My Cat is Bored: 5 things to do

My Cat is Bored: 5 things to do

“Help! My cat is bored!” It’s no fun for anyone when your cat is bored.  “How do I know my cat is bored?” Oh trust me, you’ll know. Your cat might meow incessantly or start chew on your charger cords.  She (or he) might begin to climb on top of cabinets just to have something to do. It’s not your fault: some cats are more easily entertained than others.  Of our two, one is always content to chase a toy or take a nap, look out the window at birds, or sit in your lap. The other is not as laid back.  She likes things to do but often has trouble figuring out what those things should be, on her own.  So without further ado, when you find yourself saying, “My cat is bored” here are some ways to combat that:

cat boredom

  1. Foil balls have worked surprisingly well for my cat. They need to be smaller than a ping pong ball, but not so small that the cat can eat them. Try to make the ball of foil about the size of a large grape. The downside to foil balls is that they get lost under everything. The upside is that they’re easy to create!
  2. Make a cat fort.  I know it sounds crazy, but if you’re home for a while with a cat that’s meowing non-stop, you’ll do anything! Kitty forts are fun and give the cats a “new” place to explore. I take several blankets and drape them over chairs and the coffee table to create a “fort” of sorts. I’ve even put their kitty bed in there sometimes as an added bonus.
  3. Toilet paper or paper towel rolls can provide entertainment and a chew toy if your cat likes to chew. 
  4. There are a variety of YouTube videos for cats, believe it or not. This one is one my cats are particularly fascinated by. 
  5. Play hide and seek with cat treats or get a treat ball. A treat ball will keep your cats entertained for hours as they try to roll the ball around to make the treats fall out. If you don’t have one, you can take their cat tower or even just various pieces of furniture and “hide” cat treats for them. They’ll be entertained as they search around for new treats.

Bonus: Finally, if your cat just will not calm down, try some relaxing cat music. This is a good one, but Pandora also has a cat music station that’s tolerable for humans too!