“There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” – Albert Schweitzer (Polymath)

About the author: Linda Butts

Hey, I'm Linda Butts, the girl behind Pawsome Talk. With my pawsometalk.com, I hope to share the ideas and techniques from my personal experiences of what I have done with my pet research and what I love about pets and their lives. I expect to help you feel at ease if you start to make a friendship with your pet while you enjoy your journey. Please don't be shy to ask me when you need to help or out of the idea. Let's ask and share what you've got.

It’s a bliss to have cats around. Just watching them be themselves relieves us from stress. However, like any other pet, cats require care, affection, and attention. They are active hunters by nature, so being indoors can either make them lazy or frustrated. Either way, it can greatly affect their health and your pocket. And above everything else, them being unhealthy will increase emotional stress on both of you. But don’t worry, we have a compact list of 10 things you need to take care of to keep your cat healthy indoors.

Train Them Young

Old habits are hard to let go of. The same can be said for the things we learned in our childhood. This applies to your pets too. You can start training and teaching habits into your cats when they are young. That way, you don’t have to worry about fuzzy training guides when your cat gets older.

Keep Them Active

As said earlier, cats are natural-born hunters. That is why it is necessary to keep them active. And to do that, you have two methods,

• Exercise
• Entertainment

Combining both of them, by spending time with your feline friend, is very handy. You can also use several toys to interact with them. However, make sure that those toys are not harmful to your cat, and always bring variations in your play to avoid boredom.

Photo byDave Francis onUnsplash

Pamper Your Feline

Pampering and giving them attention help to boost their health. A little head-pat or cuddle from time to time is a good way of showing them that you care. You can also brush their furs. This will not only give you and them some physical time but also remove the loose hairs preventing hairball situations. Be sure to associate it with a happy time (for the cat), like before lunch. That way, they will cooperate since they will know something delicious is on its way.

Provide a Necessary Diet

Diet is essential for cats. They need foods that are mainly high in animal protein along with several specific nutrients. However, do not feed your cat from your plate. Common human edibles such as chocolate, caffeine, dairy products, grapes, raisins, onion, garlic, chives, yeast, etc. are toxic to the cat. Also, do not forget to provide ample drinkable water, accessible to the cat at all times.

Sometimes, you may notice that your cat is not eating. You don’t have to worry. Maybe it’s just shy or not hungry. However, if it is frequent, consult your vet.

Little Box Placement

The location of the litter box is crucial. First, choose a litter box that your cat is comfortable using. Then keep it in a quiet place, away from people or noisy appliances. Also, could you keep it away from windows or air vents? But, do not place it in a location like a basement or hard place for your cat to reach.

Have multiple of them, at least one on each floor, so that your cat does not have to make long trips when he or she wants to go.

Cat’s Room

Have a corner of your house dedicated to your cat. It can have his bed there, a scratching post, a food bowl, a few toys, etc. A cat having a corner to call his own makes him or her feel special and equal to the house members.

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Hangout Spot

Cats like to have a glimpse of the outside world. Have a few cat porches around your windows. Especially the ones that get sunlight and have a nice view. That way, the cat can have a passive, peaceful time enjoying the outside world. But make sure that your windows are correctly fenced to stop your cat going on a chase.

Kitty Condo

Kitty Condo or “cat trees” are also an excellent way to help your cat be active indoors. It is a perfect solution, especially for those who like higher places, or scale your curtain to get a better view of the room.

Plant Cat Grass

You can also plant cat grass in pots for the comfort of your feline friend. You can get them at your pet store.

Photo byPatricia Williams onUnsplash

Cleanliness

Cats love clean places. And some can even be clean-freaks. That is why you keep your house tidy and regularly clean the cat’s litter box, bed, bowls, toys, etc.

Bonus: Collars

Even though your cat is well trained and comfortable indoors, nothing is stopping its curiosity. There is a good chance that an accidentally open window or an arrival of a guest may encourage them to sneak outside. It is best to have the cat’s name, your name, and contact details on a collar for the cat around the neck.

In Conclusion,

Cats are very intricate beings. Understanding them can be very challenging. But with a little time and effort, you can build a strong bond with your cat. Take some time off and have some playtime with your feline friend.