What is enrichment? Here at Lizzi & Rocco’s, it seems like we’re always talking about it- but how many people who AREN’T giant cat nerds understand it? After all, aren’t cats’ lives enriched enough? They have snuggly beds, humans to play and cuddle with, endless treats, yummy food- what else could they need?
Mental stimulation! When we talk about enrichment, we use it as a shorthand for “mental and/or physical stimulation.” That’s actually pretty important to the all-around health of your cat, it turns out- and pretty important for you as a pet owner! When cats don’t get the stimulation they need, they often resort to behaviors we humans don’t like- being “mouthy” when playing, biting or swatting at humans, shredding couch cushions, and so much more. Those behaviors come out of a need for your pet to get more stimulation! Just like humans, if the days start to be too much of the same and have no interest or excitement, your feline friends can get bored, frustrated, stressed, or anxious.
Socializing with other people and pets is pretty important for our pets. If they don’t get enough social enrichment, you’ll notice behaviors like hiding or bolting from guests, or unusual situations. You might even notice aggression as your cat gets scared of the situation and reacts defensively. Some of that is unpredictable and concerning, especially because life is nothing but unpredictable situations. Since we can’t predict the future, it’s best to plan to prepare your cat for those moments, instead of trying to avoid them. Luckily, it’s easy!
Consider training your cat for walks, either on leash or in a stroller or backpack. It’s not just physical exercise, but a chance to smell what other animals have been around, and maybe even meet new humans. It can be frustrating to stop and let your cat sniff the same spot for five minutes, but that’s actually social stimulation for them- they’re learning what other cats have been around, and when.
You can also schedule playdates! Especially in Columbia, so many people have dogs or cats that they’d love to meet their friends’ pets. Nothing’s cuter than them making new friends! Just make sure to let things go at their preferred pace- some pets are going to be shyer than others, and cats in particular tend to be a little shy. It might take a couple of visits to warm up to each other.
If you really want your cat to make new friends, we’d love it if you brought your cat in a backpack or leash to Lizzi & Rocco’s! It’s a great way to socialize them with dogs, cats, and humans- our friendly staff are always happy to respect your wishes in how we greet, pet, or play with your pet, so they’re great people to meet first! We always love to see a cat in the store! You also can let your cat sniff and greet the store cats, as well.
That’s right, get your cat an office job- well, kinda. Cats were domesticated to continue their instincts and hunt, but many cats revel in the chance to learn new things! They also love practicing the behaviors they’ve learned, to show off and get treats.
Training is a great way to get their minds humming. Learning a new trick is so interesting to wrap their minds around, and doing those tricks for treats and praise is extremely rewarding. Don’t laugh- we know many cats who are trained to come at their name, as well as cats who are trained to pick up their toys and put them in a basket, give high fives, or even twirl!
We recommend starting out with recall training as an easy place to start. Standing close to them and holding a treat out, call their name. When they walk up to you, give them the treat! Repeat this a few minutes a day, slowly increasing the distance, until your cat comes even if they don’t see the treat. Don’t forget to practice, even after they learn it- you never know when you need your cat to come at your call!
Cats and kittens with pent-up energy are going to release that energy in ways humans don’t like, such as chomping at the hand that feeds them, or zooming in inopportune places (like the kitchen table when you’re setting it).
Playing with a wand can definitely help, but physical enrichment is about more than just moving- it’s how your pet is learning to move. Try setting up obstacle courses in your living room, and leading them through it with a trail of treats! Learning to jump over stacked paper cups, slink under the couch or clamber over couch cushions, and whatever else you can think of challenges their brains to learn AND their bodies as they learn to move in a way new to them! After they figure it out, you can make fun new challenges and increase the difficulty of the obstacles- you’ll be amazed by what your cat can do!
A new smell can do wonders for workin’ that noggin! One of our favorite ways is to grow a pet safe garden, and let your kitty sniff their heart out. Soil is full of exciting and interesting smells humans will never pick up on, and smelling the different scent of flowers and leaves is also exciting for cats and dogs! Just be careful about letting them nibble- even if it is plant safe, it’s probably not safe for your poor plant.
Toys are super helpful for sensory enrichment!
If your cat only has plush toys, try out a rubber rattle ball to see how they like it, or add in a leather toy. If they only have catnip toys laying around, try out some silvervine toys and see how they like it. The different toys not only have different textures, but different types of squeaks, even different smells from the material, and it can add a lot of richness to your pet’s life!
There’s plenty of toys for both dogs and cats that let out chirps, grunts, and rumbly sounds- all of that is differently appealing for your pet, so it’s great to have more than one type of sound around! Many people also introduce new sounds and sights with the classic “pet tv”- installing a bird feeder right outside their favorite window. It will always be changing, and giving your pet something to really pay attention to.
Cats seek out different textures to stretch their claws in, so it’s worth it to take a look at different types of scratchpad-maybe infesting in a carpet or sisal scratch post will help save your couch. After all, if they can’t find a texture they love for their claws that they’re supposed to use… they’ll make do with your favorite possessions.
Food based stimulation is super helpful and easy for both dogs and cats, and it's one of our favorite go-tos here at Lizzi and Rocco’s! Cats are biologically wired to hunt - just getting served food doesn't bring any fulfillment to finding it, and so giving your cat an opportunity to hunt for their food is an easy change that they will love!
Puzzle toys make your cat have to think about what next step to take to get the tasty snack, and many are able to adjust to your pet’s ability. That’s pretty important for the fast learners who might figure out how to cheat! A common beginner toy is the Catit Treat Ball. You place treats in the top, and your cat has to roll it around to get them to fall out!
Snuffle mats are one of the easiest for the human to set up- simply sprinkle in treats or kibble in the fleece or tuck it into the pockets of the snuffle mat, and let them figure it out! This not only gets your cats’ noses and brains working hard, but it is pretty similar to natural foraging behaviors.
Lick mats can be given as is, or frozen! Licking is an instinctive way to soothe themselves, so this is a particularly good option for anxious cats. You can smooth the lick mat with whatever peaks their interest- wet food, raw food, Greek yogurt or Tiki Cat Wet Stix are just a few options to get you started! We love to hide freeze dried treats in the mat as well- it just adds an extra bit of thinking for when they discover it! If you’re looking for more recipes to entertain your cat, we have a whole blog about it for you to check out.
We hope this helps demystify what enrichment truly is, and why it means so much to the well-being of your pet- as well as a few ideas to get you started! If this all feels a bit intimidating, we recommend trying out Cobalt Cat Enrichment Box! It’s tailor-made to make enriching your cat’s life easy- and even comes with a zine to spark more ideas!
