It’s not true that cats must go outside or socialize to live a fulfilling life. Feline happiness isn’t dependent on feline companionship. Many wild cats spend their lives in solitude or in tightly knit groups with their offspring, while stray and feral cats often form colonies around resources. Still, keeping your cat indoors without any type of stimulation could cause behavioral problems. If you have a single indoor cat, there are things that you can do to help keep them happy and stimulated.
Top 8 Tips to Keep Your Single Cat Entertained
1. Play With Them
Cats are naturally athletic, and spending too much time alone and indoors could make anyone feel a little wild. There are plenty of amazing cat toys that are designed to keep your cats moving. Some of them don’t even require any action from you other than pushing a button. Try using toys that move or have strings that can make your cat move plenty and get in touch with their inner hunter.
2. Set Up Observation Places
If you pay attention to your cat, you’ll notice that they enjoy spending time looking out of windows and keeping an eye on the birds, squirrels, and other wildlife that passes by. Set up a few places for your cat to comfortably sit and observe the outdoors. These observation stations keep some cats occupied for several hours.
3. Allow Them to “Hunt”
Curiosity is part of being a cat. Without the right stimulation, life indoors is going to get boring relatively fast. Help encourage your cat’s instincts to come out by hiding their favorite treats around the house. You could also purchase puzzle toys that keep cats both physically and mentally sharp.
4. Bring the Outdoors Inside
Your cat is going to appreciate being able to rub all over real plants occasionally. Having a planter of fresh catnip is a fun way to keep your kitty happy. While it doesn’t work on all cats, this plant releases a substance called nepetalactone that makes your cat feel highly pleasurable after they chew or rub on it.
5. Allow Climbing and Scratching
We’re not saying that you must let your cats climb up your furniture and destroy the house, but it would help if they had designated areas that enabled them to climb to high places. Cats are natural climbers and seek high places when they feel threatened. Setting up tall cat trees with several shelves for them to lounge on will keep them entertained and calm all at once. Provide them with plenty of cat scratchers so they can maintain their claws, as well as stretch their muscles and back.
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6. Build a Catio
If you haven’t already guessed, a “catio” is a screened-in, outdoor patio for your cats. This structure is often installed on your deck or patio and enables your cat to be outdoors without being able to escape.
7. Keep the House Clean
Cats can be neat freaks from time to time. The messier an area is, including their litter box, the more likely they are to use the bathroom somewhere that they shouldn’t. Avoid any unnecessary stress by keeping the house picked up and their litter boxes free from waste.
8. Adopt Another Pet
We understand that this is something that you’re probably trying to avoid, but there are times when getting your cat another feline companion is helpful. People who work long hours and spend lots of time away from their cats might consider adopting another cat for them to play with. However, keep in mind that not all cats get along and this can be a risky or even failed attempt at trying to reduce boredom in your kitty, if it turns out that they aren’t as tolerant of the newcomer. For this to work, it’s important to consider your cat’s personality and their age. Older cats are less likely to be as accepting of a new bouncy kitten, while young cats may eventually play with them, but there is no guarantee.
Final Thoughts
Loneliness and boredom are two things that can affect cats just as much as they can affect us. Try out a few of these methods for keeping single cats happy, and pay attention to what seems to help the situation. The secret to making a cat happy is to keep them physically and mentally stimulated. Otherwise, they will live an unfulfilling and unhealthy life.
Featured Image Credit: TheCats, Shutterstock
