Cats are natural-born hunters, so it’s a common belief that our domesticated feline friends need to roam outside to live a happy and healthy life. But did you know that the great outdoors can cause more problems than benefits for your cattos? In fact, studies show that outdoor cats have a shorter lifespan and tend to live an average life of 2-5 years, compared to their indoor counterparts who live an average of 10-15 years.
While it is true that our cats can definitely get more enrichment outside, free-roaming outdoors exposes them to a multitude of risks too. Letting them out of the house can cause them to get hit by a vehicle, contact fleas and ticks, expose them to contagious feline diseases, be a victim of animal cruelty, and so much more.
As such, it’s generally recommended to keep your cats indoors. But you might be asking yourself next — isn’t it cruel to deny your cats the great outdoors? Worry not, paw-rent, that’s why we’re here! Here at Maxime, we’ve gathered our experts to consolidate these tips on how you can keep your indoor cat happy and healthy.
1. Tire your cat out with toys.
Whether you’re a seasoned cat paw-rent or a rookie, you’ve probably seen your floof baby do zoomies. Zoomies are caused by the excess/pent-up energy that our cats have gathered from snoozing all day.
Keep your cat moving while awakening the little hunter in them with a variety of awesome cat toys! Feather wands, fuzzy mice, rolling balls, and laser pointers are your friends to help keep your cat entertained and pouncing safely indoors.
2. Install bird-watching stations.
Cats love birds. As a cat paw-rent, you’ve probably seen your feline baby climb your windows (and wreak havoc on your curtains). Birds and other small animals are common prey to the domestic cats’ ancestors and many cats have retained this wildlife instinct.
Aside from these, the movement and chirping of birds just fascinate our dear cattos. Indulge their bird-watching habit by installing perches or hanging shelves by your windows.
3. It’s the cliiiimmmmmb!
Cats love to be in high places. It gives them a good vantage point to survey their surroundings and helps them stretch out those claws. In the wild, cats expertly climb trees to either chase or observe their prey or to hide from predators when they feel threatened.
Provide your kitties with a ready-made cat tree so they can exercise their climbing instincts. If you live in a multi-cat household, cat trees can also serve as a good place of rest and recreation for your cats. If a cat tree is not feasible, you can also explore installing climbing perches, hanging shelves, or wall-mounted hammocks for your feline friends.
4. Two kitties are better than one.
Despite their reputation for being independent and solitary animals, cats can become bored and lonely too when left alone for too long! This is why most experts recommend pet owners to adopt two cats instead of one. Two kitties can mentally stimulate each other, keep each other active, and generally keep each other entertained. Your feline companion needs its own companion, too! Plus, who can say no to having two cuddly, feline floof babies?
On top of these environment-enrichment tips, it’s important to keep your cats healthy by providing them with proper nourishment. Treat them to a yummy and minerally-balanced meal with Maxime Cat Food, which is enriched with taurine and formulated with easily digestible ingredients to help you #LiveTheBestLifeTogether with your feline babies!
References:
blog.nwf.org , vetmed.ucdavis.edu , pets.webmd.com
