Just like a human, if your cat is bored, they may develop some bad habits or even start doing things that are either unhealthy for them or frustrating for you. Repetitive behaviors, overeating, terrorizing other pets, or even becoming destructive are all potential signs that your cat is bored.
If they aren't active enough or are unable to scratch their itch for exploration and adventure, then they can become bored. Boredom may be more common in indoor cats who are unable to engage their hunting instincts very often. Reasons for a cat becoming bored include: Not enough social interaction.
Playing, hunting and mental stimulation for indoor cats
Encourage your cat to play with toys and rotate them regularly to prevent over-familiarity and boredom. Use toys that emulate the natural hunting sequence – Locate, Stalk, Chase, Pounce, Kill, Dissect and Eat.
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. As the sun streams into the lounge room, they can be found having a kip by the window on their cat tower.
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.
A good place to start is two 15 – 20 minute sessions each day, which you can increase as they get fitter and more enthusiastic. Make sure you keep play sessions short, and always give them enough time to rest in between. Never force your cat to do anything they don't want to.
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!
One of the best ways to provide enrichment for indoor cats is to spend time with them. You could play with them, groom them, or pet them. Many cats simply enjoy being in the same space as you and being talked to, and it's a great way to stimulate your cat and build your bond with them.
Just like humans, cats can get bored too. For such smart animals, boredom might get the best of them if they aren't provided with an environment that provides enough mental and physical stimulation. As a result, a bored cat may exhibit unwanted and destructive behaviors.
They have relaxed body language
If your cat tends to sit like a perfect loaf, with their paws tucked under their body, their tail wrapped around them, and their eyes closed or softly open, these are all signs that they are feeling happy and comfortable in their environment.
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.
Provide a Safe Outdoor Space
The best solution is to build a cat enclosure or cat run that provides them with the smells, sights, and sounds of the great outdoors, but keeps them safe and secure inside our Catnetting solution. Yes, indoor cats do get depressed but there are ways to make them much happier.
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.
Cats are social animals: your cat may have extra energy or be waking you up for attention. This can be a form of social play for your cat. Hunger. Cats often wake in the night to feed, which fits with their natural instinct to hunt in the twilight hours.
For example, if the litter tray you provide for your cat is too small, not cleaned out regularly enough or is placed next to a noisy area in the home or next to their food and water bowls, these factors can all cause stress.
MAKE MORE TIME FOR PLAY. Exercise and social interactions are proven mood-boosters—for people and cats! Regular play gives your cat both, and it'll help to keep her mentally sharp too. Make sure to engage in 15 minutes of active play with your cat at least once a day.
Tire your cat out by keeping them up during the day.
If your cat has toys they can stalk alone during the day, they probably will do so. Then, if you have some interactive toys to play with them when you come home, you can tire them out with a good play session shortly before you go to bed.
This independence could be tied their wild ancestors, who were solitary animals. However, domesticated cats have evolved to crave companionship, often forming strong bonds with humans and sometimes even other pets. So, do cats get lonely? Because of the attachments they form, the answer is yes; cats can feel lonely!
Horizontal and vertical climbing spaces: Cats love to climb, and they particularly enjoy a view from the top. Not only does it make them feel safer but it's an easy way to encourage them to exercise. Enrichment toys to go with their climbing spaces include cat ladders, window hammocks and cat castles/towers.
Normal Eating, Sleeping, and Grooming Habits
A happy cat will do their routine things on schedule—they eat well (too much or too little eating can be a sign of poor health), sleep an appropriate amount (most cats will sleep close to 20 hours a day), and keep their coat well-groomed and shiny.
Lack of play and stimulation can also lead to stress-related health issues and obesity. Ideally, your cat is getting regular, daily interactive play with you. This is the best kind of play for supporting their health and behavior.
Many cat behaviorists and vets recommend that indoor cats get at least 20-60 minutes of exercise a day. They also recommend splitting this playtime up into short bursts. Cats are very routine-driven, so having a few scheduled playtimes throughout the day will help your cat stay active without wearing them out.