Purrfectly Entertained: Indoor Enrichment for Cats

Encourage your cat’s hunting skills

Cats love the thrill of the hunt and enjoy stalking and chasing “prey.” Don’t worry—you don’t have to let a mouse or bird loose in your home to appease your feline friend! Instead, you can use feather wands or motorized toys to mimic prey animal movements and encourage your cat to run and jump as they go in for the “kill.”

Create vertical space for your cat

Vertical space is essential indoor enrichment for cats. In the wild, felines are predators and prey, and they feel more comfortable and confident when they can survey their environment from above. An elevated position also allows them to escape pesky humans and other household pets when they need downtime. Ideas to elevate your feline’s living space include:

• Cat trees — You can find cat trees to provide your cat with vertical space at your local pet store or online. These products also often feature comfy beds and hiding holes.
• Look up — If you would rather not spend money on a luxurious cat tree, you can easily provide vertical space for your cat by clearing elevated areas. Remove clutter from the top of your refrigerator, high bookshelves, and your closet top shelf to give your cat high places to relax.
• Floating shelves — To ramp up your game, install floating shelves around your home at different levels, spaced so your cat can jump from one to the other.

Provide scratching options for your cat

Scratching is a natural instinct for cats that’s essential for their mental health. Cats scratch to keep their claws healthy, stretch out their muscles, and leave scent messages for other cats. If you don’t provide appropriate scratching options, your feline friend will make do with your curtains and furniture—something no cat owner wants. When providing scratching posts for your whiskered friend, considerations include:

• Type — Scratching posts come in various materials, such as sisal, cardboard, and rope. Offer several options at first to determine your cat’s scratching preference.
• Orientation — Offer vertical and horizontal scratching posts and pads.
• Number — Ensure you have enough scratching posts to appease all your household felines.
• Stability — Ensure the the scratching post is well stabilized, so the structure doesn’t fall over. This could scare your cat and they may then avoid the post.
• Location — Place scratching posts in areas where your cat likes to spend time.

Make a treat puzzle toy for your cat

A feline treat puzzle toy is a fun and inexpensive indoor enrichment method for cats. Here are some easy and creative ideas:

• Cardboard tube challenge — Stand empty toilet paper rolls up in a small box, and drop treats inside some of the tubes. Let your cat figure out how to fish out their reward.
• Egg carton puzzle — Place treats in some egg carton compartments and cover the carton with scrunched up paper or small toys. Let your cat search and find the treats. You can close the egg carton for added difficulty.
• Plastic bottle toy — In a plastic bottle, cut holes large enough for treats to fall through. Fill the bottle with several treats, and let your cat roll the bottle around to get their snack.

Indoor enrichment for cats doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. A little extra time can help ensure your feline friend leads a happy, healthy, enriched life. If you want more enrichment tips for your cat or need to schedule their annual wellness exam, contact your AAHA-accredited veterinarian.