Cats spend a large portion of their day asleep, and this can sometimes give the impression that they do not need much entertainment or interaction as a pet. An increasing number of cats are kept indoors with no, or limited, access to the outside. Modern lifestyles mean many cats are left home alone while their owner works out of the house. Even when people are at home, modern devices such as smartphones, and smart televisions, can often pull attention away from pets. All of this can have an impact on your cat’s behaviour.
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A Recipe for Boredom
Cats spend up to 15 hours of their day napping. But when they are not asleep, their natural behaviour should include grooming interspersed with periods of activity. This includes exploring their immediate domain and roaming within their territory. As pets, they need some outlets for these innate drives, and if they cannot express these behaviours, they may become bored.
The more restrictive a home or territory is in both size and stimulation, the more likely boredom is to occur. Unsurprisingly, boredom occurs more often in cats that are not permitted outdoor access. Cats with outdoor access have more ability to demonstrate hunting-type behaviours and typically get more exercise while exploring their surroundings.
Animals also gain a huge amount of stimulation from pheromones and aromas produced by other animals and plants. There are therefore multiple realms of stimulation provided in an outdoor space. For individuals that like company and tactile stimulation, being left alone for long hours can also create a bored cat.
Symptoms of Boredom
Just as with people, boredom can lead to frustration and agitation. A continued inability to take part in natural behaviours can lead to a variety of unwanted outbursts that could impact the bond you have with your pet. Some cats may become more demanding and vocal, especially with regards to food or general attention. They may also become restless and more reactive: acting aggressively or becoming destructive.
Other cats may become more withdrawn, and sleep more than they used to. They may become hypersensitive and develop anxiety. This can make them spend too much time grooming to the point where they make themselves bald, or they may start toileting around the house. In this state, some cats may even eat less food, or resent interaction with their owners.
Combatting Boredom
Although outdoor access can help alleviate boredom, it is perfectly possible to combat the problem while still maintaining an indoor-only lifestyle. Cats need stimulation across their senses, but especially olfactory (smell) and tactile (touch). This can be created indoors with the use of cat furniture and cat-safe plants.
Cat towers, scratching posts and cat shelves of various materials and heights can provide interest through touch as well as giving an elevated view of their surroundings; which provide both interest and a feeling of security. Placing these adjacent to windows also gives the added benefit of providing them a view of a changing scene.
Plug-in diffusers such as Feliway can provide a pheromone smell indoors. And can be placed around the house or in the areas where your cat spends most of its time. Catnip and cat grass also provide interesting smells for an indoor cat. Those with a garden or outdoor space could consider building a catio. This is typically a fully-contained outdoor space with meshed walls. This allows your cat to get outside to experience the sights, sounds and smells of an outdoor environment, without worrying about them wandering off.
Whether your cat can get outside or not, it is important for them to have an opportunity to mimic hunting or stalking
This can be created through games which involve chasing an object, or using feeding toys for treats or meals. For those that are left alone for portions of the day, you could hide treats around the living space for your cat to hunt out in your absence.
For cats that crave attention or are prone to loneliness, regular attention and affection when they are awake can be enough. Otherwise, you can incorporate your cat into your technology time such as putting cat games on a tablet and letting them interact with it next to you while you work from home or surf the internet.
Is it Boredom or Could it be Something Else?
Many of the symptoms of boredom overlap with a variety of disease processes; several of which become more common in older cats. Behaviour changes in your pet should always be addressed with a visit to your vet to make sure there is no medical reason impacting your cat’s health. Likewise, if you think your cat is getting worse despite making changes to reduce boredom, then a health check would also be warranted.
Some of the boredom combatting methods may need to be adjusted if your cat has known health conditions; such as joint disease or low weight and muscle mass. If your cat can’t jump up or gets tired easily, cat furniture and play styles may need to be modified to suit your pet. Your vet can help advise on how best to stimulate your cat in a way that doesn’t cause pain or overexert them.
Conclusion
Boredom is a common issue driving many of the behavioural problems seen by vets. Ideally prevented before it happens, there are many methods that can be used across different households and lifestyles. Cats need stimulation across their senses to stop boredom from setting in. But it is also important to liaise with your veterinary team to ensure there are no medical issues interfering with your cat’s behaviour.
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