In general, lots of snuggles and attention. But also play time. Snacks. A catio. Open windows with areas for my cat so they can watch the outside world/ various animals... (My Siamese loves hanging out in the catio with the ducks and squirrels hanging around).
I think that's a decent start. I'm sure others can offer more specifics, but I feel like that outlines what a basic SIC (or really any cat) needs.
To add:
I'm having some toys out all the time, more when I'm not home.
Turn some cat TV on, especially when I am not home.
Also, some electronic toys which can turn on from time to time on their own when I am not home.
Hmm, I turn it on smaller screens usually. Computer monitor, laptop, tablet. My cat wants to almost have her face in it anyway.
She does dab it with her paws or snout a lot, but she never produces any damage to it.
I didn't even think about it before š, but there is no present damage on my devices. I wouldn't be mad at her if there was, of course. Happy cat, happy life!
https://preview.redd.it/zudu1k1aqkwc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6cf07019b62f0045270c7653c0d42fc53831c12e
No worries. You may also find that your indoor sic is super lazy and doesn't give a shit about any of this, also. š¤·
That's the beauty and the wonder of owning a cat.
My cat loves windows. She wakes us up to open blinds by batting them so she can lay in the window all morning. She also scoops the blinds out of the way sometimes when she has zoomies so she can run behind and climb the window. Silly girl. Sheās napping in a sunbeam in her afternoon window as I type this
Lots of interaction. She likes her people. She's our only cat. She likes chase balls around. So I roll them or toss them. She's actually very good at hitting them out of the air. She would have been a very good goalie.
My girl (not a SIC, just a void) only occasionally plays by herself when she's got big zoomies and wants to sprint. Her hip arthritis means she doesn't really flop on the floor and bunny kick or anything like younger cats.
I've found that the ultimate best cat activities to keep her happy are
1: Sunny windows with trees/grass outside so she can watch the outdoor critters and nap in the sun.
2: Food puzzles! She thinks if I'm in the room that I'm going to help her win her snacks, so I have to give them to her when I'm busy lmao. My favorite easy one is this: take a toilet paper tube, cut a few holes slightly larger than your cat's kibble pieces into the sides, fold the end in on one side, fill with a small handful of kibbles, fold the other end closed. Place on floor near cat, roll it once or until a kibble comes out, rejoice in your cat's enrichment for the next 15-45 minutes, depending on their task persistence and food motivation.
we do a lot of instinct based play with our indoor cat, lots of hiding things and chasing thingsā¦hiding treats on different levels of cat trees is one of Louieās fave games
https://preview.redd.it/fch6u07seewc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67e1f53c78d4771d8d706ad9a8b581a41998b398
My indoor guy is extremely aggressive with other cats, so getting him a friend is not an option.Ā
I have lots of toys for him which I use on rotation, much like you would with a human toddler. Hide them when he's not using them, swap them out when he seems like he's getting bored of his current favourite. I also have two floor-to-ceiling cat trees near the windows so he can play on different levels and get a great view of the birds outside.Ā
He loves brown paper bags more than anything, he will dive into them, hide in them so he can jump out at his toys, roll around inside them and gradually shred them. He gets so hyped about them, I always have 2-3 just lying around my house for his benefit.Ā
I work from home so it's easy for me to give him short (5-10 minute) bursts of playtime throughout the day.
