Seven ways to make your cat happy

Six Tips for New Cat Owners
Six Tips for New Cat Owners


A house isn't a home without a cat. If you want to make your feline friend smile, here are seven purrfect ways to make your cat happy.

See also:Owning a cat is scientifically proven to be good for you

See also: Help! Why does my cat hate me?

1. Let kitty eat in peace
Like most animals, cats prefer to eat and do their business someplace quiet. If their food bowl or litter box is in the laundry room, the appliances noise can cause them stress. Ensure both the food bowl and litter box are in calm areas, where there is an exit route should your cat feel threatened.

Has your cat lost interest in food? Make mealtimes fun. The Catit Senses Food Maze, £9.99, challenges your cat to move food though the maze using her paws through the side openings until the food is dispensed into the food tray.

2. Lounge in the heat
Cats love nothing more than to bask in the sunshine and take in a good view. Make your feline friend happy by providing plenty of perching places where she can enjoy the sun or heat from a radiator. Near a window, on a shelf, or via a cat tree - anywhere that offers a good view of the wildlife outside.

If you really want to spoil your cat, treat her to a special 'scratching' lounger. The Catit scratching board lounger, £5.99, comes in a funky tiger-print design and comes with added catnip.

3. Bring the outside in
If you have an indoor cat, try bringing the outside into the home. For example, you might plant a few pots of cat grass and catnip in a sunny window or arrange a jungle of plants in pots for your cat to explore. Just ensure that any greenery is cat-friendly – some plants can be toxic to cats, including but limited to: chrysanthemums, cheese plants, hyacinths, English ivy, iris, lilies, and tulips.

4. Make a secure outdoor enclosure
If you really want to make your indoor cat happy, create a secure outdoor enclosure where they can enjoy some fresh air and get even closer to the birds and squirrels. This may be a screened porch or a chicken coop area which your cat can access through a cat flap or window.

5. Buy kitty a scratching post
Scratching posts and scratch pads offer your cat the opportunity to expel some energy and remove worn claw bits. Buy one with added catnip to make them even more appealing!

6. Play hide the treat
Some cats love hunting through the house looking for hidden treats. You can either scatter them about for your pet to find, or invest in a treat-dispensing toy. The PetSafe Funkitty Egg-Cersizer Cat Toy, £4.99, is a treat-dispensing toy with a fun, wobbly movement to keep kitty entertained.

7. Play her a movie
Need to leave your cat alone in the house for a length of time? Put a movie on for her! The CAT Dreams DVD, £13.50, plays 90 minutes of natural sights and sounds – think close-up shots of birds and scurrying small mammals - that cats love. The segments are short and the scenes change frequently enough to keep a cat's attention.

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