How To Keep Cats Active In Winter

How to keep cats active in winter is a question that arises every winter. Although many kittens stay active through the seasons, young, adult, and senior cats usually slow down during the winter. Here are a few simple ways to keep any cat active in winter.

Use Puzzle Feeders

Make the meal time a game mentally stimulating for the cat. Eating from an ordinary cat bowl does not require much thinking. It is more mentally stimulating for a cat, when the cat hunts for food, receiving it as a reward at the end.

Use puzzle feeders instead of ordinary cat food bowls. A variety of commercial puzzle feeders are available, or you can make a puzzle feeder yourself. Read a review of the puzzle feeders that we use for our cats.

How to start using a puzzle feeder for cats? Learn the first steps you need to take and use a cat puzzle feeder with confidence – read in the Ozzi Cat Magazine (issue #16).

Provide Visual Stimulation

Winter days are darker, shorter, and colder. Cats prefer rolling into a fluffy ball and not move much. What can make cats be more active in winter? Let them watch something interesting!

One way to trigger the cat’s interest is to offer the cat a good window position. Use a special cat window perch or just place a sturdy box or a chair next to the window.

If you have a bird-attracting bush outside, it will give the kitty the desired free entertainment. Drop breadcrumbs outside and let the cat safely watch the birds through the window or a door mesh.

If you have a safe cat-proof yard or a cat enclosure, let the cat out on a sunny day. In Australia we are lucky to have green grass in winter. The cats can munch on the grass and look for critters that hide in the yard.

If you don’t have a cat enclosure yet or if you wonder how easy it is to build a cat enclosure, read about the Avel’s Catio in the Ozzi Cat Magazine (issue #16). Avel’s cat parents built the catio in just 3 days. They share 5 simple steps with you, so you know how to build a cat catio like they did.

Use Stimulating Cat Toys

Your cats probably have a lot of toys. The question is whether they play with them often enough. To trigger a cat activity, use cat toys that imitate the cat prey behaviour.

Cats need to chase, grab, and “kill” the “prey”. The easiest way to achieve that is to use a cat laser pointer or a cat wand toy.

When you use the laser pointer, never flash it to the cat’s eye. Lead the red dot on the floor and stop it on a small physical object, e.g. a mouse toy, so the cat can grab it after chasing the laser dot. Reward the cat after that. Play with your cat about 5-10 minutes several times a day to keep the cat active and stimulated.

How do you keep cats active in winter?

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Tagged active, behaviour, cats, enrichment, puzzle feeder, stimulation, tips, winter