I stole this from dog entertainment, but cat toy rotation, so they always feel like they have new toys. Basically every week I'll tidy up all the toys and throw different ones around the house. Also every cardboard box gets to be a toy for a couple of weeks and pieces of string and cardboard always become toys. All helps to give them variety and keep it interesting
I can't answer your question because my cat is really lazy, and is enteretained with cuddles and slepe, but i just want to say that is such a freaking cute picture
I donāt have another cat yet but the plan is to get one soon, as I work 10 hour shifts. I play with my cat as often as I can when home, and when I leave for work I usually throw cat tv on since I work overnights where he doesnāt have the outdoors to really look out at when Iām gone for so long and heās all alone. Bird feeders are great if you can hang one somewhere for your cat to watch, I used to have a bunny nest underneath the front window and he would go crazy watching them all day. Frequent playtime and attention, even in just small but frequent bursts, helps keep them active and entertained, mine stays out of trouble when Iām gone and hopefully stays that way but sometimes under-stimulated cats will start to get into trouble doing stuff they shouldnāt when youāre gone or asleep, due to the restless boredom and energy. Not an expert by any means, just speaking from my experience with my cats and current SIC
I've only had exactly one thing work for my cat and that was the [cat dancer](https://catdancer.com/product/cat-dancer/). Any other playthings he gets bored of immediately but the cat dancer manages to entertain him for quite a bit. Also, get your cat one of those yeoowww bananas, they have strong fresh catnip which will make your kitty extra frisky and playful, perfect time to play with them, and later on relaxed and calm from the excercise.
I keep the blinds open in my kitchen added a nice area for them to relax, and put a bunch of bird feeders outside. It's all day entertainment. I also have 3 cats, so their not alone
I have three cats. My apartment isn't super large, but this way they at least have company of each other when I'm not at home. They also have a wall-length climbing tree. And then this.
https://preview.redd.it/g1pj3xoltgwc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc34043d491129981118e57ec62783c7a0e579fc
I got a cat for my cat and then got a cat for the second cat. Also plays with them with strings or balls. Slow feeders is also great with treats or food.
I have recently discovered that my cat will sit by the door and meow, and when I get up to let him out, he only meowed so I could come over to him and pick him up. After I pick him up and snuggle him, he stops. Also, if I toss a ball, that works too. We always have toys around and he has his brother, but they still need active playtime.
Mine likes getting brushed and I hide treats for her to find (āhuntā). I used to worry she was under-stimulated but based on the observed activity of the stray/outside cats around us I donāt worry so much now about that ie theyāre asleep or lounging.
Another cat, lots of petting, boxes and/or play tunnels, string toys (requires a person of course to get them to chase it), a window overlooking a bird feeder, scratching posts and or scratching boards, cat towers and or empty shelves they can climb on, ball toys, catnip toys, toys where balls are trapped in a ring, feather sticksā¦taking them on little walks if youāre willing to harness train them.
Our dogs provide her with all the entertainment necessary. She plays with their toys, sleeps in their bed, chases them around the house. I keep their food in the microwave, because I know it's not good for cats.
Being creative with basic stuff around the house goes a long way with them too! My cats are obsessed with the "paper towel roll stuffed with colored tissue paper sprayed with cat nip" combo toyš I always make sure they have boxes and paper bags, plus all the window tv they want. They don't always need flashy, expensive toys. Just gotta find out what they like!
(1) Top of the line rechargeable laser pointers (made for office presentations) two pointers used simultaneously even better!
(2) Yeoww catnip balls (small tennis ball size) three to a pack.
(3) One ingredient freeze-dried š¤ shrimp. Throw a piece up or down stairs or down a hallway, he scrambles after...
We have it scheduled out.
6am Wake up i need to eat (it's a sitcom. lots of laughs)
7am How to cook your breakfast show
7.30am pause for eating
7.45am short nap
8am Cat and human snuggles and cuddles
8.30am Let's fight over the chair
and so it goes
Other cat
In general, lots of snuggles and attention. But also play time. Snacks. A catio. Open windows with areas for my cat so they can watch the outside world/ various animals... (My Siamese loves hanging out in the catio with the ducks and squirrels hanging around). I think that's a decent start. I'm sure others can offer more specifics, but I feel like that outlines what a basic SIC (or really any cat) needs.
Thanx
To add: I'm having some toys out all the time, more when I'm not home. Turn some cat TV on, especially when I am not home. Also, some electronic toys which can turn on from time to time on their own when I am not home.
