Some cats are much more energetic than others, as some prefer to sleep all day.
Most cats are very playful animals, so it can be confusing to see your cat moping around and acting out of sorts. Today we’re going to answer the question of whether cats can get bored or not.
Is Cat Boredom A Thing?
Yes, cats can get bored. Just like we can get bored when we don’t have enough mental or physical stimulation, cats can suffer from being bored too. As a pet owner, you want to avoid your cat from being bored as much as possible.
However, this doesn’t just mean that you should buy them another fluffy ball and be done with it. Many cat owners think that their cats cannot be bored because they have an ample amount of toys lying around them.
This is not always the case, though – toys are not always enough to cure kitty boredom.
Signs That Your Cat Is Bored
There are many signs to indicate that your cat is bored. Bear in mind that not all of these indicators are specific to being bored, so boredom is not necessarily the only reason why your cat might be exhibiting them.
With that being said, if they are showing multiple of these signs and are otherwise healthy, then boredom could be to blame. Here are the possible signs to look out for.
Repetitive Behaviors
If your cat has been doing the same thing over and over again for an extended period of time, then it’s probably time to change up their routine. This could be over grooming themselves, biting their fur, or something else.
What’s more is that overgrooming can lead to irritated skin, meaning that your cat is soon to be in pain as well as bored. Fight the boredom to prevent them from hurting themselves.
Picking Fights
If your cat is picking fights with other animals, there is a good chance that they are bored. Cats are natural-born hunters and therefore the only reason for this behavior is not just boredom.
However, if it is a relatively new behavior, then you might want to give the cat some stimulation to see if it stops.
Lazy Days
Cats have lazy tendencies anyway, with 15 hours of their day being used to sleep. So, just because your cat is napping for most of the day, it isn’t always an indication of boredom. However, if sleeping is all that they are doing in their day, they might be feeling understimulated.
For example, cats normally spend lots of time sleeping, but they will also go to the food bowl throughout the day as well as explore the house before napping again. If your cat isn’t doing this, there’s a good chance that they might be bored.
Taking Matters Into Their Own Paws
Some cats are naturally curious creatures who like to investigate things. If your cat is bored, then they might be looking for trouble to stimulate themselves.
This might come at a cost in the form of your couch or carpets. If you don’t want your cat to start ripping up your furnishings, make sure that they are plenty stimulated throughout the day.
Eating Too Much
Another sure sign that your cat is bored is overeating. A common issue with bored humans is that we like to eat too much. The same can be said for cats – if there’s nothing else to do, why not eat?
Cats that overeat can become obese, which in turn will limit the mobility of the cat. This can prevent them from stimulating themselves and therefore cause them to become even more bored.
Preventing Boredom In Cats
As you can see, there are many reasons why you wouldn’t want to keep your cat understimulated and bored. It can lead to obesity, depression, and destruction of your furniture. But how do we combat this and prevent our cats from becoming bored?
The best way to prevent boredom in your feline friend is by making sure that they get enough exercise. Exercise includes playing games with toys, climbing, jumping, running around, and exploring. These activities will help your cat feel fulfilled and happy.
You can use cat furniture to do this. Cat trees are excellent as they have multiple platforms for cats to jump on, and scratching posts to keep their claws happy. There are also hiding places for peace and quiet.
Ensuring that your cat has plenty of toys and places to explore is incredibly important when ensuring that they are not bored. Don’t just leave your cat to play with their toys, either – get in there with them!
We are especially fans of a laser pointer pen to use with our cat. We can move the laser around the floor and walls and watch our cat chase it for hours!
We also found that our cat enjoys when we throw her balls up the stairs so that she can run after them and bat them back down the stairs to us.
A common issue with cat owners is that they think that leaving cat toys around the house is enough for their feline friends, but it is often not the case. Cats need stimulation from their owners rather than from themselves.
Summary
While cats are known for being independent, it doesn’t mean that they don’t need stimulation from their owners to prevent them from being bored.
If you notice that your cat is getting bored, then you should take steps to ensure that they aren’t. By providing them with plenty of opportunities to play and explore, hopefully they will remain happy and sufficiently stimulated.
Also, remember that while cats may seem lazy, they are actually very intelligent animals. They are capable of learning new tricks and behaviors, so don’t underestimate what they can do.
I’m Courtney Trent and I hope that I can answer some burning questions that you have about cats, as well as some questions that you’d never have thought to ask before.
I am aiming to shed new light on these amazing pets and hopefully change some people’s opinions on them. Also, let’s talk about wild cats - they’re just as awesome as domestic cats!
So, stay a while and learn more about domestic and wild cats from Windhaven Ocicats.
