How to keep a cat occupied in an apartment so that it doesn’t get bored alone? Replies to Petstory

Master Class

If you often find yourself in the mood to play with your pet in person, then you cannot do without a shiny cat toy on a stick. Why not use your imagination here too and use a real, beautiful and intricate toy instead of an old candy wrapper on a string? You will need:

felt;
embroidery threads;
cat mint;
padding material;
wooden or metal stick;
various shiny little things for decoration (sequins, pompoms, etc. that come to hand);

We will need diamond-shaped parts. To make them, first draw two small equilateral triangles on paper - the length of each side should be approximately 6-7 cm. Draw them so that they have one common side - you get a rhombus. Cut out a shape from paper and use it as a pattern. For one toy you need two of these parts. Fold the resulting diamonds into a pyramid, as shown in the figure.

Starting from the tip, start stitching the parts. As you move along each side, your toy will become voluminous. When you are almost done sewing it up, leave a small hole and stuff it with the prepared padding material. Add some catnip inside. After this, continue sewing the toy. It is recommended to run the thread and needle along the borders again to make sure it is securely sewn. Do not rush to cut the thread - make it long so that it is comfortable to hold it.

After this, you can start decorating the stick. The stick is not mandatory, but if you want to make the toy more interesting, then attach the free end of the thread to the stick - you need to wrap the thread around the end of the stick several times, tie it in a knot, and then glue a small piece of felt around it - for beauty and strength. Then attach to a thread, tying knots, everything you have prepared to attract your cat’s attention - shiny candy wrappers, pieces of bright fabric, rustling pieces of paper, and the like. The toy is ready!

Read also: Ivory color: photos in the interior

Table tennis

This game can be played even without a table. Use a regular ball, which is suitable for many games: throw it on any hard surface. Its attractive sound will constantly attract attention, and any game will not harm either your cat or your furniture - the ball is light enough and can neither cause injury to the animal nor damage the furniture. In addition, the best way to play with a cat with a ball is to roll it along a long corridor or room: the cat will run after it, trying to catch it, and thus will be constantly on the move.

Send the animal to a pet hotel

If you are planning to go on vacation abroad for a long time and have no one to leave your pet with, then it is better to send it to a special pet hotel.

Moving for an animal is stressful, which can be reduced if you follow some rules:

Shortly before and on the day of relocation, you need to treat your pet kindly.
Try not to be nervous, because animals feel everything.
You should not overfeed your pet, worrying that he will go hungry in your absence, because severe overeating can undermine his health and cause vomiting, which will only add stress.
It is advisable to bring your pet's favorite toy and bed so that he can sleep comfortably and feel at home.

Games with boxes and bags

Cats will enjoy playing with cardboard boxes of different sizes. They can be both a shelter and a toy that can be chewed and ruffled. It is enough to place one or several boxes on the floor or fasten them together, cut holes in them to create a labyrinth.

Instead of boxes, you can put a paper bag. First cut off the handles from it. Place crumpled paper in a bag or roll a ball into it. This will create an additional rustle.

It is not recommended to use plastic bags for playing. The animal may start eating them, which is dangerous to health.

Export!

You won’t believe it, but cats also love to run after a ball and bring it in their teeth to their owner. It will not be possible to accustom them to this the first time, because you need to interest the pet. Let's find out how to play “Fetch!” with a kitten.

Read also: asphalt color IN COLOR BALANCE

First, prepare a comfortable ball for the animal. Since they always bring it in their teeth, it should be made of comfortable material. Some people prefer crumpled paper, while other pets love a fabric ball. Making your first toy is not that difficult, the main thing is to take a landscape sheet, as it is denser and safer. Do not use a newspaper or magazine, because the kitten will take the ball in its teeth and slobber on it, which means that toxic substances from the printing ink will enter its body, albeit in small quantities. Making a fabric ball is much more difficult. It is best to take an old cotton T-shirt or T-shirt, then cut a long strip 1-2 centimeters wide from it, and then roll it into a tight ball.
Secondly, don't make the toy too big. It will be extremely difficult for a small kitten to hold a large ball in its teeth.
Thirdly, when you have prepared the attribute for the game, it’s time to start having fun. Draw the kitten's attention to the ball by moving it across the surface of the sofa. When the animal becomes interested in the toy, throw it at a distance of 3-5 meters. If your living space allows, you can throw the ball much further - it will even be more interesting for the kitten.

When the pet catches up with the ball, in most cases it will begin to kick it on the floor, as if playing football. Give him the opportunity to frolic, and when you notice that he is tired or bored with this game, then take the ball, return to the starting position, and then throw it again in the same place. By repeating this procedure, you will see how the kitten gradually gets acquainted with new possibilities. One day he will realize that you always throw him a ball, so he will take it in his teeth and put it at your feet.

Buy more toys

The first thing you need to do is buy toys for your pet.

For cats you should choose:

small balls that make a ringing sound when rolled;
Catnip-scented toys, such as wooden sticks, that you can hold and chew. But you need to take into account that some animals are allergic to this plant;
“mouse on a spring” - a stick with a suction cup with a small fluffy animal at the end, which is attached to a wall or floor, and when touched by a cat, it begins to vibrate, luring it into the game;
large playhouse for cats;
a tall, stable scratching post with a jingling toy at the very top.

For dogs you should choose:

a soft toy that fits the size of their mouth, since almost all dogs adore them, and having chosen their favorite, they carry them with them everywhere;
strong rubber bones with pimples for teething puppies, and hard edible bones and sticks for adults;
balls with rubber spikes for cleaning teeth, including a squeaker inside.