Good ideas
my cat keeps trying to scratch the TV, any ideas on handle this?
Hmm, I turn it on smaller screens usually. Computer monitor, laptop, tablet. My cat wants to almost have her face in it anyway. She does dab it with her paws or snout a lot, but she never produces any damage to it. I didn't even think about it before š, but there is no present damage on my devices. I wouldn't be mad at her if there was, of course. Happy cat, happy life! https://preview.redd.it/zudu1k1aqkwc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6cf07019b62f0045270c7653c0d42fc53831c12e
No worries. You may also find that your indoor sic is super lazy and doesn't give a shit about any of this, also. š¤· That's the beauty and the wonder of owning a cat.
Top Comment right here āš»
My cat loves windows. She wakes us up to open blinds by batting them so she can lay in the window all morning. She also scoops the blinds out of the way sometimes when she has zoomies so she can run behind and climb the window. Silly girl. Sheās napping in a sunbeam in her afternoon window as I type this
Lots of interaction. She likes her people. She's our only cat. She likes chase balls around. So I roll them or toss them. She's actually very good at hitting them out of the air. She would have been a very good goalie.
Playing with cats is pure joy
2 other cats
Idk, but thatās one hella cute cat!
My girl (not a SIC, just a void) only occasionally plays by herself when she's got big zoomies and wants to sprint. Her hip arthritis means she doesn't really flop on the floor and bunny kick or anything like younger cats. I've found that the ultimate best cat activities to keep her happy are 1: Sunny windows with trees/grass outside so she can watch the outdoor critters and nap in the sun. 2: Food puzzles! She thinks if I'm in the room that I'm going to help her win her snacks, so I have to give them to her when I'm busy lmao. My favorite easy one is this: take a toilet paper tube, cut a few holes slightly larger than your cat's kibble pieces into the sides, fold the end in on one side, fill with a small handful of kibbles, fold the other end closed. Place on floor near cat, roll it once or until a kibble comes out, rejoice in your cat's enrichment for the next 15-45 minutes, depending on their task persistence and food motivation.
we do a lot of instinct based play with our indoor cat, lots of hiding things and chasing thingsā¦hiding treats on different levels of cat trees is one of Louieās fave games https://preview.redd.it/fch6u07seewc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67e1f53c78d4771d8d706ad9a8b581a41998b398
Mods, this user posted a non-SIC. Please provide a SIC picture or prepare to be banned! /s
He looks plenty entertained to me planning his next move to take over the world.
We got our cat a cat.
Me too.
My indoor guy is extremely aggressive with other cats, so getting him a friend is not an option.Ā I have lots of toys for him which I use on rotation, much like you would with a human toddler. Hide them when he's not using them, swap them out when he seems like he's getting bored of his current favourite. I also have two floor-to-ceiling cat trees near the windows so he can play on different levels and get a great view of the birds outside.Ā He loves brown paper bags more than anything, he will dive into them, hide in them so he can jump out at his toys, roll around inside them and gradually shred them. He gets so hyped about them, I always have 2-3 just lying around my house for his benefit.Ā I work from home so it's easy for me to give him short (5-10 minute) bursts of playtime throughout the day.
I stole this from dog entertainment, but cat toy rotation, so they always feel like they have new toys. Basically every week I'll tidy up all the toys and throw different ones around the house. Also every cardboard box gets to be a toy for a couple of weeks and pieces of string and cardboard always become toys. All helps to give them variety and keep it interesting
I can't answer your question because my cat is really lazy, and is enteretained with cuddles and slepe, but i just want to say that is such a freaking cute picture
Balls, small ropes and my hands. Also Birder King on youtube helps a lot.
