How to Care for Indoor Cats - Giving Your Cat Mental Stimulation and Exercise

1. Ensure that your cat gets adequate exercise. Play with your cat regularly. Make sure you have regular play sessions, several times a day. Cats are sprinters rather than marathon runners so three or four, 5 - 10 minute sessions are better than one 20 minutes play.
- Get a little feather wand, some toy mice, or even just a piece of string (they never get tired of it...). Shake the wand around at the cat's height, not yours. Throw the mouse and watch the cat wrestle with it. Hold one end of the string and either run around the house with it, or just wriggle it around.

2. Don't assume that your cat doesn't want to play, just cause it also enjoys napping. Cats are hunters, which means that they have periods of inactivity interspersed with hunting activity. Just because cats like to sleep doesn't mean that they don't need the mental stimulation with scenting out a mouse, stalking, and catching it would provide.[5]
- Many behavioral issues such as house soiling, scratching, or aggression to other pets are caused because of boredom or frustration. So be sure to provide plenty of interesting things for your cat to play with.

3. Give your cat a view of outside. Make sure it has a high perch with a window view. This allows the cat to be entertained by the sights outdoors and to fulfill the feline need to be high up, as cats are naturally tree climbers.[6]
- If you live in an apartment make sure the balcony is cat safe and the cat cannot fall from a balcony rail. You may consider caging in an area of the balcony so the cat can lookout over the neighborhood but without the risk of injury.
- Likewise, make sure any opening windows are escape proof. Check screens to make sure they are secure and not damaged, so the cat cannot slip out when you're not looking.

4. Bond with your cat by training it. It's not only dogs that benefit from obedience training. Try clicker training your cat, which provides vital mental stimulation for your feline friend, and also helps it to bond with you. This training is done in a similar way to dogs, but just be patient with the cat and be aware you need to find a treat that really motivates the cat to follow commands.

5. Give your cat things to occupy its mind while you are gone. Leave out toys for your cat to play with when it isn't able to play with you. You could leave out toy mice or catnip, but you can also leave out items that are less expected, but safe for your cat. Try putting out a paper bag or a cardboard box for your cat to explore and play with.[7]

6. Enjoy time with your cat! Give it lots of love and attention, if your cats desires it. You have about 20 years ahead of you with your cat, so make the best of it by building a bond of mutual affection.

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