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
- Different types of feeding bowls/dispensers
- Water bowls (fountain)
- 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
- Scratching areas
- Play areas
- Rest, sleeping areas
3. Provide opportunity for play and predatory behavior
- Cat toys
- Chasing laser pointers
- 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
- Kmart has a fantastic range of affordable cat accessories with cat towers ranging from $20 to $39
- Graduated steps in front of furniture and on the wall so cats can easily reach height, eg top of wardrobes
- 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