Happy Cat Month! Special Things to Make Your Cat Happy

According to the CATalyst Council, September 1st marks Happy Cat Month! However, their tips for a happy cat include vet trips to make sure that they are healthy. Yes, a healthy cat is a happy cat, so I will not disregard that idea... but how about we focus on special things we can do for our cats this month to make Happy Cat Month extra special? 

New toys, please!

Look inside your cat's toy box. How are Fluffy's toys looking? Are they looking a little worse for wear? Is your cat's feather wand missing more than a few feathers? Your cat really enjoyed his toys, but s/he may like a new, fresh stock! If you don't want to invest in a whole new batch, maybe just replace their favorite toy. :)

How about a new scratching post?

Scratching posts don't just supply cats with entertainment. Cats need them in order to file down their claws and stretch! How is your cat's post looking? Is the roping starting to fray or rip? Does it look unusable? Maybe your cat would enjoy a replacement? A replacement post is not in the budget? You can also replace the roping or carpet (depending on the post), and it will be good as new!

P.S. Your furniture will thank you! ;)

Cat DVDs

Do you have a kitty who loves to watch TV? Well, did you know that there are interactive DVDs for cats? I didn't either, but you can get them on Amazon, and they are "guaranteed to keep your cat glued to the TV." However, these aren't typical DVDs we humans watch. They are actually interactive DVDs to keep your cats entertained while you are away! These can be especially good for indoor cats, because they bring the outdoors inside, and may make their environment more interactive!

Open more windows!

What I've noticed with my cat, is that she loves to look out the window. I thought she just liked the sunlight and the extra warmth (maybe not so much in the August in Arizona, though!), but they actually love to observe other people and wildlife. Interestingly enough, windows are also beneficial to indoor cats, as it makes their indoor environment more stimulating. This prevents boredom, and a bored cat certainly isn't a happy cat!

Schedule regular play time!

What better way to bond with your cat than interactive play time? Sure, cats are perfectly capable of playing with their mouse toys on their own, and sometimes they prefer to be hunters and play on their own. However, they enjoy human interaction as well! And not only does play time bring out their natural hunter instincts, but it provides much needed exercise as well (which is also especially important for indoor cats). 

Of course, these tips should be used on a regular basis, and not just for this month! But for the many of you wondering how you can keep your cat happy and prevent boredom, these should get the ball rolling in honor of Happy Cat Month!