Beyond Toys: Keeping Your Cat's Environment Stimulating

A stimulating environment is important to reduce stress and provide cats with outlets for their natural species specific behaviors such as scratching, climbing, hiding, and ambushing.

Maya and Lily hanging out on shelves close to the ceiling which they love

Cats are not designed to live their lives stuck in our homes with little entertainment.

It is up to us, our cat's keepers, to create an environment where they can act out natural behaviors and thrive. This is important because cats who are bored, who don't have options or choices, and who are not provided the opportunity to act out their natural species specific behaviors can develop behavior issues and possibly medical problems due to stress. They may start house soiling or displaying aggressive or destructive behaviors.

There are plenty of ways to keep the indoor environment stimulating. Here are some things to consider:

Scratching

Scratching is a natural behavior that should be encouraged. When cats scratch, there's a lot going on. Scratching stretches muscles, grooms nails, marks territory through visual and scent marks, and can release emotional tension.

Offer your cat options to see what they prefer.

• Do they like to scratch vertically, horizontally and/or at an angle?

• Do they like sisal, rug, or corrugated cardboard?
  

An important consideration when getting a scratcher is that it is stable. A flimsy post is not as attractive as your couch that will not move. Ensure stability.

Cat trees, scratchers, boxes and a towel and tunnel allow 5 cats to have a lot of fun enrichment activities to share

Climbing

Cats are naturally attracted to heights. Unless your cat has mobility issues, a tall cat tree and perches provide a great opportunity for exercise, and a safe spot for your cat to view their territory.

If you live in a household with multiple cats, small children, or a dog, having safe spots like vertical shelves can provide opportunities for your cat to be able to hang out with the family in the main living spaces. There are so many options available to purchase or your can make your own.

Puzzles

Cats are smart and providing opportunities for some challenges is a good thing. You can use food puzzles for treats or hard food (kibble or freeze dried). Or you can use puzzles for toys. Make your own puzzle using a cardboard box and cutting out some holes for your cat to grab what's inside.

Luke pulling food out of the Trixie Activity Board

Hiding

Even confident cats need space to decompress now and then, but shy cats can really benefit from hiding spots. Cardboard boxes, cat carriers, tunnels or cat caves can provide your cat with a place to rest undisturbed. Boxes and tunnels are often great for playtime too.

Cat carriers can make great hiding and resting places - leave your cat carrier out in a room your cat frequents with clean bedding and toys or treats inside. Not only is it a great hiding spot. but it helps with carrier training too.

Oscar, who was initially unsocialized and shy, likes to duck into a tunnel when he feels unsafe. He also sleeps on a tunnel on our bed. These days, he's more confident and spends less time in the tunnels, but the tunnels are there when he needs them.

Olfactory Enrichment

A cat's sense of smell is much more powerful compared with ours. Olfactory enrichment can be stimulating but it can also be relaxing. There's a large variety of herbs to try with your cat.

Most of us have tried catnip with mixed results. Silvervine is another stimulating herb that more cats respond to, but there's also Valerian Root which can be calming. I really like this herb scent pack by Meowy Janes. I offer 3 or 4 at a time on the corners of a towel and let the cats interact with it as they want.

Cat Grass

Many cats enjoy grass and it has tons of benefits including supplying some nutrients, helping digestion and relieving hairballs and constipation. My cats just really like it. Josh will munch on it prior to mealtime if he's hungry.

Cat grass growing kits are available online. You might find cat grass at your local pet store or farmer's market.

Josh and Oscar really love the cat grass. I try to have it available as often as I can.

Safe Outdoor Time

It's kind of weird that our cats never go outside. They don't get the fresh air, the feel of grass or dirt, or the stimulation from the outside world. Dogs go on walks at least twice each day which is normalized, but we haven't done that with cats, even though some are very confident and have the right disposition to go on a walk. Although letting your cat outside unsupervised is dangerous for many reasons, there are safe ways to go about it. Catios, leash training and pet strollers are some ways to take your cat outside in a safe way.

Variety & Rotation

Even favorite things can become boring over time. Provide your cat with a variety of these enrichment recommendations. And rotate them. Cats appreciate novelty. Something as simple as moving the tunnel or cat carrier to a new spot can make it exciting again.

There's are lots of ways to add a little excitement to your cat's daily life. Packing paper and tissue paper are great for playtime and resting spots. Hiding treats around your home can be a fun scavenger hunt. Even something as simple as throwing a sheet over a chair can provide your cat with something new to explore.

It's our role as cat guardians to find ways to keep our cats engaged, challenged, and healthy.

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About the author: Jennifer Van de Kieft, CAFTP, FFCP, PNCC is located in Brooklyn, NY. She is certified in feline behavior and pet nutrition. She owns Cat Advocate, a feline behavior consulting company. She provides cat guardians with the strategies, tools and knowledge needed to address their cat's behavior issues. Jennifer provides virtual consultations throughout the United States.