The calendar may say that National Cat Day is October 29th, but true cat mamas and papas know that every day is National Cat Day. And since it’s National Cat Day once again, it’s time to show your feline friends some appreciation! These are some of the best ways to spoil your cat.
Homemade Toys
Almost every cat owner can relate to the experience of buying a cat toy that you’re sure our cat will love only to find that your cat is far more interested in the packaging than the toy itself. So, sometimes the best (and most cost-effective) way to spoil your cats is to make the toy yourself. And even if you aren’t equipped to crochet goodies for your cat, there are plenty of simple DIY projects your cats will love. All it takes is yarn, toilet paper rolls, or a small round object to delight your feline.
The Great Outdoors
In the heart of every house cat is a panther, tiger, or lion ready to stalk the jungle or savannah, and most cats are happier for having some time to spend out stalking among some real foliage. Most people are frightened to bring their cats outside in fear of something happening to them. While this is a risk, it’s a risk you can somewhat minimize by supervising your cat’s outside time or by leash training them. If you simply don’t have a living situation conducive for outdoor wanderings, you can try to set up a “catio” to give your cat a little taste of the great outdoors.
Screen Time
Obviously, most cats do not care about the season finale of your Netflix show, but there are videos your cat may be interested in. If you search “videos for cats,” you’ll find a plethora of videos of cameras set up in the woods in front of piles of seed that birds and squirrels come in and eat. Try putting one of these on in front of your cat, as it might as well be the latest episode of The Handmaid’s Tail or Paw and Order. (Sorry, we couldn’t resist!)
Tasty Treats
Don’t be afraid to give your cat a little treat every now and then, especially when you’re playing together, or whenever your cat has had to do something uncomfortable like take their medicine or get their claws trimmed. And if you don’t have any store-bought treats, cats love a little piece of chicken, tuna, eggs, or cheese. Of course, responsible cat owners know not to go overboard with treats unless they want their cat to have a weight problem. And even though that would just mean more cat to snuggle, we want to be mindful of their health. As long treats make up under 10% of their total diet, your cat should be just fine.