How to Make Your Cat Happy: Seven Ways to Enrich Their Life
The best way to ensure your cat lives a long and healthy life is to make sure they stay safely inside with you. Cats who explore the outdoors unchaperoned can be hit by cars, get lost, or killed in other ways—plus, cats can cause massive damage to the local ecosystem by killing small animals and birds. Thankfully, cats don’t need to explore the outside world independently to live a fulfilling life. Find out how to make your cat happy—without risking their life or anyone else’s.
Budget-Friendly Ways to Make Your Cat Happy
1. Chat With Your Cat
Although there is a language barrier, cats can recognize their guardian’s voice and respond positively to familiar sounds and phrases. Chatting with them about your day can keep them engaged and curious. Talking to your cat also strengthens your bond and provides mental stimulation for both of you.
2. Provide Them With Lots of Toys
To help keep your cat physically fit and mentally stimulated, provide them with various toys. You don’t have to spend a fortune—cats don’t care about price tags, and DIY cat toys are just as much fun as store-bought toys. Tunnels or cardboard boxes with cat-sized cut-outs can provide hours of activity for you and your feline companion. Don’t assume your cat will keep themselves entertained: Try gently tossing small toys or dangling or dragging a thick string toy for them to catch or chase. Try giving your cat a catnip-filled plush toy small enough to carry once they catch it or large enough to roll around and wrestle with it.
Consider getting an inexpensive storage basket made of sturdy cotton rope for all the toys. Your cat might love scratching the rope as much as playing with the basket’s contents.
3. Make Sure They Have Scratchable Surfaces
Cats scratch surfaces to sharpen their claws, stretch out their muscles, mark their territory, and get your attention for a good playtime session. If you don’t want your sofa, door frames, or bed to turn into cat-scratchers, offer your cat their own scratchable surfaces. Cat trees with built-in scratching posts are a purr-fect place for your cat to dig in their claws, but many cats will be just as content with a cardboard scratcher. Cats also love to rub their faces, so providing them with a wall-mounted self-groomer can help spare other surfaces from rubbing wear.
4. Provide Good Places to Hide
Cats should always have access to a good place to hide. Ensuring they have a spot under your bed, in a cat-hidey, or even in a cardboard box can provide your feline family member with a place to feel safe and secure when they want to relax and to “hunt” or “ambush” you from when they’re feeling playful! When you clean it, you might even find some toys stashed in the hiding spot.
5. Create a Sight-Seeing Window for Your Cat
Cats love to observe the outside world, and setting up a designated window perch can provide them with endless entertainment. Simply place a cat bed or cushioned shelf near a window where they can watch birds, squirrels, or people passing by.
To enhance this experience, you can install a cat-friendly window seat or purchase a suction-cup-mounted cat hammock. The ability to soak up sunlight while observing outdoor activity keeps cats engaged and relaxed.
6. Build a Catio
If you want to offer your cats a safe way to enjoy the outdoors, you can build them a catio (cat patio). A catio is an enclosed outdoor structure that offers cats an enriching experience while protecting them and wildlife. A catio can be as small as a window box or as large as an enclosed patio. You can customize the space to include climbing shelves, scratching posts, and cozy resting spots.
We made building your own catio easy—download our guide for all the details!
7. Use a Cat Harness or Stroller for Outside Excursions
If you want to take your cat on supervised outdoor adventures, try taking them for walks on a cat-specific harness and leash. Let your cat get used to the harness and leash for short periods indoors, and when they are comfortable with that, pick a safe outdoor area to explore. If they don’t like the harness, you can try an animal companion stroller or a backpack-style carrier designed with a viewing window. Using a stroller or carrier provides safety from dogs, cars, and other potential hazards.
No matter what, always supervise their outdoor excursions and choose a quiet, safe area free of loud noises or potential threats.
Learn More About How to Make Your Cat Happy and Keep Them Safe
By incorporating these methods, you can ensure your cat lives a stimulating, fulfilling life without exposing them to the dangers of the outside world. Prioritizing their safety while keeping them engaged will lead to a longer, healthier, and more rewarding life for your beloved feline friend.
Text VEG to 73822 to get the latest vegan lifestyle tips, recipes, and urgent action alerts texted right to your phone.
Terms for automated texts/calls from PETA: https://peta.vg/txt. Text STOP to end, HELP for more info. Msg/data rates may apply. U.S. only.
Although Cameron is still on the road to recovery, PETA’s veterinary team has deemed the dog healthy enough to travel to his new, true forever home!
A spunky chihuahua was rescued from a pile of trash—now, he’s living his best life. Meet Baja and the other dogs and cats PETA helped in Mexico.
After 4 years of loneliness, PETA freed this dog from her chain. Watch Daisy’s rescue video and see her transformation.
Bird flu is spreading fast, and it’s deadly to cats. Here’s what you need to know to protect your cat from the H5N1 avian influenza virus.
