3 Ways to Provide Enrichment to Your Cat

Cats are known for being independent, making them a low-maintenance and enjoyable pet to have. You can leave your pet at home without feeling guilt, and they’ll be just as happy when you’re not there. However, pets of all kinds, including cats, need physical and mental stimulation, also known as enrichment. 

Bored cats can become destructive and may even try to leave home to find adventure. While you can leave your cat alone to go to work, any extended period without enrichment can cause potentially destructive boredom in the form of potty accidents, aggression, and even scratching. Boredom can also lead to mental and physical health problems, including depression and obesity. If your cat doesn’t satisfy their natural instincts, they won’t be happy or healthy. 

Luckily, you can provide enrichment to your cat easily without spending a lot of money doing it. This article will discuss why enrichment is significant and how you can easily provide it to your cat. 

What is Cat Enrichment?

Cat enrichment is when you provide your pet with stimuli that can satisfy their natural instincts to promote physical and mental health. For example, adding a scratching post in your living room provides your cat with something to do that’s an instinctual habit they enjoy, and it’s both physically and mentally stimulating. 

Ways to Provide Enrichment to Your Cat

There are many ways you can provide cat enrichment, and here are just a few examples. 

1. Environmental Enrichment

Environmental enrichment improves your cat’s environment to make it into something that they find enjoyable. For example, taking your cat for a walk can provide them with physical and mental stimulation. 

When you’re trying to enrich your cat’s environment, try to think about their senses, paying close attention to their sense of smell and touch. 

If you want to enrich your cat’s environment without taking them outside, you can create a perch for them near a window so they can watch nature. You can also set up a cat tree and provide them with an elevated space that’s all theirs. 

While cats love a change of scenery, you should never change their environment too quickly. Adding a few cat trees to your home is a great way to satisfy their natural instinct to climb so they won’t try to climb the walls or your furniture. 

2. Social Enrichment

Cats also need to socialize, including play and interaction. Believe it or not, cats are social animals, just like dogs and humans. If you have more than one cat, they might already be socially enriched because they always have a friend to play with. However, if you don’t have any other pets in your home, you should take the time to play with your cat daily. 

You should also consider the type of personality your cat has. Some cats will enjoy socialization through play, but many cats prefer it when you simply spend time together. Petting your cat can also be a form of social enrichment that strengthens your bond.  

If you choose to try social enrichment in the form of letting your cat socialize with other animals, be careful. You never know how either animal will react to seeing each other. Dogs and cats have a long history of being enemies, but many dogs and cats that grow up together often love playing and spending time with one another. 

Before you introduce your cat to another animal, ask that animal’s owner if they’ve ever been around another pet before. Even if they’re good with other animals, you should always watch your cat when they’re playing with a new friend. Animals of all kinds can become territorial or aggressive when meeting another animal. 

3. Cognitive Enrichment

Even though your cat might love a good nap, they still crave mental stimulation. Cognitive enrichment can physically and mentally tire your cat, so they won’t even think of doing anything destructive when you leave. Many toys are available to improve cognitive enrichment play with your cat. However, you can also make your own toys at home. For example, you can play hide and seek with your cat to make them guess where you are. You can also build your own cat puzzles with a few cups and cat treats by making them guess which cup the treat is under. 

You can try cat puzzles or training sessions involving clicker training to teach cats the same tricks you can teach dogs. The best part is that cats love learning and enjoy using their minds. 

Importance of Cat Enrichment

As we’ve mentioned, cat enrichment is important for helping you avoid a destructive cat. However, it also improves their physical and emotional well-being. Cats were domesticated after dogs were, so many of them still have their wild instincts. So next time your cat brings you a dead mouse as a present, you can blame their late domestication. 

Cats have night vision and sensitive hearing, making them great hunters, and their claws allow them to climb just about anything. They’re also agile and flexible, which only makes them better hunters. 

Keeping your cat indoors is best for their safety, but it deprives them of the stimulation they need as great hunters, which usually happens outside in the wilderness. Because of their desire to hunt and explore, cats need mental and physical stimulation to stay healthy. 

Additionally, depriving your cat of enrichment can result in behavioral issues, including potty issues, aggression, and even anxiety. 

The best types of enrichment activities should reflect what cats might do in nature, allowing them to engage in their natural, instinctual behavior to keep them happy while physical activity keeps them healthy. 

Final Thoughts

Even though cats might not seem like they have as much energy as dogs, they still require physical and mental stimulation in the form of enrichment activities. So whether you choose to take your cat outside to explore the garden, buy them cat trees to climb in every room, or let them socialize with other animals friends, your cat will be happier and healthier for it. 

Marné Amoguis

Marné Amoguis holds a B.A. in International Business from UC San Diego. She is a contributing writer at 365businesstips.com where she loves sharing her passion for digital marketing. Outside of writing, she loves traveling, playing music, and hiking.