Is your cat suffering from boredom? This article shows you how to keep your cat entertained, even when you’re not at home. You’ll also find tips for adding more variety to your living space.
© Tanya / stock.adobe.com
This kitty is clearly having fun with her teaser wand.
To be happy, a cat needs enough stimulation and activity. For most outdoor cats , this isn’t a problem: they often cover a kilometre or more each day to patrol their territory. That, along with catching mice, usually keeps them busy enough.
Indoor cats, on the other hand, are often not fully stimulated. Compared to an outdoor cat, their territory is tiny, and their human provides a steady supply of food. As a result, boredom can quickly set in.
Play allows an indoor cat to act on its natural hunting instinct. Regular play sessions also keep your cat fit and help reduce stress. What’s more, they lower the risk of your four-legged friend becoming overweight or even developing depression .
That’s why it’s important to play with your feline friend every day if possible. Simply set aside a few minutes daily. Your cat may even invite you to join in. If your cat brings you a toy, tugs at your sleeve or meows insistently, the message is clear: it wants to play.
Most cats still love to play well into adulthood. Early morning or late evening is the best time, as this is when these little predators would naturally head out to hunt at dusk and dawn.
The most exciting toys are those that resemble prey: plush mice or teaser wands with feathers or feather attachments. Anything that rustles or crackles is also a hit. Many cats enjoy chasing a small ball, too.
Toys containing valerian or catnip are especially popular in the feline world. The scent of these plants has an intoxicating effect on many cats, similar to how alcohol affects humans. Some cats respond more strongly to valerian, others to catnip. You’ll need to try it out to see which your furry friend prefers.
Dry food doesn’t have to be served in a bowl. That may be convenient, but it can become dull over time. It’s far more exciting to toss the kibble and let your cat catch it. Dried cat treats are also great for throwing.
This works particularly well if you have smooth flooring at home. When the small pieces skid across the floor, catching them becomes even more fun.
When playing with your cat, try to mimic the movement patterns of prey. Prey animals always run away from the hunter, never towards it. So move the teaser wand or feather toy away from your cat, not towards it.
Laser pointers can be great fun, but they have one drawback: the small dot is perfect for triggering a chase, yet it can never actually be caught. This means there’s no sense of achievement. To avoid frustration, reward your cat with a treat at the end.
In the zooplus online shop, you’ll find a wide selection of cat toys. With a bit of creativity, you can also make your own cat toys.
If you don’t have time to play with your cat, interactive toys are a good alternative. These toys come in all sorts of shapes and designs. Here are a few examples:
Puzzle toys are filled with dry food or treats. Activity boards, for example, have differently shaped compartments from which your cat has to fish out the tasty rewards with its paws.
There are also treat balls with holes that can be filled with snacks. When the ball rolls, the food pieces tumble out through the openings. Getting to the treats takes plenty of perseverance and patience.
With these types of toys, your cat has to work for its meal. This not only trains the mind and paw dexterity, but the small successes while foraging also boost overall contentment.
Another advantage: cats that usually gulp down their food in seconds are automatically encouraged to eat more slowly.
Clicker training is a method used in cat training. It’s also a wonderful way to keep your cat entertained. Many cats enjoy learning different tricks through clicker training.
So-called “clicker training” is based on pairing an acoustic signal with a reward. A clicker is a small device that makes a clicking sound, similar to a children’s toy clicker.
When your cat shows the desired behaviour, you press the clicker and reward it with a treat. Once the new behaviour is well established, the treat can be gradually reduced. The sound alone will then be enough.
Using this method, you can teach your cat many tricks: sitting up on its hind legs, jumping onto a platform or giving a paw “high five”.
Important: don’t overdo it! Avoid overwhelming your cat, or it may lose interest in clicker training. If you notice your cat isn’t in the mood, stop the session and continue on another day.
In cat agility , your cat completes a course with various obstacles. Cat agility can be practised both outdoors and indoors. The obstacle course is trained using clicker training.
When it comes to the obstacles, there are no limits to your imagination: small hurdles to jump over, narrow walkways or poles for balancing, or tunnels for your feline friend to crawl through.
Cat agility is great fun for many house cats. It improves dexterity and ensures your cat gets enough exercise. You can either make the obstacles yourself or buy them from specialist retailers.
As well as regular play sessions, there are other ways to make your cat’s daily routine more varied. Here are a few ideas that are quick and easy to put into practice:
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to keep your cat entertained and add variety to everyday life. A well-stimulated house cat stays physically and mentally fit and is far more content than one left to suffer from boredom.
The zooplus editorial team consists of a dedicated team of experts with many years of experience in the field of animal husbandry: Luisa with her White Swiss Shepherd Elyos, Laura, Julio, and Florian. Together with a large network of animal experts, we work to make the zooplus magazine a trusted source of information for all animal owners and lovers. Our goal is to provide exciting animal knowledge and relevant information on the proper care of pets.
Cats are putting their hunting instincts into practice when they play. Playing is important and the more diverse the toys, all the better. Five ideas on how you can make your own cat toys – with inexpensive items that can be found in every household.
With just a few too many well-intentioned treats and too little playtime, your cat can soon start to gain weight. This raises the question: isn't there a way for cats to exercise too? Luckily, with our five exercises for feline fitness, you can get your cat moving and help them shed those extra kilos.
Play and exercise are fundamental components of a healthy feline life. If your cat gets bored, a wide range of complaints will soon emerge. Most cats love challenges that train their body and mind. Cat agility is a wonderful opportunity to link fun with developmental support. It appeals to your cat's natural curiosity and can be carried out both indoors and outdoors.
