Provide Choices
Keep your cat active and healthy with daily enrichment. Keep them curious and mentally stimulated by providing choice and options. Cats thrive when they have access to:
- Sturdy places to climb and perch (wall shelves are great!)
- Fresh water fountains
- Places to explore and “hunt” – think dens and hidden treats
- Fresh or dried cat-safe greens such as catnip or valerian root
- A variety of surfaces to scratch and sleep on
- Fresh air and sunshine (think window perches)
- Daily playtime sessions
“Hunt”, Catch & Eat
Be creative when it comes to dinnertime. In the wild, cats will eat several small meals a day. After an interactive playtime, see if your cat is interested in a food filled puzzle toy. Try different kinds of treat dispensers and vary it up to keep them interested. If your cat isn’t keen on working for his meals, try offering his regular kibble in the bowl and a few tasty treats in the food toy. Leave the toy near his bowl at mealtimes. Need food puzzle ideas? Try this amazing website: foodpuzzlesforcats.com.
Playtime!
Let’s face it – those old toys under the couch just aren’t that fun anymore. Keep your cat’s toys fresh and exciting by rotating out old toys and keeping them in a plastic container filled with catnip or silvervine. Nothing beats a good hunting play session with a wand toy. Practice your skills at making that feather toy come alive. Instead of dangling toys inches from their face (real prey would never do that!), try making the toy disappear around a corner or fly around the room and then land somewhere they can pounce on it from afar.
Your cat’s daily agenda:
- Window Watching
- Play
- Climb, stretch & jump
- Scratch
- Dig in litterbox
- Sniff fresh air and new objects
- “Hunt” & eat
- Social interaction
- Groom
- Sleep
Pasadena Humane recommends that pet cats be kept indoors and only allowed outdoor access with a leash or in an enclosure like a catio. For the safety of your cat and local wildlife, we discourage allowing cats outdoors to roam freely.
We are always here to help! You can find additional behavior and training resources at pasadenahumane.org/behavior.
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