How to Stimulate a Cat

An indoor cat has no need to hunt for food or fight off other animals. This gives him lots of left-over physical and mental energy which will be used one way or another. Smart cat owners must let their cat expend this energy in a positive manner so the cat does not stimulate himself by scratching on furniture or chewing on houseplants.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Scratching post
• Puzzle toy
• Cat grass

1. Look for signs you need to further stimulate your cat. If your cat is destructive or aggressive, it is likely frustrated by a build up of unused energy. The cat may also run frantically from one end of the house to the other repeatedly.

2. Provide toys in the house which allow the cat an opportunity to scratch, chase and bat. This replaces any activities the cat would engage in with prey and it will save your furniture.

3. Give the cat a scratching post and encourage her to use it. Cats instinctively sharpen their claws whether they use them or not. Get a scratching post and praise the cat when she uses it.

4. Get a puzzle toy which hides a toy or treat in it from a pet supply store. The toy will make your cat work to get the treat out of the puzzle and satisfy his desire to hunt.

5. Plant some cat grass in a pot so your cat has a source of greens to munch on. Finding her own food will mentally stimulate her and prevent her from eating houseplants. Cat grass can be purchased online or at many pet supply stores.

Resources

• Go to SproutPeople.com for a selection of cat grasses.

[sashasweder]

on 6/20/2008 For our 3 cats we built shelves and covered them with carpet and put the food bowl on one of the levels so they get rewarded. great ideas, my chubby cats are going to get more active. Thanx.