Do you have a bored kitty that wishes they had more fun and excitement in their life? If so, we're sure you would love to know how to keep your cat entertained while you’re at work or busy.

That's why we’ve got your back with some paw-some ideas to beat the kitty blues!

1. Animal Antics

Cats are prey-driven. Anyone who’s ever watched one knows how they love to stalk and pounce to their heart's content.

If they’re allowed outside, some rambunctious cats may even try to chase after rabbits, birds, squirrels, and more!

With this in mind, if you have a purely indoor kitty, try to utilize this strong prey instinct to amuse and engage them.

After all, knowing what motivates them will enable you to keep your cat feline fine!

To get you started, we came up with two critters that will tantalize and tease!

Sneaky Snakes

Toys don’t have to cost a penny. Inanimate objects found around the house can look like animals to your cat. Snake-type shapes are perfect. Try string, ribbons of material, broken packing strapping, belts, or old ties. Wiggle them around. Your kitty will do anything to catch them.

False Fishies

If you have a tablet, most of them have virtual fish pond apps that display fish moving around on the screen – drives ‘em nuts! You can also buy toy fish that flip-flop around in a bowl of water and mechanical fish toys that jiggle around the floor when you turn them on. You’ll get a kick out of seeing your cat hunt down these fake fish!

2. Window Wonders

Cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy informs us that cats spend most of their day looking out of windows – while they’re not snoozing, that is.

He calls windows “Cat TV” and says that window-watching helps cats fulfill their hunting instincts, but in a passive way. Makes sense!

He recommends that you put bird baths, bird feeders (that attract just as many squirrels), and flowers that attract butterflies and bees right outside your windows to keep your cat entertained.

“Make the window a destination location with a cat tree, perch, or cat bed that invites your cat to sit and binge-watch Cat TV to their heart’s content,” Jackson says.

You can learn even more from Jackson on how to “catify” your home by reading his purr-suasive blog.

Smart TVs and streaming services offer alternative windows, too -- with channels devoted to keeping cats entertained. Check out Pluto TV’s Cats 24/7 and Cat TV on Amazon Prime with shows such as Bejeweled Fishes – just two resources that are easy to find.

Grab the remote before work, click on the TV, and leave your furry friend with even more viewing choices. No sourpuss’s here!

3. Interactive Ideas

Tasty cat supplements, or even toys full of catnip and sticks with feathers on the end will always be in your arsenal of tools to please and a-mewse your cat. Same goes for cardboard boxes and paper bags! But, there are even more interactive ideas to try.

These are all fur-midable opponents that will keep your cat physically and mentally entertained:

• Laser pointers are a can't-miss choice that only got better over time. They went from simple pointers to auto-rotating ones that look like lighthouses sending out beams of light randomly across your floor. Your cat will love it!
• Concealed motion toys are a blast. They consist of a piece of round rustling fabric with a battery-operated fluffy tail attached. The tail goes under the material and runs around in different directions enticing the cat to chase it, bat it, and pounce on it.
• Electronic ambush toys have holes on the outside with feathers that pop in and out randomly. Watch your cat try to figure it out! A large groove around the middle makes a paw-powered course for a brightly colored spinning ball.

Bring the Outside In

When cats are outside in nature, their hunting instincts are kept satisfied. But for many reasons, it’s so much safer to keep our fur babies inside these days.

Indoor Cats:

• Tend to live longer
• Get less boo-boos
• Avoid run-ins with unknown cats or other animals

Tips:

• To help give them a taste of the outside, try a supplement that brings some of nature’s best ingredients right to your indoor feline friend. Our Zesty Paws cat collection is a great place to start.
• You can also try taking them for walks on a leash, just like you would with a dog.
• Screened-in porches are a cat’s best friend.
• Screened-in tunnels from the house into the backyard are very cool. Get creative!

With our paw-tastic advice, your indoor kitty can be kept just as stimulated and balanced as their wild cousins that hunt to stay alive. And they’ll appreciate being safe inside with you for all that lovin’ you give them. 

Do you use any of our tips? Do you have others of your own that you’d like to share? We’d love to hear your stories. Go ahead and share them with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest using #ZestyPaws.

If you’d like to learn more about our collection of products, you can also reach out to us directly at 1-800-738-0661 or bark@zestypaws.com.