Cabin fever affects our pets the same as it does us. Bad weather keeps everyone inside, so this is the time to look for symptoms in your cats and make some enrichment changes to their indoor environment as needed.

Cats are wired with the basic instincts of their wild ancestors. Just because they are much smaller and live inside our houses now, does not mean that they do not still need to hunt and “kill” their meals. Bowls of kibble left out just doesn’t do it for them.

Invest in several treat dispenser toys, divide up the daily ration of crunchies between them and hide around the house. If you don’t have treat balls, you can still divvy up the meals into little bowls. Put them in different places every day to add to the excitement of the hunt and get your cats moving, something all of us need in order to stay healthy.

You can even make your own treat dispensers. If you have kids old enough to fold paper, have them make a supply of origami ones, a great indoor activity for children when it’s raining or on sick days! You can find the instructions at http://www.temptationstreats.com/cat-games/origami-cat-treat-ball-game.aspx

Felines get bored if there is no stimulation in their lives. Boredom can lead to destructive behavior such as peeing or pooping outside the litterbox or shredding the couch. This can ultimately lead to a pet being relinquished to a shelter where it will most likely be killed for being “unadoptable.”

Place a tall cat tree near a window and hang a birdfeeder outside. Better yet, have more than one scratching post positioned by windows to expand your pet’s domain. In the cat world, whatever they can see is considered their territory.

One note of caution would be that, if there are neighborhood cats roaming nearby, you may want to avoid placing a lookout nearest the window overlooking that part of the yard. Sometimes cats on different sides of the glass or even a door can literally get into a pissing contest with each other over territorial boundaries. This was demonstrated by one of my own cats just this morning…

I had trapped an injured feral who spent a couple of nights in a cage in my garage. When I opened the door from the kitchen to check on him this morning, the strong smell of male cat wafted inside the house. A few minutes later I observed one of my neutered, formerly feral males attacking the scratching post under the kitchen window. An hour later when I returned from the vet, I walked in to find that he had pooped in the water dish in the same area! I immediately understood the situation and began cleaning.

Without such drama going on, my cats get bored if they are blocked there usual 24/7 access to the catio during inclement weather and I have to step up on the play time with laser chase and feather wand games.

Years ago I bought several sections of collapsible cat tunnel. Since it is quite large when fully assembled, I keep it stored most of the time. I pull it out whenever I notice my cats being particularly bored and this old toy instantly becomes the new favorite. I rearrange it or move it to a different room before retiring for the night, and I can always tell in the morning that the cats played hard while I slept. By the end of a week or two, it’s time to pack it back up. You can make your own temporary tunnels for free by taping paper shopping bags together. Recycle them when it’s time for retirement.

Don’t forget that toys do lose their newness and should be rotated. The few that my cats consistently play with are the treat dispensers and the HOT CAT catnip toy “cigars.” Those things are never put away. One trick I’ve learned is to toss the unused toys into a large zippered plastic bag and add a handful of catnip. Seal it up and put away for one of those rainy days. When you bring it out, I guarantee your cats will come running to investigate. If you are like most people, there will be enough toys floating around the house to fill several bags. Don’t forget to pick up and bag the stale toys before distributing the refreshed ones.

Boredom and inactivity can lead to depression and other health issues such as compulsive grooming and obesity. Of course there may be medical reasons causing these symptoms, so it is always best to take any symptomatic pet to the veterinarian for an exam.

Cats are very expressive and communicate with us all the time; we just need to look for the signs. Eyes and body language speak volumes. Tune in and answer your pet’s silent pleas for something fun to do.

Website update: In response to a request, we have just added a “Subscribe” donation button to our website for those of you who would like to donate monthly to our cause. Sign up, it’s trapping season and kittens (which eat a lot of food and use lots of litter during fostering) will be arriving soon!