Did you know that cats, like humans, can become bored? It may appear that Fluffy is aiming for boredom, or that it is a life ambition. After all, kittens appear to love lying around and doing as little as possible. Even the laziest kitty requires some enrichment. Continue reading for advice from a local Plano, TX veterinarian on how to keep your feline overlord happy and purring.
Why Should You Keep Your Cat Indoors?
While we will usually adapt our cat care advice based on Fluffy’s age, temperament, and health, there is one thing we virtually always recommend: keep your cat indoors. You may have observed that cats are pretty brave. (Our feline masters are frequently more bold than is healthy for them, but that’s a whole other story.) Your pet may enjoy going outside and engaging in famous kitten hobbies such as creating paw art on your car and refusing to come inside when you call her. Your pet may also enjoy and benefit from the fun and excitement provided by exploring, observing birds and squirrels, sniffing plants and flowers, and rolling around the driveway. However, the outer world presents some major threats to an inquisitive tiny ball of fur. Fluffy is exposed to a wide range of risks the moment she steps outside, including automobiles, weather, wild animals, parasites, chemicals, loose canines, and, unfortunately, some people. One of the best things you can do for your pet is to keep her inside.
Why Do Cats Need Entertainment?
We understand that boredom may not seem like a severe issue for cats. After all, Fluffy spends a tremendous amount of time snoozing. (Fun fact: cats can sleep up to 20 hours per day, more than nearly any other animal on the globe.) Of fact, even the best napper cannot sleep all the time. Your pet will be awake for at least a few hours each day. She may spend some of that time grooming herself, eating, playing, and scheming, but there will still be some room left in her schedule. If your kitty companion has nothing to do but look at the walls, she may become dissatisfied.
Why Is Boredom Bad for Cats?
It’s easy to forget how crucial mental stimulation is for pets. While our primary focus will always be on Fluffy’s physical health and well-being, we recognize that kitties’ emotional well-being is inextricably linked to their health. Cats are extremely emotional, and their dissatisfaction can appear in a variety of ways.
Here are some of the potential repercussions:
Bad Behavior: If Fluffy is bored, she may become upset. That may cause her to try to soothe herself by engaging in unwanted behaviors. She may scratch your carpet, chew items, or spray improperly. You may also hear your pet meow or howl.
Depression: Just like humans, our feline pals can get depressed!
Poor Appetite: If your kitty is unhappy, she may stop eating. Skipping one meal may not seem like a big deal, but if your feline friend goes without food for an extended period of time, she can quickly become ill. Drops in caloric intake can quickly influence a cat’s metabolism. That is really risky for them.
Escape Attempts: We said earlier that we always suggest keeping cats indoors. If your pet dislikes being indoors, she may attempt to escape and succeed. This puts Fluffy at risk of becoming lost, injured, or possibly killed!
Aggression: Another probable result of cat boredom? Fluffy may try to vent her unhappiness on you, or on any other pets in the house.
How Do You Keep A Bored Cat Interested?
Now for the fun part! Kitties are always cute to watch. You’ll need to provide your feline buddy with kitty entertainment options.
Playtime is of course the purrfect choice here. While it is vital for your pet to have toys that she can use independently, she should also have toys that you can use to play with her, such as wand toys, laser pointers, or remote control toys. Make it a habit to set aside at least 10 minutes per day to play with your cat.
Window seats can also help. Your kitty companion could spend hours lounging and daydreaming about hunting while observing birds and squirrels. (You may even get bonus purrs for putting a bird feeder in your cat’s line of sight, so there’s always something entertaining to see.)
Cat TV is another possible option. Yes, there are programs designed specifically for Fluffy. As one might assume, many of these include birds, squirrels, and other small critters that your feline companion would hunt in the wild. Some cats appear to enjoy this! If nothing else, the background noise will provide stimulation.
Smart toys can be helpful as well. Modern technology has grown in leaps and bounds over the last few decades, yet our feline friends have not been forgotten or left behind. There are plenty of cute and exciting new toys for our feline friends to push beneath the couch! You can get your pet a mouse that responds to her movements, or a laser pointer that you can operate via an app.
Want to go all-out? Offer your pet a kitty garden. Many of our kitty friends like nibbling on green leaves and sniffing plants. Set out some pet-friendly plants for Fluffy! You can also construct her a small cat garden. One solution is to plant cat grass in a litterbox. Just make sure you stick to items you know are safe. You may view a complete list on the ASPCA website here.
Book An Appointment At Our Plano, TX Pet Hospital
Is your kitty companion due for an exam? Contact us, your Plano, TX animal clinic, at any time! We are dedicated to providing top-notch care.
