Best selling author of 10 books, Pam Johnson-Bennett, warns in her latest effort, CatWise, that under-stimulating cats can lead to “boredom-related or stress-relieving behaviors, such as overgrooming, chewing inappropriate items, picking on companion pets, retreating into isolation, overeating, self-mutilation, compulsive behavior, and loss of appetite.”
Amazing Equipment
These common problems arise because cat owners fail to realize that cats are “built to move.” According to Johnson-Bennett, cats possess the following amazing qualities:
Hearing: Cats can hear things humans can’t with pinpoint accuracy
Vision: Cats can see in what humans consider total darkness
Smell: Cats can detect odors that humans don’t know are present
Agility: Cats can jump 5 to 7 times their height. They also walk on their toes for speed and stealth and make lightening-quick directional changes when running.
“Imagine having all that equipment and never getting to use it,” writes Johnson-Bennett. Cats need proper space to run, climb, jump, scratch, hunt, and play.
Cats Should Not Roam Freely Outdoors
However, letting cats put that equipment to use outside is not the answer according to Johnson-Bennett:
“My opinion is cats are safe indoors, and you can create a stimulating environment inside providing all the entertainment, enrichment, and fun a cat needs while keeping her safe. Letting your cat outdoors to roam the neighborhood puts her at risk for disease, injury, fighting, poisoning, abuse, parasites, and getting lost, stolen, or hit by a car.”
Which begs the question, how do we stimulate cats without letting them outside? Johnson-Bennett offers the following solutions:
- Playtime
- Vertical Space
- Hiding Places
- Tunnels
- Scratching Posts
- Visual Enrichment
- Social Interaction
- Enjoying the Outdoors Safely!
Enclosures Enable Cats to Enjoy the Outdoors Safely
From the book:
“It is possible to take your cat outside safely, if you are prepared with a completely enclosed space from which there is no escape. There are companies that make such cat enclosures. You can find enclosures that sit in the window, as well as ones that can be installed outdoors. Make sure the enclosure is well constructed and sturdy. The enclsoure should also allow the cat immediate access back into the house. Think of it as a feline screen porch.”
Who are we to argue with America’s favorite cat expert? Please contact us if you are ready to install a “well constructed and sturdy” catio to keep your pets safe. Nobody builds higher quality enclosures than Custom Catios.