A day off with nothing to do sounds great to you and me! But a lifetime with nothing to do is a different story. Think about it. When you go out for the day, your cat has nothing to do but sleep and eat.
So, what’s your cat doing today? If the answer is nothing, it could actually be making him sick. Indoor-only cats are significantly more likely to suffer from urinary disease, dermatologic disease, obesity, diabetes, odontoclastic resorptive lesions, hyperthyroidism, boredom and behavior problems.
That’s a lot of problems!
Nature made cats with the strong drive to do a job – hunt. Cats in the wild spend 80% of their waking hours hunting for prey. They can make up to 100 Hunting attempts a day. To survive, they need to eat 8-20 small prey a day.
For a cat, their natural daily cycle is to hunt, catch and play with their food before eating, then grooming and sleeping. This goes on 24 hours a day.
So, how do we keep our cats healthy, safe and stimulated indoors with our busy schedules? Get rid of your food bowl and get them hunting indoors. Use whatever dry food treats you are feeding now, divvy them up into at least 5 portions, put them inside of hunting feeders and hide them around your house once a day.
Now your cat can simulate their natural behavior while you are out for the day. It is a small adjustment for you both at first. But you will find that when you meet your cat’s emotional needs, he is happier and healthier – and I bet that makes you happier too!
For more cat health and wellness information, check out www.TheCatvocate.com.
Dr. Liz Bales, The Catvocate, is a practicing veterinarian with 18 years of experience. Dr. Bales has a strong interest in feline wellness and behavior. She believes that by understanding the natural state of the cat we can create an indoor environment where cats thrive and our bond with them grows.
