ENRICHMENT IDEAS FOR CATS

ENRICHMENT IDEAS FOR CATS

Safety Note: Before you roll out exciting new enrichment for your pet, take a moment to make sure it’s safe! Beware of toys with strings or small parts (or anything that could be torn into small parts), and always consider the size of your pet and make sure the enrichment is appropriate. Never leave your pet alone with anything they could potentially ingest, especially non-food items. When using food-based enrichment make sure there’s nothing harmful in it, this page from ASPCA lists common foods your pet should avoid.

CAT TREE

Cats love to climb and perch! Adding some vertical space for your cat gives them good vantage points to survey their territory, and safe places to rest away from predators. Additional options include window perches and cat shelves that can be affixed to your walls.

SCRATCHING POSTS

Tired of your cat clawing up your couch? Invest in a scratching post or two! Cats scratch to leave behind their scent (via glands on their paws), and also for claw maintenance and to relieve stress. Having several dedicated places to scratch around your home can both protect your furniture and give your cat an outlet for this very important behavior. Cats often like big, sturdy, posts covered in sisal or a similar material. But other cats like horizontal scratchers, or even replaceable cardboard scratchers, so it’s worth experimenting with a few options. 

HARNESS TRAINING AND WALKING

Walks don’t have to be just for dogs! Taking your cat out for a stroll can let them experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the outside world in a safe and controlled way. The key to successful walks is to slowly get them used to the harness, and then used to being outside. Check out this guide for some tips. 

Safety Note: Test your cat’s reaction to seeing and hearing cars, other animals, and unknown people before bringing them outside. A panicked cat can escape a harness or pull loose from your grip on their leash.

CATIO

A great alternative (or addition) to walks is a catio. Catios offer much of the enrichment of the outdoors but with none of the risks. They can range from a simple window box to an entire backyard complex. 

WAND TOYS

Interactive play with a wand toy is one of the best and most important ways to enrich your cat’s life. Cats are natural predators, but they need you to simulate their prey! Dedicated playtime for 5-10 minutes once or twice a day (more for kittens) can lower stress, build confidence, and strengthen your bond with your cat. Keeping your cat’s interest in playing can be tricky, so check out this video from cat guru Jackson Galaxy. Also, if your cat goes nuts for a laser point, be sure to follow up their hunt for the dot with a physical toy they can actually “kill.” 

Safety Note: Don’t leave your cat alone with wand toys that have long strings or anything else that could get wrapped around their body. 

SOLO TOYS

Solo toys can be useful entertainment when you’re not around, especially for kittens and young cats. Just be sure to rotate them frequently so your cat doesn’t get bored of them. 

Safety Note: Some toys have components  that can be easily torn off and swallowed, stay to monitor your pet, especially for the first couple of times.

A SECOND CAT

Cats are often more social than we give them credit for! If your cat has energy to burn, or if you’re gone for long periods during the day, a feline friend may provide valuable companionship and playtime when you can’t. It’s especially beneficial for kittens to have another kitten or young cat around. But do keep in mind that introducing a new cat to the household can be a long process, and some cats do better without having to share any attention or resources. 

PUZZLE FEEDERS

Make mealtimes more exciting with any one of these food puzzles!

Safety Note: Some puzzle feeders have components that can be easily torn off and swallowed, stay to monitor your pet, especially for the first couple of times.

TRICK TRAINING

Teaching your cat to high-five or jump through a hula hoop is not only adorable, it’s great mental exercise. One of the best ways to train tricks is with marker training, which is when you teach your cat that a certain sound or gesture (the marker) means a treat is coming, and then “mark” the behavior that you’re looking for. One of the most common forms of marker training is clicker training. Check out this oldie but goodie video about clicker training from Karen Pryor, who’s credited with popularizing clicker training among pet owners. The video uses a dog, but the same principles apply to cats. For a cat-specific reference, here’s a guide from Jackson Galaxy. 

CAT TV

You can keep your cat’s brain occupied by just getting them thinking about hunting! Here’s a sample of some videos designed to activate your cat’s prey drive. And a nice view out a window from a comfy perch is also good cat TV.