Does your cat get bored? Have you ever asked yourself how do you keep your indoor cat entertained at home?
Keeping them indoors is the best option for anyone who owns a cat since it keeps them safe.
Keeping your cat indoors minimizes the chances of it getting hurt when fighting with other cats, avoids dog bites or even being hit by cars, among other reasons.
In short indoor cats tend to live long, unlike outdoor cats.
Despite the reasons which might make you leave the cat indoor, on the other hand, an indoor cat can quickly become bored.
When bored, the cat faces behavioral risks such as aggression, excessive sleeping, scratching of household items, excessive crying, among others.
Always ensure your home is enriching and cat-friendly.
Ensure the cat is getting enough stimulation in the environment in which it is staying.
Therefore in the blog below, I will take you through 10 ways to keep your indoor cat entertained at home.
Read more on How To Hide A Pet From The Landlord: Full Guide
Read more on How To Do Away With Neighbors Cats In The Yard: A Full Guide
How To Keep Your Indoor Cat Entertained At Home: 10 Tips To Avoid Cat Boredom
Every pet owner wishes they could travel and move everywhere with their pets.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to walk with your pet to school, work, to the shops, thus the need to leave them at home.
When left at home alone, the cat can get bored.
Therefore it is crucial to have a variety of activities for the cat.
In the blog below, I will explore some tips on how to keep your indoor cat entertained at home.
1) Provide An Outside View
There is so much which happens on the outside.
Don’t be surprised to find out that your cat gets a lot of entertainment from the outside world.
Put your cat in a room with a window where it can see the outside.
You can purchase a window bed online for your cat or even a cat tree. Also available for the cat are some window-mounted seats.
If you don’t want to buy anything online, you can always keep a cupboard near a window, and close to it, you can place a chair to assist the cat in climbing up.
In addition, outside the window, you can hang some birds or squirrel feeders to keep your cat entertained when the birds come to feed.
Read more on Best Air Purifiers For Allergies And Pets-Complete Buying Guide
2) Cultivate Some Cat Grass
Cats like chewing grass when outside.
The grass usually helps them with their digestion and prevents the accumulation of hairballs inside their stomachs.
It also distracts them, so they will not remain bored.
Remember, cat grass is not the ordinary grass in your lawn; instead, it is a unique grass grown from wheat or oat.
You can learn a lot online on how to grow cat grass in your house.
3) Have A Playtime With Your Cat
Unlike dogs, cats are low-maintenance pets.
Always create a playtime with your cat if possible. Ensure to schedule a one-on-one time to play with your cat at home.
You can use some toys to make your playtime enjoyable.
Many toys are available for use, such as a laser pen, feathery flyer, or even a toy mouse.
Since cats blossom with physical attention, cuddling them can also be stimulating enough to strengthen the bond the two of you have.
4) Allow The Cat To Bask
Just like humans, cats love to bask under the sun.
When leaving the house, ensure to leave your curtains and drapes open to allow the sun to shine inside.
Look for a window that allows most sunlight in the house. Look for a cat bed and place it on the window.
The cat will automatically be drawn to the bed, and it will enjoy the warmth of the sun during the day.
5) Buy Or DIY Toys For Your Cat/Cat Puzzles
Toys are not only important, but also they are one of the best ways to keep boredom at bay for your cat.
Since getting a suitable toy for your cat may not be easy, ensure to have several of them.
Having a variety of toys will ensure that the cat will not get bored with the existing ones.
You can purchase some interactive toys online, and the toys can be switched on for the cat to play with it when you are away.
On the other hand, you can improvise some toys at home for your cat. Some of the homemade toys include;
- Cats like playing and chasing rolling things. Therefore you can make some tubes from cardboard or even use the toilet paper tubing.
- A delivery packaging-The noises from the wrapping paper are fascinating to cats. When you receive a package, please do not throw it away. If you have a cat at home, you can use the box and the wrapping as a toy for your cat.
- Bouncy balls-These are light and bouncy balls that cats play with for a more extended period.
Always ensure your cat has sufficient toys at its disposal as well make sure to rotate and interchange them often so that the cat does not get bored quickly.
6) Invest In A Cat Patio/Catio
A catio is an enclosed space in your backyard or even balcony where your cat can enjoy an outside environment but still be protected.
A cat can play or even sleep on the catio as long as it is taken care of well.
The advantage of catio is that as long as there is shelter and food, you can leave your cat outside for as long as you want. You can DIY a cat patio or even buy one online.
7) Buy A Cat Furniture
Scratching of trees and posts is an impulsive behavior in cats.
The scratching helps them shed their nails and mark territories with scents from their paws.
It is a natural behavior that they cannot just lose.
You can purchase cat-specific furniture such as the scratching bench and post and cat trees.
Cats love climbing up the trees and scratching them too.
Do the research and buy the best tree or post that suits your house and is suitable for your cat.
There are varieties of them on the cat stores around you, even online.
8) Get Them A Buddy
Having a companion is one way of dealing with loneliness.
Just like humans, cats love having someone around, even if it’s another feline.
Your cat may get bored, especially if you have been spending a lot of time with them, and then suddenly become committed and not available most of the time.
If you are able enough, you can adopt another cat to make them two and keep each other company.
If you cannot adopt another cat but have family members or friends who can visit, you can always arrange for them to visit your home and keep your cat company.
You can also schedule a veterinary visit during the week, and the cat will enjoy the companion.
9) Design Hideout Places
Like other predators, cats love to jump onto and hide in places they feel safe.
The hiding places can be high on top dressers or even low in cardboard boxes.
It is from the hideout places where cats evaluate their environment just like they do in outdoor areas.
To make it interesting for the cat and have it come closer to the hideout, you can dangle a toy, and they would pounce on it.
Hideout places include but are not limited to a play tunnel, wardrobes, coffee table.
10) Buy A Timed Feeder For Your Cat
Boredom can result from a lack of energy too.
When outdoors, cats can feed themselves as frequently as possible, unlike indoors, where feeding is controlled.
Ensure your cat gets at least four meals in a day even when you are not around.
A timed feeder will be ideal for such roles. Timed feeders have timers and are also split into 4-6 compartments.
Set the timer when you want your cat to feed during the day.
Read More How to Stop Dogs From Digging Under the Fence
Benefits Of Having An Active Cat
- Improved sleep: Once the cat stays active and stimulated during the day, in the end, they will have a good sleep.
- Healthy joints and bones: Just like humans, regular exercise is beneficial to cats. Everyday activities help to protect against some of the bone and joint disorders
- Better behavior indoors: A stimulating environment is very vital for any cat’s behavior. Some behaviors like chewing grass, scratching posts and trees, directly express the natural tendencies of a cat, which in turn will lead to improved behavior at home.
- Feel good mood: Generally, physical activities help release happy hormones in humans as well as in animals such as cats. The feel-good hormone helps protect the cat from the depression and anxiety caused by staying indoors and inactive.
- Management of weight: Cats that are kept active rarely will have issues with weight, such as being obese or even having weight-related diseases like diabetes. So keep your cat busy.
Final Thoughts On How To Keep Your Indoor Cat Entertained At Home
The final verdict of whether a cat will stay indoors or be given some outdoor allowance solely depends on the health of a cat, its personality, the environment outside, and even the owner.
Each cat should be treated as an individual who has their preferences. Always ensure your cat is happy and protected.
The above guide will help you choose what’s best for your cat and how to keep your indoor cat entertained at home
