How to keep young cats entertained in a small flat
Kittens and young cats are full of energy and need plenty of stimulation to keep them happy. You might think that you need a large house to be able to give them the space to keep them occupied, but you’d be wrong. There are plenty of ways to keep young cats occupied in a small flat.
- Cat trees
Cat and kitten trees don’t usually take up too much ground space and can be a wonderful way to keep your young cat entertained, especially if you can place the tower by a window.
- Cat shelves
A fantastic alternative or addition to cat trees is to install shelves on your walls. Cats don’t need much horizontal area to have fun, they much prefer height. Add some extra space with cat shelves, taking care to ensure the kitten is old enough to make the jumps between shelves so they don’t fall and injure themselves.
Be sure to take out kitten insurance just in case there’s a fall. Kittens can be rambunctious and can injure themselves easily as they love to climb and explore. Petsure’s kitten insurance is just one of the many options available.
- Interactive toys
Interactive toys are one of the best ways to keep your young cat entertained in a small flat, even when you’re not there.
There are several different types of interactive kitten toys to choose from. With different sizes, functions and prices, here are some of the most popular interactive toys to keep your young cat entertained in a small flat.
– Track and ball toys
These toys allow your kitten to push around a flashing ball inside of a track, without getting it out. This means no balls to step on or find under furniture.
– Motorised toys
Motorised toys come in lots of different types, from spinning feathers that can attach to cat trees to creatures that zip around the floor. There’s something battery-powered for every kitten, no matter how much floor space you have.
– Laser toys
Laser pointers are the classic toy we think of when we think of cats. You can get stationary laser pointers that project lasers around the room by spinning, saving your arm from getting tired.
– Wand toys
A kitten’s favourite kind of interactive toy will be one they get to play with you. Wand toys are often a favourite with most cats and kittens.
- Routine
Your kitten will sleep a lot in their early life but will have lots of energy at certain times of the day. After eating can be a time of high energy for some and having a good routine can keep them from scaling the curtains at 3 am.
Get into a feeding routine and play with your young cat at regular, set intervals during the day for at least 10 minutes at a time.
- Apps and videos
Believe it or not, there are several apps available just for your pets. Invest in a cheap tablet, download a pet entertainment app and watch your kitten catch the glowing bugs jumping around the screen. Alternatively, you can find several playlists for pets on YouTube, featuring birds, fish and other animals.