Pounce! Keeping Your House Tiger Satisfied Through Enrichment
- Christian Flournoy
- Feb 6
- 5 min read
Do you have a cat with seemingly endless energy to pounce on your legs or even an unreceptive housemate? Or is your cat frequently getting into things around the home? These issues (and others like it) can potentially be improved by introducing reducing boredom through species-specific enrichment. When humans started bringing animals indoors, our pets gained the ability to live longer and stay healthier, but they also lost the opportunity to act out certain innate behaviors that kept them satisfied outdoors. This can often lead to certain behaviors that are unwanted by most caregivers such as destructiveness, an inability to settle, and conflict with other housemates.
Understanding Species-Specific Enrichment
Simply put, enrichment encompasses the many ways we can add variety and satisfaction to our pets’ lives through activities. Species-specific enrichment refers to activities that engage the senses in a way that complements the animal’s natural behaviors and biological desires. These are usually activities that the animal would find themselves engaging in if they were left to their own devices outdoors.
For cats, species-specific enrichment focuses on their desire to forage and play out their predatory sequence. A predatory sequence refers to the instinctive set of behaviors an animal engages in order to catch their food. Picture a cat who sees a prey animal in the distance: they drop low to the ground, start shimmying their back end, and then take off running and finally pounce on their victim. If you have your own cat, you have probably seen them do this same thing to a wand toy or a fake mouse.
What many people don’t realize about their cats is how enriching it is to act out this predatory behavior. Some caregivers believe they need to let their cats roam outdoors in order to keep them happy, but this is a misconception. Indoor-only cats don’t have to be completely deprived of this enrichment as there are many ways to recreate this experience for our cats!
Enrichment Through Food
Because it is so natural for cats to work for their food, we recommend using food puzzles for at least some of your cat’s daily meals. Feeding this way relieves boredom and stress, two things that contribute to behavior problems significantly. This method of feeding is supported by the FelineVMA 2018 guidelines on feeding cats to alleviate behavior issues. Have you ever been very hungry and after eating a really good meal you feel so satisfied that the only other thing you could want is a nice nap? You can think of cat foraging like that- meeting a core biological need. If your cat is used to free-feeding, they may take some time to get used to this method of feeding, but we promise it will benefit them. If your cat scarfs down their food, this method is a no-brainer!
There are so many food puzzles out there suited for cats, it can be overwhelming. We love using this resource created by two cat behavior experts, Ingrid Johnson and Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado. You can find the right type of puzzle for just about any cat. It even includes DIY options, which can be a great way to find out what your cat likes before spending money on commercial puzzles.
Another way to recreate predatory feeding opportunities for your cat is to engage in interactive toy play followed by a snack. Did you know that according to this study, cats are believed to prefer human interaction over food or playing with toys on their own? When you leave toys laying on the ground for your cat, they often see the toy as being “dead” which is pretty boring in a cat’s eyes. Instead, engage in interactive play with your cat’s toys, keeping it unpredictable and interesting. Dr. Mikel Delgado wrote a whole book on how to play with your cat based on her research and experience as a feline behaviorist. A condensed version of her tips can be found in this infographic. Once you’ve figured out how your cat likes to play out that predatory sequence, go ahead and give them a little snack after each play session, or even their entire meal. This makes the play even more satisfying as it completes the last part of the predatory sequence- eating their catch.
Enrichment in the Great Outdoors
In addition to predatory play/feeding, there are some great ways to add enrichment to your cat’s life by capitalizing on their desire to see wildlife. While we still agree it is safest to keep your cat primarily indoors, adding safe outdoor time can be very beneficial. The most passive way of doing this is adding a "catio" to your home. You can buy one online, hire a professional to build one, or use cat-proof netting to enclose a balcony. There are also large pop-up tents made for cats that can be placed in your yard and removed when you want.
The second easiest way to add outdoor time is by cat-proofing your yard. You can purchase extenders for your fence that tilt inwards and prevent your cat from escaping the yard. It’s important to know that you still need to supervise them while they’re out there. Some super kitties can manage to escape but more importantly, these do not keep wild animals from getting in and being unable to get out!
The third way to add outdoor time requires the most supervision and setup. You can take your cat on “walks” using a harness and leash. Many cats will need to be positively conditioned to wearing the harness. Additionally, if your cat has limited experience being outside, they may be hesitant to move around at first. If your cat shows signs of being overwhelmed or seems panicked, it’s a good idea to try out your backyard or balcony first.
If you and your cat aren’t ready to venture outdoors yet, many cats will enjoy simply watching out the window, so make sure there are places for them to perch near a window. Be cautious about this if you have stray cats who hang out near your home as it can upset some cats to see them. You can also play Cat TV for your cat. There are many channels on YouTube that have long videos of wildlife that your cat may enjoy watching. For both window-watching and Cat TV, be aware that it can cause frustration in some cats who really want to “catch” the wildlife they see. If you notice your cat becomes over aroused by this, limit how often they have access to these things.
Adding species-specific enrichment to your home and routine can take a little time and effort, but your indoor cat will be more satisfied, less likely to develop behavior problems, and your bond will become even stronger. If you want to learn more about scientific ways to keep your cat happy, check out our post on the five pillars of an ideal cat environment.
Sources:
Feline Feeding Programs: Addressing behavioral needs to improve feline health and wellbeing. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (2018) 20, 1049–1055
Comments