Enrichment is essential to any animal’s life. It gives them a chance to work their “brain muscles”, to have some control in their environment and it's enjoyable. Indoor cats especially benefit from enrichment. Many times, we think about food, water, and a litterbox but cats have other needs including hunting, playing and exploring. This is where enrichment items come in!
Hunting and Playing
You may be thinking, I feed my cat why does it need to hunt. In the wild, a cat would walk many miles a day and have many unsuccessful hunts. The innate desire to hunt is not associated with food or hunger, it is an outlet for a behavior response presence in their genetics. Any social and object play can provide this outlet.
There are many options for toys and items that are small, squeak or move rapidly/unpredictably are the most enjoyable. Multiple short play sessions a day are recommended to keep your cat engaged.
Remember we want all teeth and claws directed to the toy and not a person. If this happens, remove your body part, provide a toy to chase away from you and take a break. We want them to learn that biting or scratching does not mean that play with the person continues.
Another great option is to stop using the traditional feeding bowl. Doc and Phoebe’s has a mouse feeder toy that dry food can be placed in and hidden for the cat to hunt and explore to find for its reward. Their website is here for more information.
Cats are not social feeders and are quite happy to hunt on their own. Other puzzle feeder toys can be helpful to mentally enrich them during the day. Examples include water bottles or paper towel rolls with holes cut out for dry food to trickle out. Jackson Galaxy has some great options for puzzle toys for cats.
Exploring
Vertical space is essential for the indoor cat. High vantage points allow cats to “monitor the situation” and a good way to relieve stress (especially in multi-cat households). These higher points allow them to escape if needed and provide a place of safety. Options include cat climbing towers or activity tress, shelves, and window perches. You can even get creative with hammocks and bridges. The sky is the limit!