Indoor cats live longer and safer lives, but they can get bored. A bored cat often scratches furniture, knocks things off tables or zooms at 3am. These ideas help.
- Window perch. Birds and squirrels are free entertainment. A suction-cup perch or a chair by the window works.
- Bird feeder outside the window. Pair it with the perch for "cat TV".
- Puzzle feeders. Make your cat work a little for food, the way it would hunt.
- Wand toys. Ten minutes of play twice a day is one of the best things you can do. Let your cat catch the toy at the end.
- Cardboard boxes. Still undefeated. Rotate them so they stay new.
- Paper bags (handles cut off) for hiding and pouncing.
- Cat grass. Easy to grow and many cats love chewing it.
- Catnip or silvervine toys. About two out of three cats react to catnip; many of the rest react to silvervine.
- A rubbing and grooming spot. Cats enjoy rubbing their cheeks and backs. A walk-through self-grooming arch adds texture and a place to rub, and it catches loose fur.
- Vertical space. Shelves or a cat tree let them climb and watch from above.
- Hide treats around the house for a short "hunt".
- Rotate toys weekly. Put some away and bring them back later; old toys feel new again.
How much play does a cat need?
Most adult cats do well with two or three short play sessions a day. Kittens and young cats need more. If your cat is suddenly restless or destructive, more play is usually the first thing to try.