Practical Strategies to Improve Environmental Enrichment for Your Cat

Sarah LH Ellis. jfms.2009.09.011 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1016/j.jfms.2009.09.011

1. Provide a safe place eg raised cat perch, cardboard box, cat carrier

2. Provide multiple key environment resources in separate areas

  1. Different types of feeding bowls/dispensers
  2. Water bowls (fountain)
  3. Toileting areas (one tray per cat plus one;3cm deep: cleaning regularly minimum twice weekly; length of tray should be at least 1.5x length of largest cat; trial different substances even soil or sail, unscented is generally preferred
  4. Scratching areas
  5. Play areas
  6. Rest, sleeping areas

3. Provide opportunity for play and predatory behavior

  1. Cat toys
  2. Chasing laser pointers
  3. Food puzzles. You can use larger pieces of human grade raw beef or lamb for stationary puzzles and dry food for mobile puzzles. A great website is http://foodpuzzlesforcats.com/

4. Provide positive consistent & predictable human-cat social interaction

5. Provide 3d space

  1. Kmart has a fantastic range of affordable cat accessories with cat towers ranging from $20 to $39
  2. Graduated steps in front of furniture and on the wall so cats can easily reach height, eg top of wardrobes
  3. Vertical scratching poles should be long for the cat to fully stretch out

6. Provide a safe area (from other animals or kids)
7. Provide a Horizontal Scratch Pad when your catstarts to age

        

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