zip up your cat in them, or there are lots of backpacks out there where you can zip up your floof and carry him or her on your back for a nice long hike.

Purrniture keeps cats healthy and happy.

Whether you’re the adventurous type and take a kitty out of the house with you, or your cat stays inside all day, the important thing is that you provide enrichment at all times. Cat furniture, cat toys or catnip, you need it all. And of course, we here at Purrniture are ready to help keep your cat entertained.