Top FAQS About Keeping An Indoor Cat Happy

Our feline friends can be quite adventurous. Many of them love to go outdoors and engage in fun kitty activities, such as dropping dead animals on your porch, leaving pawprint art on your windshield, rolling around in your driveway, and refusing to come when you call them. Fluffy’s taste for adventure can be cute, but grounding her is one of the best things you can do for her. Your pet will be much safer indoors! Read on for some advice from a local Lowell, MI veterinarian on how to keep a cat healthy, happy, and purring indoors.

How Can I Get My Cat To Stay Inside?

Some kittens are just determined to get out, while others are much more comfortable staying indoors. However, it is much easier to keep Fluffy in if she prefers it. Otherwise, you may find yourself constantly trying to corral her.

If your feline friend is just a kitten, you have the upper paw here. Raise Fluffy as an indoor cat right from the beginning! If you set these ground rules from the day you bring your feline friend home, she may not show much interest in the Great Outdoors.

How do you do that? Make her wary of going outside. You may need to use some trickery here. Startle her whenever she sniffs around the door. Trying to hurt or scare your pet will only make her more determined to escape. The trick is to make her annoyed and a bit suspicious of the door.

You can also try spraying her with water. Or, make a loud noise by using a bike horn, setting off an alarm on your phone, shaking a jar of change, or clapping your hands.

Is It Really Better To Keep My Cat Indoors All The Time?

Definitely! As soon as your adorable pet steps outside, she’s at risk of many dangers. These include cars, weather, stray animals, and chemicals, to name a few. Cats that are allowed to go outside are also more likely to get hurt, lost, stolen, or even killed.

Keeping your furry friend inside is also safer for local wildlife. It turns out that Fluffy is, well, an adorable little serial killer. Kitties kill billions of small animals every year, mostly birds, reptiles, and rodents. This is adding further strain to already endangered wildlife populations. 

What Can I Do To Keep My Cat Safe At Home?

Let’s start with petproofing. Our feline pals are curious, playful, and, well, a bit reckless. While this is a cute combination, it can also be deadly. Anything that could be dangerous to your pet will need to be addressed or secured. This includes many small, sharp objects, such as fishing lures, pens, safety pins, craft kit parts, and pins. Ropes and strings can also pose a risk. A variety of toxic plants and chemicals are also unsafe. You can check the ASPCA website here for a list of safe and unsafe plants.

Also, keep large appliances closed when not in use, and make sure your windows and screens close securely. Ask your Lowell, MI  veterinarian for more details.

How Do I Keep An Indoor Cat Happy?

Many of our feline overlords love to do as little as possible. However, even her laziest kitty can’t spend all day snoozing. Cats need to keep themselves entertained! They’re also very dedicated to practicing their lioning skills.  Make sure your pet has lots of toys to push under the couch, and take time to play with her every day.

How Do I Make My Home Fun For My Cat?

It is true that our feline pals benefit from exercise and stimulation from going outside. You can also offer the best of both worlds: offer her an indoor/outdoor space. These are often referred to as catios, and are a purrfect way to provide your kitty with a safe, secure area that offers some of the perks of going out. This can be a screened or enclosed porch or patio, a spare room, or even a sunny corner in your garden.

Regardless of where you place the spot, you’ll want to include some kitty furniture and toys. You might also want to add some pet-safe plants for your kitty to explore. Catnip is probably the most obvious choice, but there are many more.

Besides being a popular supplement, wheatgrass is good for Fluffy, too. Wheatgrass is rich in vitamins and nutrients, including riboflavin, vitamin E, and folic acid. Your cat can safely nibble on some greens, and you’ll have fresh ingredients for smoothies.

Many herbs are safe for our feline pals. You can use them for cooking, and your cat can eat them. Rosemary, basil, lemongrass sage, thyme, mint, dill, and cilantro are all fine.

Some safe flowers include zinnias, marigolds, African violets, Freesia, Gerbera daisies, orchids, roses, snapdragons, and sunflowers. Don’t get lilies, though: they are extremely toxic to cats. 

Spider plants are very pretty and popular plants. In addition to being attractive and easy to grow, they are also safe for cats. Of course, that does not mean they are safe from your cat: some kitties just can’t resist them!

Boston ferns, prayer plants, ferns, bromeliad plants, cast iron plants, peperomias, and friendship plants are other suitable options.

If you want a larger tree, get a rubber tree plant. (Note: Rubber trees are great for bad gardeners: they’re almost impossible to kill.) Ponytail palms and money trees are also safe for Fluffy. Areca palms are also okay.

The ASPCA has more information about safe and unsafe plants here. When setting plants up, you’ll want to take safety into consideration: don’t put a heavy plant with trailing leaves on a thin stand your kitty could knock over.

Should I Walk My Indoor Cat?

This is a good option for many bold and active cats, as well as for former strays. However, a more timid kitty may not be comfortable going for walks. If Fluffy seems to be content as an indoor pet, just let sleeping kitties lie. 

If you decide to give it a shot, ask Your Lowell, MI  vets for training and safety tips.

What Is The Best Way To Keep My Cat Happy Indoors?

Your cute pet will need both TLC and entertainment if you want to keep her comfortable, happy, and safe. Providing Fluffy with fun toys and a scratching post or board, as well as cat furniture, such as a cat tower, can keep that motor running. A window seat for your cat is also an excellent idea. Cats love to sunbathe and spy on birds and squirrels! our cat can benefit from small comforts as well. For instance, make sure to turn on a light and TV before you leave if you won’t be home before dark. Don’t forget climate control, either!

Finally, just spend time with Fluffy. Talk to her, pet her, play with her, and cuddle with her. It’s important to make your pet feel loved! 

Conclusion: Cats are both healthier and safer staying in. Just taking a few simple steps can help make your place comfortable and safe for your feline friend.

Do you have questions about keeping a cat happy indoors? Feel free to contact us at any time! As your local Lowell, MI veterinary clinic, we’re here to help!