If you’ve made the decision to have a house cat, you’ll need to make certain preparations in your home to keep them safe and happy.
Make sure you have a litter box
You’ll need to ensure you have an appropriately sized litter box for your indoor cat. Put this in a quiet place where they feel safe and always ensure that it’s kept clean, as cats may avoid using a dirty box. You may also need to try a few types of cat litter to ensure you’re using one that your kitten likes. In a multi cat household ensure that you have one litter box for each cat in different areas plus one extra to prevent resource guarding.
Give them space to explore
As the average home isn’t as big as the great outdoors, you’ll need to ensure they have plenty of space to explore. Make sure they have access to several rooms and provide high up perches to extend their territory.
Plenty of resting places
As your cat spends around 70% of their life sleeping, you’ll need to give them plenty of resting places. They tend to prefer beds with sides to keep them protected when they’re at their most vulnerable, so purchase an igloo bed or another bed with sides. If you can, place it up off the ground too.
Give them opportunities to scratch
Good quality scratching posts are essential for all cats, and even more so if you have a house cat. Cats use scratching to mark their territory, stretch their muscles and sharpen their claws – all of which are natural behaviors – and if you don’t provide scratching posts, they may turn to your furniture instead!
Exercise their mind and body
As your cat won’t be able to express their natural hunting instincts or spend time outside playing, you’ll need to be their source of exercise. Set time aside each day to encourage active play with your cat and engage their hunting instincts – toys with feathers are great for this. Cat and kitten play is incredibly important for them as it helps to keep your feline mentally stimulated and releases endorphins.
Give them a room with a view
When keeping cats indoors, they’re generally much happier if they can watch on what’s going on outside. Get them a cat tree to allow them to hop up onto higher windowsills, or if you have a narrow windowsill you can purchase a perch so they can easily see out.
Indoor cats need veterinary care too
Many people mistakenly believe that their indoor cats do not need to go to the vet, and they do not need vaccinations or heartworm and flea prevention. The reality is that your indoor cat can run into many of the same health troubles as one that frequents the great outdoors. Routine check-ups with a veterinarian can help you prevent your pet from contracting diseases and catch issues before they become too problematic. If it has been a while since your indoor kitty has visited the vet, make them an appointment today!