The Indoor Cat's Daily Schedule of Activities

June 16, 2011

Have you ever wondered what your felines do all day while you’re at work or shuttling the kids here and there? A recent study followed indoor cats for one year (via cameras in the home) and determined what activities occupy their time—and it’s not just sleeping, though that was 6% of their day. According to the study (funded by Friskies Pet Care), 22% of the cats’ time was spent looking out the window, followed by hanging out with the other animals in the house at 12%. However, a whopping 30% of the felines’ time was spent doing “other” activities.

You can imagine this includes wandering around, bored, or maybe even engaging in behaviors you may not want them to like eating plants or digging in the garbage. This is where you come in! Adding more enrichment to your cat’s environment can help them to feel satisfied and comfortable in their home. Change the “other” time into “playing with food puzzles,” “watching a kitty DVD,” “playing with an automated toy," or “scratching on the new cat post”– it’s easy to do and your cat will thank you for it!

For more ideas, take a look at How You Can Enrich Your Cat's Life Part 1 and Part 2.