10 Ways to Beat Cat Boredom

Boredom can be, well, the most boring of emotions, and these days, we’re all working hard to keep ourselves busy, engaged, and entertained. Unfortunately, our feline friends can get bored too. If your kitty is seemingly anxious, overeating, causing mischief or issues with your other household pets, or appearing apathetic, they may be suffering from boredom.

While they unfortunately haven’t created a Netflix for kitties yet, here are 10 ideas to keep your best friend engaged, occupied, and happy!

1. Provide elevation for them to explore

Kitties are natural climbers and love to explore higher-up places. A great way to keep them entertained is to introduce areas for them to explore that are above ground through the use of cat trees, scratchers, towers, gyms, shelves, and different ledges for them to climb on. These areas add dimension to the room and new areas for your kitty to explore!

2) Make sure they have a great view of the Cat TV

Windows are natural boredom-busters for cats, and they love being able to look out at the world around them. Consider adding a bird feeder outside that will attract hours of entertaining bird watching for your kitty. A window seat, perch, or cat hammock are purrfect places for your kitty to watch their favorite show!

3) Play interactive games with treats

Cats love to hunt, and a great way to keep them entertained is to set up some simple games around your house with healthy and nutritious treats. Try hiding treats under blankets and under furniture to create a treasure hunt or create an obstacle or agility course! Self-feeder toys, and treat puzzles are also a great option to keep kitties active and engaged.

4) Provide plenty of playtime

Kitties love to play! Make sure they are getting lots of playtime each day with different types of games and activities. Fetch, hide and seek, and other interactive games can lead to so much enjoyment for your kitty! 

5) Create beds and different places for sleeping

We all know that cats are huge nappers. A great way to keep kitties from being too bored is to set up different sleeping areas around your house. Set up a few different sleeping areas with different types of blankets or pillows; they’ll love getting to travel from sun spot to sun spot as the day progresses, and they’ll love being able to explore new bed textures and areas! 

6) Consider adopting a friend

Most cats are social animals and would benefit from having a feline companion to pass the day with. Having a friend can provide kitties with hours of entertainment and interaction! Contact your local animal rescue or shelter, and consider adding a new fur friend to your fameowly!

7) Apps and games

Did you know that there are apps and games specifically designed for kitties in mind? Many of these apps feature fun graphics of fish, birds, and mice, so your techie kitty can practice their hunting skills on your phone or tablet. It only makes sense when you think about it; cats rule most things, including the internet!

8) Create new areas to explore

Kitties love getting to explore, and a great way to keep them engaged is to add new types of materials to their well-known spaces, like cardboard, boxes, and paper bags. Suddenly their boring living room can become a jungle full of tunnels and caves with just a few aptly placed materials that you probably have lying around your house!

9) Play them some tunes

While kitties may not be so keen on human music, they may be interested in listening to some tunes made specifically to appeal to their ears. Studies have shown that music created specifically for their ears can cause a positive reaction in cats!

10) Keep things fresh

It’s important to always keep things fresh for your kitties, and a great way to do that is by introducing new, quality toys into their days! Toys come in all shapes and sizes, and it’s important to have a variety available to your kitty to help them ease their boredom! By making sure your kitty has access to a wide variety of fresh and exciting toys, like crinkles, wands, danglers, catnip, plush toys of different sizes, toys with different types of textures and sounds, and interactive toys, you can help to keep them engaged and entertained! A great way to make sure a fresh supply of new playthings are available is by checking out our monthly subscription box of fun!

Each kitty is unique, and it make take some time to discover which activities your cat responds to the best. Don’t be afraid to try new things; your kitty will love the attention, and with any luck, you’ll be able to fight the dreaded boredom feelings together! We’d love to know what you and your kitty are doing to stay busy!