With more local governments imposing strict cat curfews and owners valuing the health and safety benefits of keeping cats indoors, just how do you keep those contained kitties stimulated and happy?
1. Sensory buzz
Dust a large paper bag with catnip to create a mini paper paradise. No catnip? You will likely have basil, thyme, dill and cinnamon in your pantry which many cats love too.
2. Put them on a toy diet
Cats get bored too and even a favourite toy can become ho-hum if it’s always around. Try putting that special toy away for a few days and notice the renewed interest when it emerges again. In the meantime, a small bell rolled into a couple of old socks may make a happy substitute.
3. Food fun
Turn eating into an adventure. Cats love to explore a cardboard feeding ball filled with tasty treats. An old cardboard egg container will make a ready-made puzzle for a curious cat. You can create a scavenger hunt by placing strong-smelling treats in hard-to-get-to spots around the house. Just don’t forget where you put them!
4. Sleeping high
Create new places for your cat to snooze. Find safe and unused spots on shelves or high furniture and add some old toweling, jumpers or bedding to form a cosy, enclosed platform.
Our thanks to the folk at SafeCat where we picked up these hacks where they have many more ideas for keeping indoor kitties stimulated and happy.