Lets face it, house and apartment sizes seem to be getting smaller and smaller, which means our feline friends are having less and less room to play in. If your cat is a totally-indoors cat, then it is important to provide a good stimulating environment for them to live in. So here are 6 Tips in maximizing your space for your feline.
1. Perching
Having a good cat tree or cat condo is a great way to maximize the vertical space that you have. Buying a cat condo that has high platforms, scratching posts, and hidy-holes are a great way to increase the amount of play area your cat has. You can also get shelving specifically designed as a perch for you cat, that gives them a space off the ground where they can look at the world below them.
2. Toys
Play time will be an essentially part of an indoor cats lifestyle. They need a way to let out energy, and play time with cat toys is a great way to stimulate your cats mind, as well as giving them some exercise. lazer pointers are good in this respect since you can have your cat running up and down halls, trying to chase the tiny dot. Just make sure that you point the lazer at a toy towards the end so they can have some satisfaction in catching the darn thing. Other ideas are cat wands or cat dancers that have a wand like handle with an attachment. These are another good way to play with your cat as they try to catch the little teasers on the ends.
3. Feeders
Feeders can be another good way to exercise your cats mind. Some feeders work like puzzles, where cats have to work to get their food out of small holes. This also has a double advantage for cats that are overweight as it means they can only eat so much food at one time. There are also small balls that you can put treats inside that work similar to feeders as they slowly release the treats inside.
4. Balcony access and being outside
If you live in an apartment with a balcony, this can be a great way to give your cat some outside time. Just make sure that you put a harness on your cat, since they could try to jump if they think they can do so “safely”. Just sitting there while letting them wander is a good relaxing experience for you and your cat. There is also the possibility of walking your cat to stimulate them ever further, and getting some exercise in along the way.
5. Tricks
Tricks can be a fun way for you and your cat to bond. Teaching them a few simple tricks like ‘sit’ and ‘paw’ are fun, easy ways to stimulate your cat’s mind. Like with dogs, this is far easier to do with cats that are food motivated. But do not worry if this does not sound like your cat, a little patience can go a long way, you just need to find what your cat bonds with most (like a toy or catnip).
6. Litter box
Keeping your cat’s litter box clean and easily accessible is a vital part of living with your cat in a smaller apartment. First of all, it helps to minimize the smell, and it keeps your cat happier and healthier. Its also important to keep the litter box constantly accessible since that will avoid any “accidents”.
Just Remember
The most important thing here is to just have fun with it. Switch up the layout of your floor set-up every few months to keep it interesting. Introduce new toys and cycle through them to keep your cat stimulated. There are many things you can do but most importantly make sure to give them lots of love!
