This probably isn’t news to most people with indoor cats. In fact, when you see your cats trying to increase their activity, it may even upset you. Sure you want your cat to be healthy, but does he have to test his agility by climbing the drapes, scooting along underneath the sofa tearing at the lining, playing with the belt dangling from your new dress in the closet, leaping up on the kitchen counter to nibble on your freshly-made sandwich, or running around the house with the end of the toilet paper in his mouth? Oh my!
It’s been proven that cats who are kept inside live longer. One site I visited said that while outdoor cats life expectancy is four to five years, the indoor cat may live to be twelve to eighteen years old. So there’s a good case for the indoor cat, but how can we keep him healthy and trim within the confines of a relatively small area?
If you’re keeping up with his shots, of course, you can leash-train him and get him out of Dodge on occasion. Many people take their cats for walks. Rags (the cat star in my Klepto Cat Mysteries) is leash-trained (as much as you can train a cat) and he loves outdoor excursions. You can also build an outdoor area for the cats complete with climbing apparatus.
But there’s a lot you can do indoors as well. You might start by setting aside play time for your cats. A wand with a feather attached is a great toy to encourage activity. Here are some other tips: hide treats around the house or in one of those toys that when bonked around will release the treat. A motivated cat will entertain himself and get some exercise while trying to release the treat. Tossing balls or wads of paper will entice some cats to run and play.
Cats are naturally curious. Ours will gravitate toward anything new that’s brought into the
Baby Lily and Friend
house. An empty bag or packing box can make for a fun cat adventure. We have a nylon tunnel that we bring out occasionally. Our cats will spend hours playing in and around that thing. After it’s there for a while, the cats tire of it. But each time we bring it out anew, it gets rave reviews and we’re entertained by some wild play activity. Likewise, a series of empty boxes will entertain and entice a cat. Cut holes here and there and toss balls in, stack the boxes to create a high-rise apartment complex then dangle toys inside and out. If there’s more than one cat, they’ll enjoy chasing each other’s tail through the maze. You can also create a maze of paper bags. Be sure to cut off any handles so they don’t get their heads caught.
Another thing we do around here is to occasionally dig to the bottom of the cats’ toy box and bring out old forgotten favorites. Our especially get a kick out of toys that move, jump, talk…
Bring catnip into the equation. Most cats will work hard to get to the catnip in a toy.
Go the extra mile and build a cat walk with a variety of perches and steps along the top of your walls. You know how your cat likes to play King of the Mountain on your tallest dresser top, or climb your clothes to reach the top of your closet…
Need additional ideas? Here’s a fun site showing how to play with your cat.
http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanagement101/a/play_with_cat.htm
Cats, perhaps more than any other animal, seem to express moods. Sure, there are those who claim cats are aloof, end of discussion. But when you’re privileged with a connection to a special cat, you know the truth. Cats have feelings, too.
My dad had a refrigerator magnet that said, “If you want the best seat in the house, move the cat.” Those of you with cats certainly know the truth in that quip. Cats are not shy about charting out their territory and it’s usually where you’d rather they not shed, claw, or hack up a fur-ball.
human-size bed. But they also sleep across the back of the sofa by morning—to catch the rays shining through the window. Lily claims my lap as I work at the computer on a cloudy day and during the early morning hours before the sun’s up. She also likes my office chair and seems to know when I’m through for the day. Lily likes to tunnel. When she was a kitten, you’d often find her sleeping in the carpeted tunnel of the cat tree or inside the long tube we brought home for her to play inside. She also likes to crawl in under the blankets on my bed for a long, undisturbed afternoon nap.
You may notice I’ve changed the title for the Thursday posts. Why? Well, in the beginning, I thought we’d do some giveaways. But no one seems interested. On Thursdays, we’ll now focus on something that encourages thought.
in the home as well as extended family members who make regular visits to play with and cuddle Amelia. Because of little Amelia, there’s more smiling going on in that family and more laughter in the household.
How can we get crazier and wilder than yesterday? I mean, who dresses their cats? While researching yesterday, I came across some fun cat videos. Do you have a favorite? Here are some of the themes for cat videos;
Do you dress your cat? Do you know anyone who does? It’s a sweet premise—the scenario of the little girl dressing her kitty and pushing him around in her doll buggy. That wasn’t me or my children. What about you? Did you have a cat who let you dress her as a child?
did—playing blocks, putting puzzles together, sitting and reading, painting, playing inside a tent (a blanket draped over a couple of chairs), etc. One time when a three-year-old granddaughter wanted to play super hero, I made her a cape. She insisted I make Lily one to match.
Most animals have enemies. Think of those attributed to the cat—dogs, coyotes, large owls, hawks, eagles, raccoons, wolves, and some other cats… But are these really natural enemies for all cats? Do cats naturally hate birds, lizards, mice and other rodents? Probably not. Cats are some of the most discerning animals around. They hunt when they must—for survival and sometimes for sport. They can get mighty angry at a squirrel or a blue jay that taunts them. Certainly, outside cats had better be wary of renegade cats and dogs as well as larger wild animals. But cats have also been known to make friends with some of these critters.
have both cats and dogs who have learned to get along. Some canine and feline pairs even adore one another. We’ve all seen pictures and videos on the Internet showing kittens piled in a large dog’s bed with him, a dog and cat playing or sharing a meal. There’s nothing quite as sweet as watching a relationship develop between what might be considered natural animal enemies. And that’s why we enjoy stories of unlikely friendships among the animal kingdom.
Last night I saw a touching story on the news of a soldier and his family welcoming home a cat he’d befriended as a kitten in Baghdad. I decided to share something about that in today’s blog. How surprised I was to learn how many dogs and cats are being reunited with their military rescuers through kindly organizations such as Operation Baghdad Pups (and Cats).
Did my post of May 11, 2016 get you to thinking about the cats you remember in cartoons, children’s stories, fables, movies, literature? Here are a few you might not have thought of.
