Blog: Happy Mew Year: Keeping Your Indoor Cat Stimulated

Let’s face it, cats are picky creatures, but keeping am indoor cat happy inside isn’t as hard as it may appear. It can be as simple as playing regularly, rotating the toys you let them play with, or even thinking of fun new ways to spice up mealtimes. Here are our top 5 ways to keep your indoor cat entertained and stimulated in 2020 (and beyond):

Create a Hang Out

Placing ready-made cat trees or perches on or near windows are excellent ways to keep your cat entertained. Near the window frame your cat can get a live-action look into the world of birds, bugs, and other things they can watch for hours.

Besides having a way to see the many critters of the outside world, it helps them establish their territory, their safe space, and satisfies their deep-seated need to explore.  Cat furniture also provides a great way for cats to exercise on their own (climbing) and distracts them from destruction in other places (scratching).

While tall spots are great, cat caves are low-the-ground enclosed spaces for your cats to hide. They feel warm, safe, and secure in smaller spaces, and lower stress significantly. Having these spots around the house also discourage sleeping in unwanted locations such as drawers, closets or on a load of clean laundry.

Make Game Time

Making time to play with your cat is crucial. Pick a time that works for you and have at it! Something that can keep you both entertained is incorporating different types of fishing pole toys that are fun to chase and tease with.  Catnip infused toys give a kick to playtime, allowing your cat to play and relax at the same time. Sometimes simply tossing around a toy with a jingle ball inside is enough to make your cat run around in a frenzy.

Rotating their favorite toys taking out special ones at playtime can also make your cat more excited when they come out to play.

Release the Inner Hunter

According to a new report done by the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery in 2016, implementing interactive “food puzzles” are an excellent way to boost your cats mental and physical health. What is a food puzzle? They are ways your cat can “hunt” for their food indoors, and “offers enrichment beyond just a means of providing food”.  Wet food is best used for a stationary puzzle while dry food can be more flexible.  More details and ideas can be found in the article linked!

Bringing the Outside Inside

Cat grass can be picked up at any local pet supply store and hosts many benefits for your cat. Allowing cats to graze provides them with essential vitamins, aids in their digestive process, assists in removing hairball build-up, and chlorophyll helps naturally freshen their breath! Having cat grass also distracts them from the other potentially tasty looking plants in your home.

Heavy Petting

Touch the best way to bond with your pets.  Petting cats has been proven to lower stress levels in their humans and lower the amount of anxiety they face. Petting your cat creates a positive, calming effect for both human and cat. According to study done by Patricia Pendry of Washington State University “Just 10 minutes [of petting and interaction] can have a significant impact [on mental health]. Students in our study with cats and dogs had a significant reduction in cortisol, a major stress hormone.”

Cats prefer being stroked by the cheeks, chin, between the eyes and ears. The reason for this is that cats can’t groom that area, so it comforts them thinking that you are doing it for them.

With so many new ideas going into the new year, you’re sure to make 2020 the most productive yet! Especially for your furry best friends!