The Catalyst Council humans are so serious about Happy Cat Month that they broke it up into weeks. Last week was Happy Healthy Cat Week, and this week is Happy Enriched Cat Week! During this week, they want to banish the myth that cats are low-maintenance, get-’em-and-leave-’em-alone pets. To be really happy, a cat needs mental, physical and emotional stimulation.
Nearly every kitty could use more enrichment in their lives! Here are some signs that your cat’s life is lacking a little something:
- Getting in trouble
- Pulling out her fur, i.e., overgrooming
- Sleeping all day (yes, we sleep a lot, but sometimes it is out of boredom)
- Beating up the other cats in the house
- Overeating (in fact, humans do the same thing when their lives aren’t exciting enough).
Hm, a couple of things on this list make me think that a certain tortie around here needs some enrichment! Anyhow, there are lots of ways to add some spunk to your cat’s life! Here are five tips:
- Make sure she has lots of levels in your home to explore. The floor and couch aren’t enough — cats are vertically minded. Arrange furniture and shelving so she can explore up and down and all around!
- Also make sure you have some good window views. Not every house has Bird and Squirrel TV reception, but you can help by putting feeders outside. Even if you live in a high rise, chances are your cat wants to look out the window and catch some sun rays, so make sure there’s a cat tree or comfy couch back for her to do that.
- When it comes to toys, interactivity is important. Almost every cat would prefer that you join in on her play sessions instead of using one of those battery operated gadgets. Wand toys, pole toys, fetch toys (whether it’s the human or kitty doing the fetching) — all these are winners.
- Don’t free feed. Use portion control, even if you are feeding dry and not canned. Get your cat out of the habit of eating out of boredom. Use puzzle feeders to get her mentally engaged, and give her treats at the same time.
- Hang out with your cat, even if you are doing nothing. If you and your cat are in the same room and she is a few feet away from you, and not even facing you, it means she trusts you and feels comfortable with you. Even though you are not touching, your cat is keeping company with you, sort of the same way a couple will hang out in the same room, each quietly reading a book. It’s more meaningful than it appears on the surface.
Here are some ways my human enriches my life!
She brings out my favorite toys for playtime! I have been known to sort of eat pieces of sparkle balls, so she keeps mine in a drawer and it is a big deal when she pulls it out.
Remember what I said about interactive play? The Neko Birbug is my very, very favorite toy, and it requires lots of human participation!
My human and I have training sessions almost every day! I love to high five. I’m still learning to love jumping through a hoop.
I get to go out on a harness and leash! I know it’s not every kitty’s idea of a good time, but I do wish more cats could get a chance to enjoy it.
And sometimes we just hang out together. There is always a space on my human’s office chair for me, whether we’re at home or at a hotel.
We love the enrichment concept – it is SO important for a cat or cats to have human interaction and play with togs together!
She is very well cared for indeed!
Looks as if your like is full of enrichment. We don’t get enough play time with our humans. We hope they will take this post to heart. Thank you, Summer. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
This was a really great post, Summer. Thanks for reminding humans that we are not “get-’em-and-leave-’em-alone pets.” You have given the humans some super suggestions.
Great enrichment ideas, Summer! Mom and Dad do a pretty good job of keeping our lives enriched, but they could do better!!! MORE PLAY TIME!!!
good tips, Summer. I think I am too quiet at the moment. Lynettea needs some sparking up. when I get fed up, I will go and paw her. I raise my front paws right up to her shoulder when she is sitting. Then she knows she has to get up and do something. She doesn’t always work out what she is supposed to do.
That makes fur a great kitty day…each and evfurry day and month and year…
Minko eats those fibers on sparkel balls oo, then he yaks them up somewhere as a gift to surprise meowmy,MOL! (All his life he has done that.)
Those are all very good ideas Summer! Our mommy said she saw you do high five and you’re beyond adorable!
you have a good human, Summer 🙂 yeah, there are things on your first list that we need to show our mom so she’ll play with us more. we are very thankful now that we have our little catio that we can get some outside time 🙂
pip, smidgen, minnie, hollie
I think you have your human twisted around your little paws
Excellent post! My human won’t ever give me those sparkle balls cos the sparkles are too easy to pull out. If she can do it, so can I and I’ll swallow them. She has to free feed me. I’m too old to learn otherwise and I’d never eat. I always was a slow eater. Nicky and Autumn weren’t free fed.
