Cats were made to move. Our feline friends are born to run, jump, hunt, and climb. They also have exceptional vision, hearing and a great sense of smell. Yesterday’s cats lived mostly outdoors and utilized their unique skills to interact and defend their territory, hunt prey and find mates.

While most domestic cats now live indoors, which we recommend for their safety and well-being, their feline instincts still urge them to follow the lead of their feline forefathers.

Boredom can cause serious problems in indoor cats. This is especially true during holidays when decorations like Christmas trees can be your cat’s indoor playground.

Beating Boredom in Indoor Cats

Your cat will reap the benefits of a stimulating and enriching environment. Kitty will burn calories and feel healthier, but they will also be more confident and less stressed.

You don’t need to make it difficult or costly to create outlets for your cat’s instincts. Your imagination is all that’s required. These ideas are just a few of the many options available.

• Vertical space – Cats love climbing and prefer high perches where they can see the world. You can provide safe climbing areas for your cat, such as catwalks or a cat tree.
• Meals – Your cat is wired to hunt for food. You can help your cat by doing food puzzles or buying food from the store. You can also allow your cat to “hunt” by scattering or hiding pieces of kibble around the house.
• Playtime- Watching your cat play is one of the many joys of cat ownership. You can experiment with different cat toys such as feather chasers, laser pointers, catnip mice, or create your entertainment with safe materials like paper bags, paper crumpled up, and cardboard boxes.
• Greenery- Cats love to nibble on greenery. However, this could spell disaster if the cat gets into a poisonous plant. You can plant a few pots with cat grass or other cat-friendly greenery, but avoid toxic plants like lilies.
• A perch placed near a window will give your cat something to look at. A bird feeder or two can be placed near the window to attract squirrels and birds from nearby areas. A speciality cat DVD is a great option if your cat loves to watch animals on TV. It contains small mammals and birds that your cat can chat about and track down on the screen.

About this Tree…

The beauty of a Christmas tree in your living room can inspire feelings of holiday warmth for you and others. Your cat may think you are giving them the ultimate gift, a “cat tree”, stuffed with sparkly toys that all can enjoy.

These are the steps you can take to ensure your cat and your tree are safe.

• Placement – The first step to cat-proofing your tree is to pick the right spot. If you can, place the tree in a corner. Make sure to take down any furniture and shelving that your cat might use to climb into the tree.
• Safety- Secure the tree with an anchor to keep it from falling over if your cat climbs on it. Also, remove broken ornaments and place them on higher branches. Kitty should not chew on pine needles or drink water from the reservoir. Both of these can be poisonous if they are ingested.
• Enrich! Give your cat lots of enrichment.