11 Creative Ways to Stimulate an Indoor Cat
If you want a happy and healthy cat you need to know how to keep an indoor cat entertained. Cat owners who want to keep their felines indoors must find ways to prevent boredom, or the felines may escape. In addition to providing your indoor cat with the greatest cat toys available, we have a couple more recommendations. These few creative ways to stimulate an indoor cat will definitely keep your cat entertained during the colder winter months.
Cats can thrive even indoors. There are countless ways to stimulate an indoor cat.
Perhaps you know from experience that a bored cat can be destructive. Cats may cause havoc when they are bored, whether it’s by tearing up your sofa, destroying your plants, or exploring areas they shouldn’t be. Keeping your cat occupied is vital for their health, especially if they become bored quickly. Cat sitting is not as easy as it may appear, requiring much attention.
1. Get a few wands and teasers
Using a cat wand or teaser, you may stimulate your cat’s natural prey-chasing instincts. If you want to prevent mishaps, put the toy away after you’re done playing with your cat and let them capture its “prey” at the end. Assuming you don’t have mice in the house, your cat may get bored, especially if left alone for a long time. This is a great way to keep a cat entertained.
2. Let cat hunt for the food
You may make your cat search for part of its food by hiding it or concealing it. The first step is to conceal it in a room where your cat can easily see it, and then as your cat grows better at locating it, you may move it to a more difficult location. By feeding your indoor cat at regular intervals and within limited time frames, you may encourage natural behaviors that it would otherwise not be exposed to. Hunting for food is the activity that will bring the most cat joy to your little furry friend.
3. Give cat puzzle toys
Indoor cats may get additional exercise and playtime with the aid of puzzle toys. They provide them with another option to “search” for food. A snuffle mat, licky mat, or puzzle toy is one of the most creative ways to stimulate an indoor cat.
4. Rotate their toys
Catnip toys, battery-operated movable toys, and ball pits are just a few examples of the types of toys that should be available alongside puzzle toys. Keep your cat from becoming bored with the same toys every week by switching them around.
5. Facilitate perches
Cats like to climb and have their own little perches. Don’t take this joy away from them.
Cats find that perching on high locations is a great way to relax and unwind. As an added bonus, indoor cats get more exercise from being able to leap and jump to new heights. Window perches are great for entertaining your indoor cat since they provide a view of the outside world from a comfortable height.
6. Set up some scratching posts
Your cat’s claws will stay in good shape while she engages in this natural behavior. In addition to entertaining and relieving your indoor cat, scratching posts may protect your furniture from scratches. If you can’t afford to buy one of those expensive scratching posts, you can just give them some stuff you have lying around in the house. Like, carton boxes, for example. Gather a few leftover moving boxes and let them use them as toys, and your cats will be so happy.
7. Get them a cat playground
A cat playground, if you have room for one, maybe a great way to keep an indoor cat active and entertained. While also giving it access to higher, safer areas. Physical stimulation may come from as little as installing a cat tree or wheel and training your cat to utilize it.
8. Play indoor fishing
Indoor fishing is just one example of the many fun activities you can do with your cat. Put some cat toys that float in a bucket of water and watch as your cat hunts for its “prey” in the water. Your cat will benefit from the activity and mental stimulation of a game of fetch (which may take some training on your part).
9. Try teaching them a few tricks
Contrary to popular belief, cats can be trained. You’ll love showing off their new tricks.
Cats, contrary to widespread opinion, are trainable. Training your cat is a great way to bond with them and offer them the cerebral and physical stimulation they want, just as it is for your dog. If you want to train your indoor cat to perform tricks like “sit” and “paw,” why not try using some nutritious cat treats?
10. Maximise their cat space
When your cat spends most of her time inside, you should work to increase the amount of enrichment she receives from his environment—cats like hiding in places like Cat Caves, where they may observe their environment without being seen. Many felines also choose lofty perches from where they can survey their surroundings in relative isolation. Some people even create intricate cat paths to the tops of their walls, but you can also supply tall scratching posts and cat trees, as we suggested. And make sure to clear off space on high shelves or the top of the refrigerator. This is especially important if your cat is a stray. It would help if you took the time to prepare your home for a rescue cat and attend to them.
11. Play them a cat movie
Consider the wide variety of cat movies available if you’re looking for ways to stimulate an indoor cat. The latest craze includes putting on a movie for your cat to watch, and these films can be accessed on streaming services like Amazon Prime and, in some instances, YouTube. These usually entail viewing birds, so your cat will be engrossed in the program and away from your plants.
