Your Cat & Environmental Enrichment
According to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, environmental or behavioral enrichment is the process of manipulating an animal’s environment to increase physical activity as well as typical behavior that satisfies the animal’s physical and psychological needs, which reduces stress, thus promoting their overall health.
Don’t worry – it’s easy to get started with your cat! Simply think of what he or she would do if they were living out in the wild, and look for activities that fulfill their natural instincts right from inside your home:
- Since cats stalk and chase their prey in the wild, hide a small bag filled with their favorite cat food so that they can hunt to find it
- Provide your cat with cardboard boxes to climb on and explore through to emulate the act of climbing trees
- Place a bed or blanket near a window so that your cat can observe the outdoors through sight, hearing, and smell
- Always make sure that any training you do with your cat is positive, and done at their own willingness and pace
There are plenty of environmental enrichment items out there for pets, and countless creative ways to make your home purr-fect for your cat, and we want to help you start with the basics. At Dr. Elsey’s, we keep cats close to our hearts – that’s why we strive to keep cat owner’s best interests in mind. Playtime, downtime, anytime – we want your cats to be as healthy and happy as they can be throughout the day.
A feline-friendly home isn’t complete without a powerful cat litter and delicious cat food! Look for Dr. Elsey’s products on Chewy.com.
