While domestic cats have adapted to living indoors, they still retain many of their wild ancestors’ natural instincts. Encouraging these instincts in your indoor cat is essential for their physical health and mental well-being. Our Cobb & Co Veterinary Clinic explains ways you can help your favorite feline express their natural behaviors and live their best life inside your home.

Provide a place for your cat to perch

Cats are natural climbers and observers. In the wild, they often climb trees to spot prey and stay safe from potential threats. By providing perching spots in your home, you not only cater to these instincts but also enrich your cat’s environment, making it stimulating and enjoyable. You can create perches for your indoor cat by providing them with the following:

  • Cat towers — Cat towers come in various sizes and designs, often incorporating multiple levels, various scratching materials, and many cozy hideaways. Place a cat tree near a window so your cat can enjoy watching birds, people, and outdoor activities.
  • Wall shelves — Installing cat-accessible shelves on your walls or repurposing bookshelves as perches create a vertical playground for your cat. These shelves can be arranged in a stair-step pattern to make climbing easy and fun. Ensure the shelves are securely attached to the wall to support your cat’s weight and add a soft mat or cushion to make these spots comfortable.
  • Window perches — Window perches provide your cat with a front-row seat to the outside world. These perches can be attached directly to the window sill or mounted with suction cups on the window glass. Hang a bird feeder right outside to provide your whiskered pal with extra entertainment.
  • Custom cat tree — If you’re feeling handy, build a custom cat tree using wood, carpet, and sisal rope. This can be tailored to fit your space and your cat’s climbing and scratching preferences. Many online tutorials are available to guide you through the process.

Encourage your cat to work for their meal 

In the wild, cats work for their food by hunting, foraging, or scavenging. To increase your cat’s physical activity, provide them with an outlet for their predatory behavior and nourish their body and mind by replacing your whiskered pal’s bowl with enrichment toys or games. Fill a food puzzle with treats or food, and let your cat figure out how to make the food fall out. You can create a food puzzle with a few small cups by placing treats underneath one of the cups and leaving the others empty. Your cat will need to sniff out the treats and figure out how to knock over the cup to get their reward.

Embrace your cat’s inner hunter 

Cats are natural hunters, and this instinct remains strong even in domesticated indoor cats. 

Keep your cat’s mind sharp by providing them with various toys that mimic prey movements. Wands with feathers, laser pointers, and battery-operated toys that move erratically can engage your cat’s hunting instincts. Rotate toys regularly to keep your cat interested and challenged.

Spend quality time with your cat 

Love and attention are the most powerful ways to keep any cat happy. Domesticated cats crave human attention, so dedicate some time every day to bond with your whiskered pal. By regularly interacting with your cat, you help prevent them from becoming bored and obese and developing anxiety-based disorders. 

Prioritize your cat’s health

All cats need regular preventive veterinary care for their long-term health and well-being. Schedule annual feline wellness exams to ensure your cat’s vaccinations and parasite preventives are up to date and to allow our veterinarian to detect and treat potential diseases in their earliest stages when the outcomes are most promising. Additionally, schedule regular professional veterinary dental cleanings and provide at-home dental care to keep your cat’s mouth clean and healthy.

By keeping your cat indoors, you protect them from many dangers, helping them live a safe and long life. By learning about natural feline behaviors and creating an enriching environment, you can ensure your indoor cat remains happy and healthy. To learn additional tips about how to help your indoor cat express their natural behaviors or to schedule their annual feline wellness exam, schedule your whiskered pal’s appointment with our team at Cobb & Co Veterinary Clinic team.