If you’re the owner of a cat who loves being indoors where it’s warm and cosy, as opposed to the outdoors where it’s cold and they face various threats, then you’ll be stoked to know that there are many ways to keep them happy and occupied.
You feed them great food, you give them plenty of attention and you have the best cat insurance Australia, now it’s time to look at five ways you can keep them ultra-stoked when they’re indoors.
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1. Indulge their hunting instincts indoors
All cats have a natural hunting instinct that even indoor cats can’t shake. It’s simply in their blood and they love nothing more than hunting prey even if it’s just for fun and doesn’t result in mortalities!
So, how can you indulge your indoor kitten’s appetite for a good hunting party? By hiding its favourite treats around the house in a manner that makes them have to seek them out.
You can even buy cat treat toys and puzzles that force the cat to use their mental prowess to access their treats, creating a great way to stimulate their mind as well as expel some of that energy they may be missing from meandering around outside.
2. Provide toys & games
Not all cats love being outdoors all day, but this doesn’t mean they don’t have plenty of energy they want to expel. Thankfully, you have plenty of toys and games at your disposal.
Even if your kitten doesn’t necessarily want to be outside killing rodents all day (as some don’t), it doesn’t mean their natural hunting instinct isn’t well intact.
The solution? To provide games that mimic that of them chasing a rodent around! If not that, the old feather duster and scratch tower provide plenty of enjoyable ways for your cat to play, expel energy and enjoy their indoors time a bit more.
3. Set up bird-watching stations
Even if your cat can’t be outside all day chasing birds it doesn’t mean that they won’t get the enjoyment out of watching their ancestral prey just outside of the window.
You can set up a bird watching station within the house so that whenever your cat wants to perch itself and watch birds frolic in the trees above then it is no problem for them.
4. Consider a second kitten!
Okay, obviously this is not for everyone, and you may already find your current cat to be a handful, but if you’re increasingly finding yourself in situations where you can’t be there for your indoor kitten all the time then perhaps you might need to consider picking up a playmate?
Don’t let anyone fool you: cats are social animals like the rest of us, and love having a companion there to while away the hours when their owner isn’t home. This might be perfect for your kitten, too.
5. Take your cat for a walk?
Oh, come on, it’s really not that bizarre! Especially when you consider that cats, like other animals, need plenty of exercise to stay fit in mind and body. Therefore, why not consider taking your cat out for a cheeky walk?
This way, you can supervise them and keep them safe whilst providing them a great exercise that has many fitness advantages. Of course, they may get their exercise from the times they do want to go outside, but it’s something you could always consider – you just have to get over the idea of being weird!
