Keep Your Cat Happy & Healthy

If you live in an apartment and you decide to adopt a cat, there are some important things to keep in mind. Cats can be quite active and living inside they can become very bored. Living inside may even harm their health. That’s why it’s important to provide them with enough physical activity. What you can do as a cat owner is play various games with them. So don’t hesitate to organize some of these suggested activities:

Food Hunt

Even though cats are domesticated, they still love hunting for their food. Hide small amounts of food in your home and let the cat hunt the food down. This is a very good exercise for your cat’s mind and body. Just be careful what food you provide in order to prevent obesity. Another possibility is getting a food dispenser toy and letting the cat release its own treats.

Walks on a Leash

It can be tough to train your cat to walk on a leash, but it’s manageable. However, you have to remember that cats are not dogs and there is no way you can teach them to heal. The best that you can do is simply get them used to walking on a leash, but you will have to let your cat take the lead. Some cats don’t like leashes and as a result, might start acting out.  If this happens, it is better not to force it. Replace the walks with some quality time spent outside if you have an enclosed space.

Cat Training

Cats can seem uninterested and they may become lazy. To make sure they don’t become lazy you will have to provide proper training for them. You can start by training your cat to do some simple tricks.  That way they will know that they have to listen to you in order to get a treat. As they start cooperating, you can build a small obstacle course in your living room and guide your cat through it. Such training is perfect for exercising their agility and mental activity. It will also help prevent obesity.

Playing with Toys

Playing with toys is important to your cat. You should dedicate at least several minutes every day to this activity. You can engage in play with interactive cat toys, to tease and direct your cat into what to want them to do. You can also provide some solo cat toys such as fake mice, balls and toys on strings. These are not meant as a replacement for interactive toys, but can serve as an additional play time activity; especially if you leave them on the floor to catch your cat’s attention during the day. Other interesting toys include remote controlled ones, which mimic the moves of their actual prey.

Observing

While you’re not at home, your cat will get bored. So, you might provide your cat with some distractions. For example, you can hang a small bird feeder outside the window. Your cat will observe it and jump around trying to catch it. Another option is to have a fish tank. However you must be sure it is properly closed so the cat wouldn’t fall in. Your cat might even observe their own portrait, as nowadays you can even get a pet portrait for your beloved pet. So cute!

Cat Wheel

This is similar to a hamster wheel, but larger. Your cat might not be interested at the beginning, but if you dedicate enough time to training your cat, it will learn to appreciate it. The cat wheel is good because once you get your cat on it, the cat will spend plenty of time there expending excess energy.