In general, any toys that the dog can carry in its mouth or chew instead of the owner’s shoes and furniture.

You cannot leave your pet with all the toys in the house every day, as he will begin to get bored with them. It is better to hide one of them for a couple of days, and then take out and take the other one, then the animal will not lose interest in them.

What are these products?

This category of products includes all kinds of products designed for the development and entertainment of pets. Among such products you can see mazes, puzzles, massage centers, mechanical toys for cats and much more. What they all have in common is that such toys are designed to stimulate the pet to demonstrate its natural dexterity and ingenuity.

During exercises with products, physical energy is released by the pet, and the animals themselves receive a huge charge of positive mood. With the help of interactive toys, pets develop social skills and independence, they learn to think and navigate in space.

How to play with a cat

There are many different ways for your cat to exercise, so let's look at a few of the simplest:

Curiosity : Since cats are damn curious, use this to your advantage to keep your cat active. Every time you order a box or package, or go to the grocery store, be sure to leave bags and boxes for your cat to explore.
Make Them Scratch : Cats love to scratch for a variety of reasons, but this is a great activity that helps them tone their muscles and stretch their entire body. Be sure to keep a scratching post for your cat, not only for exercise, but also to keep her from scratching your furniture.
Team play : While not all cats will play well with others, this can be a great option for cats who are social and playful. If you only have one cat at home, consider another cat. While it may seem like you have more work to do, it actually has very little impact on you, but introduced cats often become best friends.
Tall Flying Cats : Given that cats love to climb on things and you've likely trained your cat to stay away from your counters, be sure to provide something your cats can climb on. I recommend a cat tree or cat castle as it is not only a good place to play, but is often used as a scratching post and is three times better than a bed.
Interaction with people : Encourage your cat to chase toys such as balls of yarn, string, mice, etc. You can also consider a wand toy that will keep cats flying for ages. Laser pointers are another option, but be careful not to shine the pointer in your cat's eyes.
Automatic Toys : There are many automatic toys that can help keep your cat occupied if you are too busy to play with them. It can be confusing at times, but I highly recommend having real conversations with your cat.
Leash and Harness Training : Train your cat to become an adventure cat on a leash and harness! Most cats will respond to this training, especially if you start teaching them at a young age. This will allow you to take your cat out into a large open area on a hike or just for a walk. Cats love to go outside to explore new scents and smells if they are in a safe environment. If you do decide to take your cat outside, be sure to take flea medication.
Clicker training : While not all cats are easy to train, those that are active enough tend to respond better. You can teach your cat to do all sorts of tricks using a clicker.
Food Puzzles : These puzzles are specially designed cat toys that require your cat to work to remove the treats from inside by smacking the puzzle all over the place. Keep in mind that this often leaves food all over the floor and can make a mess.
Install a Bird Feeder : If you have a window where you can install a bird feeder, this is a great way to keep your cat occupied. Now there are obvious problems depending on the cat, so you need to be careful. My cat Lexi loves to just do it, but move around and get ready to pounce while she watches the birds. This allows her to be held for long periods of time during the day, even if she is not constantly running.
Cat Bubbles : A new product on the market is catnip bubbles. They are completely safe for your cat, but I will admit that I found it difficult to blow a large number of bubbles at once. My cats actually ran away in fear of the bubbles - a bit of an exercise I guess!
Exercise Wheel for Cats : If your cat is really active and needs a way to quickly burn off energy, you can train her to use an exercise wheel. Just like a treadmill for humans, these wheels are designed for cats who have a lot of energy. This will require special training; cats usually do not figure this out on their own.

How to control the game

Of course, if you have several small pets in the house, then cheering them up will not be difficult. If only because kittens often play with each other, every now and then attacking and biting their brothers.

Remember to train your pet is another tip for playing with your kitten at home. Any activity can awaken the predator in your animal. He doesn't understand that you shouldn't scratch or bite hard, but he will do it if you let him. Let your pet understand that you are the boss of the house, and willfully damaging the furniture and your body is not allowed.

Let lunch be the spoils

Instead of just filling your cat's bowl, offer her a puzzle feeder. Then she will first have to figure out how to get food from the maze, or get around a series of obstacles to eat it. You can buy a puzzle feeder or make one yourself. Take a clean plastic bottle or other container and cut holes for the food pellets to fit through. Another educational game for cats that is easy to implement is hiding food throughout the house. Finding items for cats is a great and easy-to-implement way to keep your pet occupied while you're away, as well as stimulate her physical activity. Try hiding small amounts of food in different places around the house, using cells cut from an egg container.

Safety

Attention!

When you get carried away with the game, you can easily forget about safety. When creating toys, it is important to remember that if there is active contact with the part, the cat can get hurt, so there should not be any sharp corners or objects, and the stuffing should not stick out from the toy.

Also, the toy cannot be coated with chemically active compounds, since the animal is likely to put it in its mouth and try to chew it. All threads and seams must be created in such a way that the cat cannot tear them.

With some toys it is better not to leave the pet alone, using only group games with the owner from which the pussy will be delighted.

Find a companion for your pet

Dogs are very social, unlike cats, but each of them would love the right companion. Dogs love parrots, and cats can spend hours watching fish in an aquarium.

But you can place a dog and a cat in the same house. However, such cohabitation is not suitable for huskies, cops, dachshunds and other hunting breeds, since the cat will always be prey for them, which means destruction of the premises due to “catch-up” is guaranteed.