Most excellent advice Summer! Mes LOVES sparkle balls too much too!
Kisses
Nellie
Summer this is another great post. Playing wif the humans is very important to the human’s health too.
We do pretty well in the quality of our bird and squirrel TV, but we think #1 may need o read your post several times, very attentively, to make sure she gets all the rest of it absolutely right!
Purrs,
The Chans
Those are some great enrichment tips Summer! Mom needs to work with Mia on her physical stimulation so she’s not so fat… er round… er husky (I better quit while I am behind huh?)… and so she quits chasing me around the house! I’m getting older and don’t care for as much physical stimulation. I prefer to just hang out next to mom.
Purrs,
CJ and Mia
I don’t really want to play right now, but when I am feeling well my mum plays with me a lot. My favourite game is playing catch. She throws soft balls to me and I catch them. Sometimes I bat them back for her to fetch.
I hope you are feeling lots better soon, Flynn, and are back playing!
Summer, you are lucky to have such a thoughtful human. We wish all cats had it so good 🙂
the critters in the cottage xo
SUMMER LOOKS LIKE YOU HAD A WONDERFULLY ENRICHED DAY! MOM TRIES TO ENRICH MY LIFE TOO SOMETIMES BY MOVING MY CAT STUMP TO A DIFFERENT WINDOW…THAT DOESN’T PLEASE ME
HUGS MADI YOUR BFFF
That’s great advice, Summer. I’ll make sure mom knows for the Felines.
So did you just tell us that you poop sparkle?
Ummm… that may be how my human figured out I eat them!
Those are some great ideas. Most of us are very happy. The Mom does need to play with us a little more.
Excellent, Summer!! Sparkle would be so proud of your insights! Binga I reckon, is definitely in need of enrichment MOL xxx
My cats are lucky ! They don’t need all these things. They go in and out like they want to, and there are so many places to inspect, so many trees to climb on, so many mousies to chase (and birds too) that when they are sleeping it’s because they are exhausted ! Of course they also need some petting time !
Summer you always come up with great suggestions and advise!
Superb! Pawesome! Catabulous! LOVED THIS!
Your tips are fantastic and I am proud to say that I do all except I need to get some bird feeders. We are on second floor of a condo/apt bldg and the “bird tv” isn’t the best. Cody is in the window as we speak, our main window can’t have a feeder but I might be able to put one on our patio door.
catchatwithcarenandcody
I wish every kitty had it so good. 🙂
Yah, my cats are slugs no matter what I do – well Miss Frankie likes her ball, crinkle toys and wand toy but she prefers to play with them alone!
Those are all terrific ideas pretty Summer! Maybe we can get Gracie a food puzzle game to help her not want food out of boredom.
We love being with Mum during the day too, and we love spending the evening in the living room all together : Mum, Dad, and us. Purrs
apparently theo, like binga, needs some enrichment…
Summer mew are one wise kitty, we love to read your posts full of kitty wisdom 🙂
Our P.A. takes time effury day fur all of us – she brushes us daily and we have mega indoor play sessions, with each of us having our own favourite toys, so I can safely say we are enriched on multiple levels and plus we also get to play outside and go exploring the garden…
Life is good in our little hamlet aka Sleepy Hollow
BTW your foto’s as always, are simply divine
Purrs
Basil & Co xox
Excellent post, Summer! I hope Mommy doesn’t “pull the plug” on our free feeder. We might just stage a revolt if she does. HahaMeow!
Your human sure knows how to treat kitties right! Mudpie & I have so much fun together and enjoy just hanging out quietly too!
Great ideas, Summer! Our Mom is a lot of fun to play with. She is our favorite toy!
Getting in trouble: Chris
Overgrooming: Puck
Sleeping all day: Puck and Frankie
Beating up the other cats: Chris and Frankie
Overeating: Chris
Oh no! I’m a bad parent.
Great ideas, Summer. The mom needs to be more interactive with us.
Those are all great enrichment ideas. We agree that we prefer interactive toys to anything battery operated. Humans are kind of lazy, so sometimes you have to remind them to PLAY!
We love being with our Mum too Summer and Hannah helps her to remember the floor needs cleaning when she rolls on the floor as it’s good exercise for her!
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
Great advice. We love hanging out with mommy & helping….
Those are all really good things for humans to remember.
We like to be close to our mom when she is doing things,
and she likes to be able to pat us.
A bit more play is required though.
Purrs Georgia and Julie,
Treasure and JJ