Do you have an indoor cat? And are you afraid that your feline friend will be bored and unhappy when you are at work? Well you are not alone. Many people feel the same way. But never fear there are a lot of toys for to help entertain indoor cats – and your outdoor kitty will also enjoy the same toys. You will probably have fun too.
A bored kitty can get stressed and whilst your cat will sleep for a good portion of the day whilst you are out; they will also appreciate stuff to do and play with. They will also appreciate playing with you when you get home – it’s a great bonding exercise. Cats are naturally curious and intelligent and giving your cat or kitten simulating exercise from a young age has been shown to help keep your cat feeling young and active. Also, it will help keep your indoor cat feeling fit and healthy and not overweight. One thing to keep in mind – to keep your cat further stimulated, don’t play with the same toy each day. Vary them around and then your cat will not get bored with one of them.
So what is available to help keep your cat entertained?
Balls
Ok yes, cats love balls of all sorts. I currently have LED balls, crinkly balls, hard balls with little bells in them, bouncy small tennis balls, felt balls and many others. You can buy many types of ball at your local pet store and online but you can also make do with rolled up paper. Cats will play with these by themselves but they also really love it if you throw the balls for them as well – some cats even carry the ball back to you like a dog.
Fishing Rods
These come in many different looking types but one thing is the same with them – you have a stick, a piece of string and then some sort of item at the end to attract your cat – it might be a soft toy, a fish, feathers, colored balls etc. But the purpose is that you cast it like a fishing rod and your cat will chase it – lots of fun for your kitty and it will get them running and jumping.
Cat videos
These are definitely cool stuff. There are special videos designed to keep your indoor cat stimulated. You may have a video that looks like a fish tank on your TV screen, or of birds. Cats will sit and watch these for a long time.
Cat Furniture and Cat Trees
Even though you have an indoor cat, that does not stop him or her feeling the need to explore. So a great option here are cat trees and cat tunnels. The trees will especially give your cat the chance to climb and sit up high watching the world go by – put it near a window and they will see a lot of things outside. Furthermore, a cat tree will also give them multiple perches up from the floor. Have a look at our Best Cat Trees for some ideas.
Battery operated Cat Toys
Another cool item. The number of different battery operated toys for your cat is increasing (may be because more people are keeping indoor cats). These will allow your kitty to play by itself but keep them occupied for ages. It’s best to watch them while they play with these. We will be covering more of these items in later posts – I have tried out a large number of them (or my cat has actually tried them and I have watched and often laughed).
One example of a battery operated toy is the Cats Meow which simulates the cat’s hunting and prey instincts. You can read my review of this battery operated toy here.
Interactive Cat Toys
There are a number of cat toys that are not battery operated but will give kitty hours of fun. They often promote hunting instincts by allowing the cat to chase balls or other items. For example, there are balls that run around tracks and special rugs where your cat can run and hide. Interactive cat toys are great for allowing your cat to use its’ instincts.
They are also excellent for keeping your cat’s mind active. After all a healthy mind leads to a healthy body.
So that is an overview of the many cat toys for indoor cats that are available. And remember your outdoor cat will also love some of these ideas. If you have any ideas of cat toys that you would love to see covered – leave us a comment below.
Thanks for the good ideas, I like the LED ball, that sounds neat! The only problem is my dog, she will think that anything on the ground is her toy and has often ripped the cats stuff up to shreds. The tv screens and climbing structures might be just the thing I need! I know the dog won’t climb anything, she’s to chicken, and the cat video will be great for keeping the cat entertained without the dog wreaking it. Thanks. Ill have to look into getting some of these!
The LED ball is lots of fun. And climbing structures are always great for cats – and better than curtains