For a variety of reasons – busy streets, fear of theft etc, some owners choose to keep their cats permanently indoors. Cats that are kept permanently indoors are more likely to suffer from stress related health problem, the main issues are boredom and a lack of physical activity.
Providing environmental enrichment for indoor cats is essential to maximise their welfare so here are a few ideas.
Cats like to hide away, it makes them feel safe. If you live in a cluttered, disorganised house with lots of hidey holes, pot plants, a certain amount of disorder then relax, your cat is probably loving it.This sort of house gives the cat plenty of places to hide, scurry runs and interesting new boxes to explore before they get put out for recycling.
If your house is like a show home, minimalist or very tidy and consequently the environment is very static your cat is probably feeling it.
Cats feel safer when they are high up. A favourite retreat of choice when I go on visits is on top of the kitchen cabinets or the wardrobe. This is high, and out of the immediate reach of most owners. Make this space even cosier for your indoor cats by furnishing the area with a cut off cardboard box with a blanket or fleece in, giving your cat a sense of enclosure and seclusion.
Hammock style beds also provide a good retreat. These are usually designed to go on a radiator so that the cat can soak up the warmth, but if you can engineer to hang them higher the cat will feel safer and more ‘hidden’ in the dip.
If you are handy, or know someone who is, consider putting up some shelves, just for cats.
Remember that if you have several indoor cats you need to provide several hiding places ( usually the number of cats plus one) so that there is no fighting over this facility.
Always ensure that your cat can easily access these shelves or hidey holes. Kittens and older cats may need a ramp or ‘stepping stones’ to get to a higher place, or may prefer a lower retreat.
A lot of cat behaviour is mediated through body language and facial expressions. One cat may intimidate another cat from across the room without your being aware that anything untoward is going on. This is why cluttered environments are more calming- there are generally more places to hide and there are fewer clear lines of sight. This is another area where pot plants can be beneficial, particularly on window sills. Your cat can look out, on neighbourhood watch, but feel that it cannot be seen.
Often, other cats looking in on your cat can cause stress related problems such as weeing in odd places. If your cat feels like it is living in a gold fish bowl and is being watched by a hostile other cat it will feel very stressed. If you are not green fingered then cover up the windows with net curtains or a blind, or simply dark paper along the bottom.
Other good ways of providing safe retreats, particularly if you don’t have a lot of space, are stacked cat carriers or crates. . If left out permanently these also minimise the stress of being boxed up for a trip to the vet or the cattery. Rabbit hutches can also work well.
If you have several cats living together in one house you can reduce stress between them by providing multiple feeding and watering stations and multiple litter trays. Often people ignore this suggestion, possibly not wanting to entertain the idea that their cats are anything other than blissfully content.
My children all live in the same house, they all get on (ish) but they still like their own space and will have a spat over the tv remote or if there is only one packet of crisps left in the cupboard. Cats can be similar.
A cat run, giving your cat access to an enclosed space outside can be useful but a little thought needs to go into it to make it appealing to your cats, otherwise they won’t use it. There needs to be several retreats – and at least one off the ground and above waist height, from where he can survey his estate.
Your cat will enjoy laying out in the sunshine but only if he feels relaxed and that no one can see him. Shrubs and climbing plants in and around the run will help with this.
Toys and games are essential for indoor cats. Cardboard boxes, plain or with holes cut in, paper bags, cat nip mice, motorised fishing toys, dreamie hide and seek. How do you keep your indoor cat entertained? Remember to change toys on a regular basis to keep your cat interested. Let’s hear all your good ideas.