Feline Environment Enrichment

Feline Environmental Enrichments:

  • Dog chew toys like rawhides can keep indoor cats occupied. If your cat doesn’t take to them right away try soaking them in water.
  • Bones with meat attached. Avoid poultry bones. Beef bones work best.
  • Hiding small amounts of dry food in jars beneath furniture in different places in your home. If this helps keep your cat occupied I suggest moving these around to different places.
  • Rotate the toys/bones. Cats need constant variety. These things need to change daily to stay effective.
  • Twist and treat toys are available at https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Twist-Treat-Food-Treats/dp/B0002I0RLW These toys allow you to pack dry food mixed with something tasty and gooey like canned cat food or fish pate. Try giving them to your cat at room temperature and frozen to see which way he/she likes them better.
  • You can find a great selection of hunt, stalk, and pounce cat toys on Amazon.com
  • A floor-to-ceiling cat tree with platforms, or better-carpet covered enclosures with hidey holes.
  • Feline Environmental Enrichments-The Best
  • Scratching opportunities: Rope on a post is good but cardboard-type scratching devises are most often used by cats.
    • A fireplace log is a natural element.
    • “Cat scratchers” are available in various shapes at pet supply stores and on line.
    • Preferred scratching surfaces like these make the furniture less appealing.
    • A cat can learn the right surfaces to scratch if you apply the pheromone treatment called Feliscratch.
  • Feathers-on-a stick toys are very good for interaction. These must be rotated.
  • Tying feathers to a string on your ankle. This keeps cats occupied as you walk around the house.
  • A children’s fishing pole with a toy or feathers tied to the end of the fishing line is a fun way to play. You can cast a toy across the room and reel it in at different speeds to exercise your cats.
  • Cat Toy Box from Target.com allows a cat to play by himself.
  • Cat grass, like a kitty herb garden, is good for variety.
  • Paper bags or cardboard boxes to climb in and on
  • Some cats even enjoy bird or fish videos playing on the TV
  • Another great addition would be to mount Cat-A-Combs on the wall to encourage facial marking. They are available through Amazon.com.
  • Pet Tutor. It is quiet so less likely to frighten sensitive pets. It can be used on the floor, mounted on a wall, or hung from a handle. The device can be set to put food in a bowl or to shoot it across the floor for the “chase” option. It can be hung on a dog crate and set to reinforce quiet. http://blog.smartanimaltraining.com/2013/09/30/pet-tutor-smart-technology-for-positive-training/
  • Pavlov’s Cat. Good Pet Stuff Pavlov’s Cat Scratch Feeder Interactive Treat and Food Dispenser. Scratching on the attached scratching post causes food deliver. $39.95
  • Pipolino and Stimulo feeders can be managed remotely by a smart phone app. They are highly engaging for cats who are home alone.
  • Really cheap: favorite food item in an envelope that cat could shred. Hide the envelope beneath cushions or under furniture.

You can further enrich your cats’ environment by providing more “vertical real estate”. This means more than a cat tree; it involves adding other ways for your kitties to cruise the house without ever needing to jump on furniture or counters. An excellent book on this, with lots of color photos, is called The Cat’s House by Bob Walker.