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Tips for keeping your cat from boredom

As we become increasingly concerned with safely, more cats are being kept indoors. Indeed research shows indoor cats live much longer than outdoor cats. Staying inside does them no harm, but you do have to ensure the cat doesn't suffer from boredom.

1. If possible get her a playmate. Two cats will play happily together.

2. Scratch posts with different levels provide climbing, observation and sleeping places and will save your furniture.

3. Arrange it so they can watch the world outside. A bird feeder attached to the window will give them plenty to watch.

4. Change cat toys every week of so. Rotate the ones you have so they don't get bored with one.

5. Make simple toys; scrunched up pieces of paper can occupy them for hours.

6. Play a light on a wall for them to chase.

7. A small ball in a dry bath is entertaining.

8. If possible have one room where they can clamber over furniture. I have rigged up a wooden slatted bookcase, cheap from B&Q, and a plank of wood running to a wooden towel rack. The different shelf levels give them hiding and climbing chances.

9. Cardboard boxes to jump in and out of are favorites.

10. Make tunnels with cardboard boxes made into tubes, line and cover with old carpet and they will play for hours and have something to scratch. Just make sure the carpet doesn't match your actual carpet or they will think it is OK to scratch that. Try to make it a completely different texture. You can buy odds of carpeting from the end of rolls from most carpet suppliers.

11. Give them something to work out; you can buy ready-made toys you fill with treats that they have to roll or paw to get at. More easily, take an old yogurt pot with a lid, make a smooth hole in it, fill with treats and your cat will soon work out how to get at them. One of mine is very adept at getting lids off containers, so I use an old ice-cream carton for her. She works the lid until she gets it off.

12. When you have to go out, leave a radio or TV on.

13. Grow grass in a pot for them to chew on. You can buy dried food especially adapted for indoor cats, but the act of chewing is also useful for them. Have several pots in different stages of growth. You can buy cat-grass from suppliers.

14. Give them places to hide, mine love to jump out and paw my ankle.

15. Play with them. Trail a cord or piece of wool for them to catch, or play tug. Let them win, they will lose interest if they don't catch it more often than not.

Learn more about this author, Ann Miller.
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