Indoor cats live healthier lives because they are not as likely to come in contact with disease, toxins or trauma (i.e. hit by car) as cats that go outside.  However, indoor cats need activities to provide exercise and mental stimulation to help prevent obesity and promote health.

In general, there are 3 types of play behavior cats exhibit: social, locomotory and object play. 

Social play involves wrestling, rolling, chasing, biting and play fighting.  Social play can be with another individual or a group.  It may be directed at another cat, a human or any other animal in the house.

Locomotory play involves climbing, running, rolling, and jumping with playmates or individually.

Object play involves chasing, stalking, pawing and biting an object simulating aspects of the predatory sequence.  It can be solitary or with playmates.  This is the most practical way for owners to play with their cats.

Providing entertainment for your cat can be accomplished with “self-play” toys or owner-initiated toys.

Self-play toys and activities include:

Toy mice, balls, feathers, a closed track with a ball inside, battery operated toys, catnip toys, toys that deliver food or treats, empty boxes, paper bags, window seats, videos of birds, fish or bugs, a ping pong in a bathtub, fresh cat grass or catnip.

Owner-initiated toys and activities include:

Wands with feathers, toys on the end of a rope, laser pointers

Grooming is also an important part of social interaction for cats. Owners can provide this type of interaction using brushes, combs and petting.

Scratching is also a normal cat activity which helps loosen old nail layers and sharpens the claws.  It also provides visual and olfactory signals to other cats.  Provide desirable scratching surfaces for your cat.  Some cats prefer horizontal surfaces (scratching mats or pads) and some prefer vertical surfaces (scratching posts).

Remember, the typical healthy cat sleeps/rests about 15 hours per day.  Provide various places for your cat to relax as well (i.e. cat hammocks, cat condos, perches, boxes, beds, rugs, etc).

Food puzzles are a great way for your cat to get exercise and mental stimulation while eating.  Instead of just putting the food in a bowl and letting them gobble it down, try to stimulate their normal hunting and predation senses.  Hide some food up where they have to jump to get it or hide food in different locations in the house and let them do a little work to find it.

 Simple food puzzles that can be made at home:

Take a paper juice carton and cut holes in the sides of various sizes and put food in the container and let your cat have fun trying to figure out how to get it out.

Take 2 yogurt containers and cut small holes in the side and tape the two open ends together and put some small treats or food in it and let your cat roll it around to get the food to fall out.

For more ideas on how to make or where to purchase cat toys:

www.thecatconnection.com

www.cattoys.com

www.indoorcat.org

How to Raise a Sane and Healthy Cat by Sean Hammond and Carolyn Usrey