If you are going to have your cat inside, it is important to make its environment as stimulating as possible. If you don't, cats can quickly become bored, stressed and even depressed, resulting in detrimental and destructive behaviours.
You might think that with the 15 hours a day your cat spends napping that she may not have time to get bored. But unfortunately, cats can—and do— get bored.
Sleep, sleep, sleep
It was no surprise to find my cats spend a lot of time sleeping. It's estimated that cats spend 12 – 16 hours a day sleeping, and as indoor cats, my two love lounging around. They have several different preferred snoozing spots depending on the time of day.
Other cat health and behavior experts offer similar recommendations, with the total amount of playtime ranging from 20 to 60 minutes daily. Playtime should be split into multiple 10- to 15-minute segments as cats are naturally active in short bursts.
Playing regularly with a cat and providing their entertaining toys can easily satisfy their stalking instinct, keep them stimulated and provide the exercise they need to stay healthy and happy. It also keeps local wildlife safe!
Inactivity
It's totally normal for your cat to spend a lot of time napping. However, they also need to enjoy periods of activity like playing, play-hunting, climbing, and exploring. If your cat seems depressed or never wants to leave the comfort of their sleeping place, it could be that they're bored.
While some cats go nuts for on-screen antics, others are content to watch the activity with an air of calm, and still others may not be interested in TV at all. Depending on their temperament and the depth of their hunting instinct, your cat may or may not engage with television or other electronic screens.
Short answer: yes. When their needs for companionship are not met, cats can become depressed. They can also get separation anxiety. Unfortunately, feline separation anxiety often goes unnoticed until it becomes severe.
Some cats are “innies” and some our “outties”. Some have the best of both worlds. But for those that are housed exclusively indoors, boredom can set in if their environment lacks enrichment. There is plenty to suggest that indoor-only cats live longer, safer lives than their outdoor counterparts.
The bottom line is most cats can be totally happy living indoors – but owners need to put in the effort to provide for their environmental and behavioural needs.
Cats, while often independent creatures, still crave attention and love, in addition to their obvious nutritional needs of fresh water, clean litter, and food. If you decide to bring a cat or kitten into your home, you should be prepared to spend at least 20 minutes a day giving your cat loving one-on-one attention.
How often should you play? Two play sessions a day would be fantastic for both you and your cat. You might find having a playtime just before bed (or even adding a third one) will help settle down a cat that usually gets into trouble at night. If your cat doesn't feel like playing the first time, don't get discouraged.
PetMD also points out that cats are territorial creatures. They claim their turf by marking it with their scent. So when they sleep on top of you, they're actually marking you—and your bed—as theirs. We should be flattered by this behavior, apparently.
Sleeping near you
If your kitty likes to sleep near you - or even on you - this is an indication that they have total trust in you.
Alone Time Can Strengthen Together Time
Though household cats do get lonely because they developed a need for companionship, remember their ancestors were solitary animals. Therefore, it's in cats' roots to also enjoy some time to themselves!
Whereas they are completely capable of understanding you, and your requests for them to to get off the counter or to stop scratching the couch, they just don't care to listen, because they are cats. It's probably rooted in their evolutionary path to domestication.
Yes, cats can not only acknowledge the message, but they can also change their behavior. Here are a couple of methods that work for me.
Clingy cats
If your cat is very clingy and constantly darting about your legs or if they are very demanding and very vocal when you leave the house, your cat is probably lonely. There are lots of ways to distract your cat, including giving them challenging toys and playing soothing sounds.
The average cat lifespan is between 13-17 years. Some lucky felines have been known to live 20 years or more—the world record holder for oldest cat on record, adorably named Creme Puff, lived to be a whopping 38 years old. Many factors contribute to how long a cat will live.