How to Tell If Your Cat Is Bored at Home
The cat can sleep most of the day and still get bored. The amount of sleep itself is therefore not a good indicator. More important is to monitor changes in her normal behavior - for example, how she plays, eats, moves around the apartment or seeks your attention.
Plus, boredom is not the same in every cat. One begins to invent his own entertainment, the other may seem passive. So how to know that cat gets bored at homeWhat can you change?
It constantly requires your attention.
In the absence of stimuli, some cats will start to search for humans significantly more often.
They can follow you around the apartment, speak loudly or initiate contact repeatedly. Of course, this alone does not mean boredom - it can simply be a social cat.
It makes sense to notice especially when it comes to change compared to its usual behaviour and the cat returns quickly after a short interaction to demand further attention.
He's looking for his own fun.
Dropped objects, foot attacks under the covers, or re-examining places where a cat is not normally allowed to do so may not be an attempt to be naughty.
If she doesn't have enough interesting incentives at home, she can start making them herself.
Instead of punishing, try to offer an appropriate alternative: a short hunting game, the possibility of looking for something or a safe place to climb and observe.
He loses interest in toys quickly
The floor full of toys does not automatically mean an interesting environment.
If the same balls and plush toys are available every day, they can gradually become a normal part of the surroundings. The cat just walks past them.
Try to hide some of the toys for a few days and later offer them again. So you don't have to buy new ones all the time - often enough toys for cat to change regularly.
A change in the way of the game can also help. A toy that lies on the floor all day can be uninteresting, while the same object moving like prey can instantly get attention.
He has short flashes of very intense activity
Evening running around the apartment or sudden sprints are common in cats and in themselves do not indicate a problem.
But if the cat spends a large part of the day without activity and then regularly looks for a very intense way to drain energy, it is worth looking at its daily mode.
Instead of one long game you can try a few short activities spread out during the day - for example a few minutes hunting in the morning and another game in the evening.
Food becomes the main event of the day
Some cats begin to pay particular attention to food in the absence of other stimuli. They wait by the bowl, react to every move towards the kitchen or try to get more feeding shortly after the meal.
It doesn't automatically mean that the cat is bored or hungry.
If it is healthy and receives an adequate amount of food, you can use part of the normal dose more actively - for example, hide it in several easily accessible places or use a simple feeding toy.
Food can thus become an opportunity to find instead of another portion.
She lacks the ability to observe the surroundings
Fun for a cat doesn't always mean an active game.
The location of a securely secured window can offer a long period of observation of people, birds, trees or outdoor movement. A similar function can be raised in the living room where the cat watches the household.
If the cat spends most of the time only on the floor, try to look at the apartment also vertically. Parapet, stable furniture or wall rest area for cat it can access a whole other part of the space.
When it doesn't have to be just boredom anymore
A change in behavior is not automatically a result of lack of fun.
Significant apathy, sudden change in appetite, unusual volume, excessive licking, changes in toilet use or other new behaviour may also have a medical cause.
If the change is sudden, pronounced or persistent, do not try to resolve it only by adding toys. It is advisable to consult a veterinarian.
How to offer a cat a more interesting day
You don't have to create a cat amusement park at home. For most cats, variety is more important than a lot of things.
Change a few toys, offer a short interactive game, sometimes hide part of the feeding and allow the cat to use different places to observe and rest.
And watch what works for her. Entertaining a cat at home doesn't mean keeping her busy all day. The point is that during the day she can naturally alternate sleep, observation, movement, game and search.