It may seem that our cats are very independent and only need a little food and water to live at home. However, all animals need stimulation and cats are no exception. 

Have you ever heard of environmental enrichment?

It is about improving the animal’s habitat, creating different spaces where it can interact (eating, resting, feeding, playing…) so that it feels stimulated and safe. 

Before starting with enrichment, it is a good idea to take a look at your feline’s daily life. Remember that cats must have specific conditions as we told you a few posts ago. Once we have made sure that our little furry one has basic issues such as his own litter box or clean water always available, we can think about improving his environment.

When we talk about enriching we are looking, as we said, to improve the physical and psychological well-being of our cat. To do this, we can use several strategies: 

• Toys: we can incorporate different types of toys that stimulate their hunting instinct. We can add a ball, something connected to a string or a rod, or a toy that can be suspended or hanging. 
• Feeding: free-living cats have to hunt for their own food, and this keeps them active. House cats can be helped to develop this activity through food. We can place small portions of food at different heights and include it in containers that they have to move to get it out.
• Physical space: it is important to delimit the different spaces so that there is a place for resting, another for food, another for play and another for grooming. They do not have to be large spaces and they do not have to be horizontal. Remember that felines love heights and will enjoy it very much if you add this distribution in different heights.
• Sensory enrichment: if you have one, you will already know that they are very curious, so to enrich them it is always good for them to have access to visual stimuli such as windows or terraces. You can also incorporate olfactory stimuli such as catnip or pheromones, which are easily available in specialised shops.
• Incorporate a playmate: in this case we must do it carefully, progressively and avoiding that our first kitten feels invaded its space. We can introduce them little by little and let them interact at their own pace. Cats that share a home (like humans) do not necessarily get along, so we must understand that it may not work.

All these tips can make life easier and happier for your feline pet but nothing will help them more than treating, caring for and pampering them with all the love they deserve.