Enrichment can be defined as something added to your cat’s environment that encourages them to engage in normal, natural behaviors. For cats, normal and natural behaviors include but are not limited to, playing, scratching, grooming, sniffing, and foraging. When cats are not provided with opportunities to do these things, they get bored. Boredom can lead to problems, including destructive behavior, aggression, and anxiety, among others.

Sensory-Based Enrichment Categories and Examples:

1. Olfactory (Smell): Cats have a keen sense of smell, often using it to explore their environment. A common example of olfactory enrichment is catnip. Cats may also enjoy silvervine and valerian. Any cat-safe plant or spice can be an interesting aroma for your cat to investigate. Your cat may also enjoy sniffing around in an “outdoor box” full of grass, leaves, or twigs that you bring inside from your yard.

2. Auditory (Hearing): Sounds can stimulate curiosity or provide calming effects in some cases. Your cat will benefit from hearing soundtracks with bird or nature sounds, toys that mimic prey sounds, or soft classical music or audiobooks for relaxation.

3. Visual: Cats are visual predators, easily stimulated by movement. Bird feeders outside windows can provide your cat with visual stimulation. Consider buying rotating toys that move or flash, using a laser pointer (see above for laser pointer tips), and letting your cat interact with cat-specific apps on your phone or tablet.

4. Tactile (Touch): Cats use touch to explore, often through their whiskers, paws, and body. You can provide your cat with tactile enrichment by providing different textures of bedding or mats for resting and toys with various textures, from plush to crinkly. If your cat enjoys brushing, this is a great option. If not, provide surfaces for self-grooming.

5. Taste: Most caregivers tend to stick to the same brands and flavors of food for their cats. However, offering a variety in diet can be mentally stimulating. If your cat typically eats pate, try shreds. If they always eat chicken-based dry food, try a fish-based. Monitor your cat for signs of digestive issues and make transitions (nutrition link) slowly. Cat-safe plants or grasses to nibble provide taste-based enrichment.

6. Cognitive: Cats need to exercise their brains just as they do their bodies. Short five-minute sessions using positive reinforcement can be just as enriching for your cat as a 10-to-15-minute play session. Your cat may also enjoy foraging with food puzzles or locating treats around the house in a scavenger hunt. If you have a particularly active cat, you may even want to try cat agility or nosework. 

How Do I Add More Enrichment Into My Cat’s Life? 

Enrichment does not have to take up a lot of your time. Try to come up with one new activity each day for your cat. Rotate through 10-15 activities throughout the year. Providing daily enrichment can be as simple as pulling up a chair to a window that your cat does not typically get to look through or taking your suitcase out of your closet a few days before a trip and leaving it open for your cat to play inside. These are things that take 30 seconds of your time but could give your cat hours of entertainment. Think about how simple your cat is to keep entertained with just a cardboard box or a bottle cap. Add variety, and you are all set.

 By understanding and implementing feline enrichment, your cat will be well-cared for and will thrive in their environment.