Do you ever wonder, do cats get bored? Just like humans get bored from time to time, so do cats. Cats spend a majority of their time lounging around but need to have adequate stimulation throughout the day to live a healthy life. One of the biggest decisions when owning a cat is if you are going to keep them inside or outside. There are pro’s and con’s to both options. However, keeping your cat indoors almost guarantees your cat a longer life. With that said, indoor cats can easily get bored. You will want to watch for signs that your cat is having boredom issues and find ways to keep him or her entertained.
Do Cats Get Bored? Signs Your Cat is Bored:
Decreased Appetite – If your cat suddenly loses his appetite, he might be bored. However, you will want to see if there is an underlying condition like health problems.
Aggression – Most cats love people and when they are left alone or get bored they can become aggressive. If your once sweet cat is now biting and scratching he might have a case of boredom. If your cat is left alone for long periods at a time, he is probably upset and bored.
Sleeping – When healthy cats get bored they often sleep more than normal. Sleep will seem like the only option when they are bored. Most cats do sleep a lot but being overly tired and lazy is a major sign of boredom and not enough activity.
Urinating – One way that cats act out is by urinating. At times house trained cats will start to urinate around the home if they are bored or being left alone for extended periods of time.
Do Cats Get Bored? Ways to Beat Cat Boredom:
Cat Tree – If possible purchase or build a cat tree. Cats love to run, scratch and climb up cat trees! Cat trees can provide your cat with hours of entertainment, especially if you hide treats throughout the cat tree.
Windows – Cats love sitting by the window to watch the outside world. Window watching can provide hours of entertainment and also provides stimulation. You can take it up a notch by creating a view for your cat. You will first want to figure out which window in the house is your cat’s favorite. Once you know which window your cat prefers put a bird feeder outside the window. Your cat will have a blast watching all the birds fly in.
Toys – Cats love playing with toys! Buy a wide selection of cat toys to give your cat plenty of different options. However, you should avoid setting out all of the toys at one time. Rotate your cats toys so new ones are always being introduced. Having new toys will keep your cat happy and less likely to get bored.
Another Cat – If possible you might want to consider getting a second cat. If your cat is left alone for several hours at a time, adding another cat could help prevent boredom. Having two or more cats in the house means they will entertain each other.
Now that you know the answer to, “Do Cats Get Bored?”, in what ways do you entertain your cat?
See Also: Environmental Enrichment for Cats
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Jenny says
I know my poor kitty gets bored when we leave her for vacations. That’s why I wanted to get her a kitten to play with/love on, but thee husband is not so crazy about that idea. LOL :(
Missy Zane says
Interesting post. Another good cure for boredom is to build an outdoor enclosure or “catio” for your cat.
ilovemy kitty says
Very Informative thanks for sharing amazing piece of content.