Enhancing the Life of Your Indoor Cat
Keeping your cats inside is known to increase their safety and lifespan , but it also means they don ’ t always get the vital mental and physical stimulation they need . The following tips for triggering your cat ’ s natural instincts and ensuring it lives its best life were excerpted from the book Indoor Cat : How to Enrich Their Lives and Expand Their World , by Laura J . Moss and Lynn Bahr , DVM .
• Open a screened-in window .
• Create food-foraging opportunities .
• Rotate toys so what ’ s old is new again .
• Put a favorite toy in a challenging place , such as in a shoe , under a blanket , etc .
• Build a fort from boxes , blankets , pillows , and couch cushions . ( Children aren ’ t the only ones who enjoy this .)
• Create a window seat or perch .
• Chase an ice cube in an empty bathtub .
• Do some clicker training .
• Bring a piece of the outdoors in for kitty to investigate , such as a branch or a leaf .
• Rearrange a room .
• Toss packing paper or tissue paper on the floor , and let kitty play with it and shred it .
• Grow indoor grass .
• Introduce a new object to chase , such as a wine cork , a bottle cap , a toilet paper roll , a ball of tinfoil , etc .
• Fill a tub or a children ’ s pool with an inch or two of water and drop in ping-pong balls , corks , and other floating toys .
• Leave a new , empty box out or move a box to a new location .
• Shove a bit of tissue paper and catnip or silver vine ( another olfactory stimulant that can also bring on a euphoric state ) into a toilet paper roll and let your kitty shred it .
• Offer scent-enrichment opportunities — and not just catnip . Let kitty sniff what you ’ re cooking , the package that just arrived , etc .
Kelu
Loki
of U . S . households , or approximately 86.9 million families , have a pet . Dogs are the most popular pet , with 65.1 million households having at least one . Cats come in second , residing in approximately 46.5 million homes .
Not only are we bringing pets into our homes in record numbers , but we ’ re also spending more on them . It ’ s estimated that Americans spent more than $ 147 billion ( yes , billion with a b ) on their pets in 2023 . This includes everything from veterinary care and gourmet pet food to pet grooming and boarding . There ’ s a whole industry catering to pampering our pets , from pet spas to custom outfits .
We also spend a lot of time on and with our pets . Dog owners , for instance , walk their dogs an average of 160 minutes per week . Some pooch parents , like Cartersville shop owner Dan Kramer , who ’ s profiled on page 14 , even take their pups to work with them .
In terms of social media , pets have become celebrities in their own right , with many pet influencers racking up
Bandit
Bob
Check out the NW Georgia Living staff ’ s own pet family . Clockwise from top left is creative director Andi Counts ’ sassy malamute Kelu , publisher Laura Woods ’ 55-pound lap dog Bandit , editor Jill Becker ’ s tailless cat Bob , and designer Mackenzie Allanson ’ s fetch-happy German shepherd Loki .
millions of followers and partnerships with major brands . Whether it ’ s Instagram-famous cats or dogs with their own YouTube channels , pets have taken on a new role in the digital age . ( For some fun pet accounts to follow on Instagram , see sidebar on page 29 .)
Whether you ’ re a dog person , a cat lover , or a keeper of a more unconventional pet , there ’ s no denying the powerful bond between humans and their animal companions . From the ancient Egyptians to today ’ s social media influencers , pets have always had a special place in our hearts , and there ’ s science to show that the relationship benefits both parties . So next time you ’ re cuddling your furry , scaly , or feathered friend , know that you ’ re part of a long , wonderful tradition of human-animal companionship .
Dana Thompson is a writer , watercolor artist , and marketing professional . She lives on a small farm with her husband and two rescue dogs and is passionate about horses and animal welfare . Her Etsy shop with pet-inspired gifts can be found at saddlesongfarm . com .
30 | NW GEORGIA LIVING NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2024