Indoor cats have a pretty good life. They’re safe from the elements and are protected from neighborhood predators and pesky cars. Still, the indoor cat life can be a bit…shall we say, boring? Of course, your cat loves to be with you, but our indoor kitties get far less activity than their outdoor counterparts.
Your cat’s health can actually be impacted by a lack of activity. Obesity, lack of social interaction, and overlooked health issues can all be side effects of an indoor lifestyle. With that in mind, your friends at BEEVET Animal Hospital want to provide some ideas for how to engage your indoor cat.
Engage Your Indoor Cat
Engaging your indoor cat can be fun for you, too! Consider the following ideas:
- Play — Find out what your individal kitty likes. A game of laser pointer tag? Chasing a fishing pole toy? Learning to fetch a toy mouse? Physical activity is just as important to your feline companion as it is for you. So get moving!
- Stretch — Speaking of activity, have you heard of yoga with cats? We’re not joking! You can engage your indoor cat in some helpful yoga poses by encouraging them to stretch their paws up the side of a wall. You can also engage their core muscles by getting them to crawl under something to get a treat or toy. The possibilities are endless!
- Up, up, up — As solitary hunters, cats relish a place to perch and survey their territory. Provide vertical access through the use of cat perches, a cat tree, or cat friendly shelving.
- Scratch that — Scratching is a natural cat behavior that’s sometimes seen as a negative. Give your cat plenty of options they can use, and you may see a decrease in scratching in undesirable areas – mainly, your leather couch.
- The one — Always remember that you are your cat’s favorite indoor activity. Engaging with them on a regular basis each day will go far to keeping them engaged and happy. Bonus: keeping a close watch on your cat will alert you when anything is wrong (your cat’s way of telling you they may need to be seen).
Bring the Outdoors In
You could start with an indoor fish tank or grow a kitty garden. Catios are also a new and growing way to engage your indoor cat and give them a taste of the outdoors while keeping them safe. There are several creative ways to do this. A quick search online will bring up hundreds of ideas. Here are a few to get you started:
No matter how your cat likes to be engaged, the important thing is that they get regular exercise and play. As you well know, cats are amazing creatures, and we’re happy to talk more about your pet and their health. Please give us a call!
