Cats are curious and energetic by nature. They have strong instincts to hunt, play, and scratch. It’s our responsibility as their caretakers to encourage these instincts in a healthy way by providing toys, perches, and scratching posts. Don’t worry, you don’t have to transform your home into an absolute cat oasis. Simply understanding your cat’s basic needs, listening when she is communicating through her behavior, and providing appropriate stimulation can do wonders.
Some of the ways cats show that they are bored (namely avoiding the litter box and eating inappropriate objects) can also be indicators of underlying health issues. Use your own discretion and knowledge of your home and cat’s personality to decide whether boredom or another issue is at play. Of course, if you suspect an illness make an appointment with your veterinarian immediately.
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1. Inappropriate Litter Box Use
Cats do their business outside of the litter box for many reasons. Despite how it may feel, none of those reasons are to spite you. When she pees in the corner of your bedroom instead of the litter box she is either experiencing a medical problem (such as a urinary tract infection) or she is trying to communicate something to you. If your home isn’t stimulating enough, she may be trying to tell you that she’s bored. A lack of stimulation can be very distressing for her.
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2. Inappropriate Scratching
Cats scratch for several reasons. Digging their claws into something helps them shed the outer sheath from their nails and gives them a good stretch. They also scratch to release pent up energy– a resource a bored cat will have a nearly endless supply of. Scratching, of course, only becomes inappropriate when your cat is scratching objects you don’t want her to be scratching: the armrest of the couch or the leg of the dining room table. It can help to add a few good scratching posts to your home. Since scratching is a healthy and natural behavior, your goal should be to redirect the scratching to a more appropriate surface rather than trying to stop the scratching altogether.
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3. Aggression
Cats who are bored will seek out stimulation however they can find it. Unfortunately, this can sometimes lead to a cat being aggressive towards other animals in your home, or even towards you. If this is the case, try channeling your cat’s pent up energy into a more friendly activity with interactive play. Use a wand toy or laser pointer to give her something safe to hunt and chase. If you aren’t home much, it’ll help to add some battery operated interactive toys to your home to keep your cats active and stimulated even when you aren’t there.
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4. Inappropriate Eating or Chewing
Under-stimulated cats can eat or chew on inappropriate objects (your hair ties, shoelaces, etc.) to release pent up energy through the hunt and “kill”. Other than being an inconvenience when you have to buy new shoelaces after the ones in your sneakers have been chewed to bits, it can be dangerous for your cat. Some of these items may be toxic, impossible to digest, or can even become wrapped around sections of her digestive tract. Discourage this behavior by providing plenty of cat-appropriate toys. You can also consider adding a pot of fresh cat grass to give your cat something special and safe to gnaw on.
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5. Creating Own Stimulation
Has your cat ever climbed the living room curtains? Knocked all of the books off the shelf? These can be indications that your home isn’t stimulating enough and that your cat has begun to create her own stimulation. The ways she’ll find to play can be unpredictable, frustrating, destructive, and dangerous.