 In today's video, we are going to talk about environmental enrichment for indoor cats. Recommendations to cat owners to house their cats indoors can further responsibility to provide conditions that ensure good health and welfare. Cats maintain their natural behaviors, such as scratching, chewing, and elimination, while living indoors. While cats can find to an indoor environment generally live longer and are at less risk for contracting infectious diseases or injuries due to trauma, they are at greater risk for a variety of behavioral problems. These problems include urinating and defecating outside the litter box, anxiety, eating disorders, attention seeking, aggression, self-entery and compulsive disorders like excessive grooming and scratching. Providing an enriched environment can increase activity, decrease mental stagnation, and prevent many of these issues. All cats need mental stimulation, but this is especially important for indoor cats. An enriched environment will give cats the opportunity to create their own positive experiences in an enclosed space. The goal is to create an environment of plenty for your cat. That means plenty of room, litter boxes, food, water and things to do. Before we dig into how to enrich your indoor cat's life, it's important to understand why you should keep them inside. They can catch a contagious disease. Wild animals can carry serious diseases, which they can transmit to your cat. Some of these diseases can be deadly. For instance, rabies is nearly always fatal once the symptoms start to show. They might get injured. Cats can get hurt in all sorts of ways outside. They can get hit by a car, fall into a ditch, or get attacked by a larger animal. They might lose their way home, cats who wander far from home may have trouble finding their way back, especially if the weather turns bad. And they might involve you in a neighborhood squabble. Outdoor cats will likely venture into other yards and gardens. This can upset your neighbors who may not like unfamiliar cats using their garden as a litter box or stirring up the pets they have inside. Make feeding more natural. Use food puzzles, interactive toys or food balls. You can purchase these items at any pet supply store or make them yourself. To create homemade puzzles from a cardboard box or a plastic bottle, simply cut small holes into the object and fill it with your cat's favorite food or treats. You can also hide food in different places around the house so your cats can hunt for their food. Place the food in corners, on shelves or behind furniture. Divide meals into three or four small servings and alternate hiding them, or you can try placing a treat in a new area each day. Start by hiding the treat in the same spot each day. After a few days of this, try to hide the treat near the original location but not exactly in the same place. Once the cat has gotten used to hunting for the treat, you can move on to more remote areas. This should be done daily so your cat gets used to the routine of searching and reward. If days go by with no reward, your cat will stop looking. Boxes, bags and carriers that are left out provide nice hiding places for cats. Provide vertical space. Cats like to be up high. Providing access to elevated places makes cats happy and increases the overall space available to them. Provide your cat with a carpeted tree or condo, preferably with hiding spots, cat perches and shelves. Single perches with room for only one cat at a time are a good way to help your cat escape from any other household animals. Access to windows, preferably with perches, provides mental stimulation as your cat looks out the window. Regularly move beds and perches. This mimics a changing outdoor environment and encourages cats to explore. Keep in mind that your cat may have become sedentary and need encouragement to climb. Try feeding treats or a portion of their meal on the kitty tree to get your cat used to this behavior. Scratching is normal cat behavior. Scratching comes naturally to your cat. Make sure to provide acceptable scratching materials for your cat, such as a carpeted post or cardboard plank. To train your cat to use these items, reward with treats and praise each time they are scratching appropriately. You can also place catnip, treats and toys on or near the post to encourage this behavior. Scratching posts should be sturdy and made of materials cats prefer, like wood, sisal rope, rough fabric or cardboard. Put the scratching post next to a window, sleeping area or any other place your cat favors. Many cats prefer vertical scratching posts, but some prefer horizontal ones. If your cat does not seem interested in one type of post or material, try another until you find the right fit. Hello. This video is sponsored by Beemix Pets. Are you looking for high quality cat collars at an affordable cost? Check out BeemixPets.com. Use coupon code KittenLife to get 20% off. Play the hunting game. Cats will get bored with a toy after a while, so it is important to provide only a few toys at a time on a rotating basis to keep your cat's interest. Social activities with humans can be the single most effective way to enrich your indoor cat's environment. Set a timer for five minutes twice daily and play with your cat. Rotate the toys and activities you choose during these periods. A variety of resources are available for interactive feline toys, games and furniture. A recent study revealed that the number one favorite toy for cats was a used hair band tied to a string and pulled across the floor. Number two was a cat kong. Think inside the box. Make the litter box attractive. Some cats are big and need a large box. A large plastic storage box, used to store items under the bed may make a better litter box if your cat barely fits in the litter box that you have. Most cats, though not all prefer unscented, clumping litter. You can experiment by offering a choice of litters inside by side boxes for a week to see what your cat prefers. Think of a hooded litter box like a porta potty. That is how many kitties seem to think of them when they choose not to use them. Litter boxes should be kept clean. That means scooping twice a day, cleaning and changing litter weekly and buying a whole new box yearly. If you are using a hooded box, do not forget to clean the underside of the hood. If your cat is choosing not to use the litter box consistently, there may be too much noise or activity where the box is located. For example, many pet owners use the laundry room without realizing that noises from the washer or dryer may frighten or stress the cat while they are using the litter box. If your cat is constantly eliminating in the same spot, a box should temporarily be placed in that location. When the cat is back in the box consistently, it can be moved a small distance at a time to a more convenient location for the household. Remember, there should always be at least one litter box per cat in the house. These litter boxes should be in different locations. If your cat is not using the litter box consistently, there should be an extra box available as well. Minimize stress. Most of us do not look at our cats and think they are stressed. However, if your cat is not urinating where they should be or has other behavioral issues without an identifiable medical cause, then chances are they are being stressed by something. Many cats just like routine. Feeding them and playing with them at the same time every day may be all they need. If the stressor can be identified quickly, the prognosis for changing the behavior is great. As time goes on and habits are formed, behaviors become increasingly difficult to change, but do not give up. Prevention and management of many common behavior problems in indoor cats requires identifying and changing the stressors in their environment, providing ways to stimulate indoor exploration and providing opportunities for mental, physical and social stimulation. In addition to enriching your cat's environment, you can help keep their motors running by making sure they have a place where they can rest quietly, a litter box where they can go in peace, a nutritious diet, and plenty of love and affection. It's also important to take them to a veterinarian regularly, as well as any time you think they might be hurt or sick. Pet insurance can help you provide your cat with the best veterinary care. If you enjoyed this video, kindly press the like button. Also don't forget to subscribe with notifications on, so that you don't miss out on videos like this. Thank you for watching.