New Years Resolutions for Your Cat

Happy Mew Year!

Being the cat-obsessed people we are here at meowbox our resolutions this year are all about our furry best friends. Since we are the ones in control of our cats surroundings it makes perfect sense for our resolution to be all about giving them everything they need to have their best year yet!

Who knows, maybe your cats New Years resolutions are to stop grabbing food off your plate and knocking things off the counter? Unlikely, but always possible..

Here are 5 things we are going to focus on this year to make 2017 the best year ever for our kitties:

1. Improve their home

People are always making efforts to improve their homes whether it be complete renovations or new throw pillows for the couch but this is even more important for our cats since they spend ALL of their time in the home (for indoor cats at least). There are zillions of cool cat gadgets you can get for your home but the one that made the biggest difference for my cats is a cat tree. There’s a wide range of prices for cat trees so go for whatever fits your budget (or with a quick Google search you can find plenty of DIY options) but I highly recommend getting the tallest one you can and putting it near a window so your cats have a perch to watch all the action outside.

I also love creating comfy spots for them to crawl into around the house or leaving closet doors open so they have a new space to explore or go for a secluded nap.

2. Get them more active

It makes me so sad to see my cats meowing at the door wanting to go outside. I can tell they’re bored being cooped up inside all day so I recently got them a harness and leash so I can take them outside without worrying! If you think your kitties are up for it check out our recent blog post on how to walk your cat. If your cats are not the outside type or you’re not able to take them for walks you can get them running around inside with toys! I toss my kitties favorite toys as far as I can so they’re running down hallways to catch them. It takes time to actively play with your cat but they definitely appreciate it! Ball toys are great for when you’re not around as they roll every time your kitty bats at them so there’s always a chase going!

3. Make feeding time a hunt

Cats have a natural instinct to hunt that rarely gets satisfied for indoor cats. This great new invention called No Bowl turns your cats feeding time into a hunt letting your cat stalk, trap and play with its food before eating. We love this idea of making your cats feeding time more realistic and keeping their brain sharp, however, it is quite pricy. For a DIY version, try hiding pockets of dry food or treats around the house. Instead of just giving my cats treats I love hiding them around the house and seeing which kitty finds them first!

4. Give them more stimulation

The cheapest and easiest thing you can do to improve your cats life is to spend more time with them! It often seems like you’re spending a lot of time with your cats because they’re always around in your home but when I thought about the time I spend each day actually playing with my cats it did not seem like enough. Make sure you spend time every day actively playing with your cat. Wand toys are great because they make your cats jump and we’ve found that just about all cats love them! It’s good to have a wide range of toys around for when you’re not home too, I have 3 cats of varying sizes so I keep little toys for my smallest cat (who loves to run around holding them in her mouth) to big ones my bigger cats like to roll around with. At meowbox we try to source unique toys in a wide range of sizes for each meowbox so your cats never get bored!

5. Schedule regular vet visits

Unfortunately taking your kitty to the vet isn’t free BUT it is so important since your cat can’t tell you if there’s anything wrong with them. Your cat could have anything from gum disease to an ear infection and you may have no idea they are in pain. Once you’re at the vet it’s a great time to get out all those burning questions you may have about your kitty’s health. I try to think of any questions I may have the week leading up to a vet visit. If your cat’s are growing you may want to ask if you should be giving them more or less food, what kind etc. I find I always leave with some new tips on ways to improve my cats health.

Let us know if you have anything you resolve to do for your cats this year!