It’s NOT normal for a cat to
eat, sleep, and hide most of the day – and get FAT. Enriching cats’ environments
helps them burn calories, alleviate boredom, prevent behaviour problems and bladder troubles, and
slow down the aging process.
Here are five tips to make your home cat friendly:
1. Cats need
elevated spots to hang out in. Buy
cat shelves to hang at different heights or simply clear a window ledge. They
also love scratching posts and plenty of cosy hiding places like boxes and
tunnels.
2. Stop ignoring your cat. One of the reasons cats have become so popular is because people
think you don’t need to do anything with them. Of course, this is far from true
and is one of the reasons there are so many overweight cats. Play with your
cats once or twice a day for at least five minutes—during TV commercials is
ideal!
3. Activate the cat’s
hunting drive. See
if your cat likes feeding from enrichment toys hidden around
the house. The kibble will only fall out
of the toys a few pieces at a time stimulating the hunting instinct and preventing
the cat from eating too quickly. You can buy these food-dispensing toys or make
your own from a toilet paper roll, with both ends sealed off. Fill the tube
with kibble and poke holes in it.
4. Redefine and rotate toys. Move cat toys around the house. The feather toy in the living
room is a whole new toy in the bedroom. Cut holes in an empty box and move it
around the house. Exercise your cat’s hunting instinct with mouse-sized toys
jerked around the floor.
5. Take your cat new
places. Fenced-in
outdoor pet patios or cat runs break up the indoor cat’s day and provide live
entertainment.
The more time you spend
enriching your cats’ environment, the smarter and healthier they will be. A
cat’s mind is a terrible thing to waste!
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