5 Things To Do at Home with Your Cats

I don’t really know how to start this post – we are all terrified – but hopefully, everyone is doing their part by staying home as much as you can. Even before COVID-19 – I ALWAYS washed my hands before touching my cats when I got home from being out.  You never know what sort of germs you carry on your hands – if I know my clothing has been touched by germs, I remove that too before holding my cats.

Can Cats Get Coronavirus covid19?

As far as your kitties go, there’s no need to worry about them. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), “Infectious disease experts and multiple international and domestic human and animal health organizations agree there is no evidence at this point to indicate that pets become ill with COVID-19 or that they spread it to other animals, including people.” I wanted to put together this post for those who aren’t usually home with their cats all day.  I am almost always home – but do leave for things like working out, running errands, etc.  So I find myself trying to think of ways to get through the day. Cats, for the majority of us, provide tremendous joy which we all need more than ever.   Here are 5 things you can do at home with your cats:

1 – Make Your Bed with Your Cats 

Yes, many of us like to get this weekly chore done quickly, however, now that we have extra time on our hands, we can do it a little slower and more involved.  I like to pretend the flat sheet on the bed is a parachute and the cats love to run underneath it. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io1zHAh-vLg[/embedyt]

2 – FUN with INABA Churu Lickable Purée

While this might require something you don’t have at home, Amazon has not shut down, so you can always order some INABA Churu Lickable Purée or pick it up from a local pet store (probably better to do this to support local stores that might be shut down – just be wise in your precautionary measures). This might be a fun project for kids or grandkids while they are out of school too. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttpd5MyDn2s[/embedyt]

3 – Clean or Re-Organize Your Litterbox Setup

What I love about our Ragdoll cat community on Facebook, is that I am constantly getting new ideas about how to have the best litterbox setup for our home.  Below the video shows our current setup, although it is constantly evolving.   You might get some ideas on how you can rearrange your litterbox setup or setups. I definitely like to have at least two litterbox stations in my house.  I grew up with a cat who peed and pooped where he wasn’t supposed to.  Our vet always suggested adding another litterbox station in the home.  It was difficult for my mom to do so – as she wanted the litterbox out of sight.   However, I discovered that was the ticket to a harmonious home, so my cats will always have plenty of options, so that I don’t have a lot of unnecessary clean up – like washing beds that have been peed and pooped on!  Although, that would help me tackle #1 on this list =). Also, mine love it when I clean their litterboxes – like deep clean them – remove all the old litter, wipe them down and replace with all new litter.  So they, of course, would benefit from that. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuKBK7YskyY[/embedyt]

4 – Buy or Design a Cat Puzzle Toy and Fill ‘Er Up!

If your kitty is food motivated, this might be a fun project with the kids.  You can create your own from a clean cardboard box, or you can buy one on Amazon like the CatAmazing puzzles – that ship flat and you have to put together.  The kids (or the kid in you) can fold them up, put them together and even color them, if you want.   Then fill it up with your kitties favorite treats (or dry food), and watch as they have a good time trying to get out each little piece. There is another benefit too – cats have a routine of play/hunt. eat, groom, sleep.  By putting their food in a puzzle toy, you help to achieve the play/hunt part of their routine. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HhrKnOS4bs[/embedyt]

5 – Play with Your Kitty

While this should be a part of our daily schedules already, I know it doesn’t always happen…but inside cats need exercise just as much as humans do.  If you have a wand toy at home, you can get exercise too – stand up to play with them – move your legs, move your arms as you make the wand toy move and shake.  Heck, do some squats while you’re at it. In the unboxing video below of the Pet Fit For Life Feather/Squiggly Worm and Light Chaser, you’ll see that I used some packing paper to make it more exciting for Charlie and Trigg.  You can do the same with newspaper – or have the wand toy move in and out of a box.   Be creative with it and be sure to remember to make the wand toy move like a mouse or a bird would move – as those are animals they naturally want to chase.  Kids are super creative, but sometimes not aware of the fact that the wand toy needs to move naturally as a cat’s prey would. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC02x07FAm8[/embedyt]

BONUS – 6- Groom Your Kitty

My cats really hate to be brushed or combed – but I try to hit them up 5 minutes or so a day with the Safari comb to their manes.  That’s about all I get – maybe it’s 2 minutes.  But it does keep their manes looking nice.   When the weather is nicer, I will brush them outside with the Equigroomer – the fur flies everywhere with that brush, so that’s why I like to do it outside.  It is one of the very few brushes that they tolerate….so I take advantage of it when I can. If you have a cat that loves to be groomed, count yourself lucky.  My parents’ 15-year old Ragdoll cats love to be groomed – and it is so nice to brush them!  Mine absolutely hate it. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJDmP2iWFKU[/embedyt] I also trim their nails when I feel they are sharp with the Zen Clipper, which is my favorite cat nail clipper right now. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM9cl7fbXJ0[/embedyt]

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What are some of your ideas on what to do at home with your cats?