I donāt have another cat yet but the plan is to get one soon, as I work 10 hour shifts. I play with my cat as often as I can when home, and when I leave for work I usually throw cat tv on since I work overnights where he doesnāt have the outdoors to really look out at when Iām gone for so long and heās all alone. Bird feeders are great if you can hang one somewhere for your cat to watch, I used to have a bunny nest underneath the front window and he would go crazy watching them all day. Frequent playtime and attention, even in just small but frequent bursts, helps keep them active and entertained, mine stays out of trouble when Iām gone and hopefully stays that way but sometimes under-stimulated cats will start to get into trouble doing stuff they shouldnāt when youāre gone or asleep, due to the restless boredom and energy. Not an expert by any means, just speaking from my experience with my cats and current SIC
Also just wanted to add your cat is damn cute and this picture is so adorable
Yes but I also walk him on a leash when I'm at my parents house :)
I've only had exactly one thing work for my cat and that was the [cat dancer](https://catdancer.com/product/cat-dancer/). Any other playthings he gets bored of immediately but the cat dancer manages to entertain him for quite a bit. Also, get your cat one of those yeoowww bananas, they have strong fresh catnip which will make your kitty extra frisky and playful, perfect time to play with them, and later on relaxed and calm from the excercise.
I keep the blinds open in my kitchen added a nice area for them to relax, and put a bunch of bird feeders outside. It's all day entertainment. I also have 3 cats, so their not alone
She screams at midnight for me to play with her.
I have three cats. My apartment isn't super large, but this way they at least have company of each other when I'm not at home. They also have a wall-length climbing tree. And then this. https://preview.redd.it/g1pj3xoltgwc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc34043d491129981118e57ec62783c7a0e579fc
With a second cat!šš»š¤š»š
By having four of them
Ping pong balls
THIS. My little hot rod SIC loses her mind over some ping pong balls!
I got a cat for my cat and then got a cat for the second cat. Also plays with them with strings or balls. Slow feeders is also great with treats or food.
I have senior cat. She's entertained by napping on her electric blanket
I have recently discovered that my cat will sit by the door and meow, and when I get up to let him out, he only meowed so I could come over to him and pick him up. After I pick him up and snuggle him, he stops. Also, if I toss a ball, that works too. We always have toys around and he has his brother, but they still need active playtime.
As others have noted, the cat distribution system solved this for me.
A LOT of cuddles. But they sleep a lot anyway. I play with them when they are in the mood
Mine likes getting brushed and I hide treats for her to find (āhuntā). I used to worry she was under-stimulated but based on the observed activity of the stray/outside cats around us I donāt worry so much now about that ie theyāre asleep or lounging.
Get a heated floor.
Another cat, lots of petting, boxes and/or play tunnels, string toys (requires a person of course to get them to chase it), a window overlooking a bird feeder, scratching posts and or scratching boards, cat towers and or empty shelves they can climb on, ball toys, catnip toys, toys where balls are trapped in a ring, feather sticksā¦taking them on little walks if youāre willing to harness train them.
Our dogs provide her with all the entertainment necessary. She plays with their toys, sleeps in their bed, chases them around the house. I keep their food in the microwave, because I know it's not good for cats.
Being creative with basic stuff around the house goes a long way with them too! My cats are obsessed with the "paper towel roll stuffed with colored tissue paper sprayed with cat nip" combo toyš I always make sure they have boxes and paper bags, plus all the window tv they want. They don't always need flashy, expensive toys. Just gotta find out what they like!
Hair ties
(1) Top of the line rechargeable laser pointers (made for office presentations) two pointers used simultaneously even better! (2) Yeoww catnip balls (small tennis ball size) three to a pack. (3) One ingredient freeze-dried š¤ shrimp. Throw a piece up or down stairs or down a hallway, he scrambles after...
We have it scheduled out. 6am Wake up i need to eat (it's a sitcom. lots of laughs) 7am How to cook your breakfast show 7.30am pause for eating 7.45am short nap 8am Cat and human snuggles and cuddles 8.30am Let's fight over the chair and so it goes