Blanket Landscape for Cats
The free, fast and easy way to enrich your
cat's environment
MetPet.com Staff Writer
Your indoor cat stares at the same four walls
everyday. Cats, however, are sturdy and fast predators with minds to
match. It just isn't natural to be confined to a never-changing indoor
landscape. Here's a quick and easy idea to vary the look of the inside of
those four walls. It's inexpensive, it's temporary and it will help save
your drapes from the climbing claws of a bored cat.
Take an old blanket and lay it out flat in the
middle of the floor. Try and pick an area without furniture so that you
don't have the blanket covering furniture especially it it's upholstered.
That is so your can't doesn't think of upholstered furniture as part of its play
area. Once he has that notion, it's hard to break him of the habit.
Place some pillows and cushions (those you
don't mind having scratched up) underneath the blanket at various places a few
feet apart. Bunch up the blanket so you have mounds of blanket/cushion
with some flat spaces in between.
Place some bat and swat toys on top of the
blanket. Smooth balls like
RattleBouncers will work best on a nubby and
soft surface. Now you're ready to play.
Take your favorite
interactive toy and run it
up on top of the blanket, over and around the mounds and underneath the
blanket. Make sure your cat sees the toy while you keep it just out of
reach. He'll be especially happy if you run
the toy underneath the folds
of the blanket and let it peak out of the side just so he can try and grab
it. He'll soon get the idea that this is his area to play with
his
toys.
The blanket varies the environment, it is washable, easy to pack up and
store and gives your cat a play area that isn't on top of your nicely
upholstered imported sofa. Play with him a few times a day everyday.
It's great for him and a great, natural break for you. He'll soon be
looking forward to your time together.
|
