An environment with climbing shelves, scrapers and hiding places results in a more active and healthy cat
A survey by IBGE in partnership with the Brazilian Association of the Pet Products Industry (Abinpet) revealed that last year, there were 22.1 million pet cats in Brazil. Many of these felines live in apartments or small spaces that need to undergo environmental enrichment to ensure greater interaction and good animal health.
This is because environmental enrichment is nothing more than making the environment interesting and stimulating so that the cat exercises more and has distractions all the time, even when the owners are not at home. By allowing the animal to have an active routine, even in small spaces, health problems like obesity and diabetes can be avoided.
But, how to do this environment enrichment specifically for cats? The best way is to think about the behavior of the feline, observe what he likes to do and make it available in an interesting way for him. Check out some tips below.
Shelves
Cats are animals that like heights, from places where they can observe the whole environment. They feel safer that way since in nature they are also arrested and use this tactic as a form of defense.
Therefore, providing high places that they can get comfortable is a way to enrich the environment. Scalable, empty and padded shelves are a good solution. Another option may be multi-story cat homes that can be purchased at pet shops.
Scratches
How many cat owners have you heard complaining that pussy scraped all the feet off the chairs and tore the upholstered sofa? This is a natural behavior of cats, motivated by the physiological need to sharpen and renew their claws.
To avoid the destruction of the house, make available more than one scrapers if possible. One way to accustom the animal to using these toys is to place catnip on them.
Both the shelves and the scratchers are items that leave the house as close as possible to how the feline instincts work in nature, making the animal more comfortable. Not to mention that they allow the animal to practice exercises.
Hiding places
Cats also love being out of sight of their owners, as if playing hide and seek. Putting beds in more reserved places or even making cardboard boxes available allows the pet to do so more comfortably.
Toys
In nature, cats also have the habit of hunting and the toys serve to reproduce this. Paper polka dots and stems with something dangling from the tip are often felines’ favorites.
Even if your pet has shelves, scrapers and hiding places available, be sure to interact with it. This greatly improves the relationship between owner and pet.
Walks
Of course, a comfortable place for the sleeping cat also can not miss. The bed is part of the environmental enrichment for houses with cats. Buy a padded option and large enough to fit the strained animal. Remember to choose the ideal place to put it: away from where it eats, away from where it does its needs, without too many noises, little solar and airy incidence.
