Let’s face the facts: We’ll get bored—and frankly, sad—if we’re forced to live the same day over and over again. The same can be used with our cats. Although they can be creatures of habit, they need a little spice in their daily lives to keep things fun and exciting.
World Animal Enrichment Day is meant to remind pet owners of their responsibility to improve the health and happiness of their pets with enrichment. Every year on November 12, this special day shines a light on the importance of giving our pets mental and physical stimulation to enhance their quality of life. Read on to learn more about World Animal Enrichment Day and what you can do to improve your kitty’s life.
What is World Animal Enrichment Day?
World Animal Enrichment Day was started by an expert in animal behavior named Sarah-Jane White. White founded the holiday in 2016 to raise awareness about animal enrichment and to improve the welfare of our pets through meaningful experiences with intrinsic values attached to them.
Enrichment isn’t just for our pet cats and dogs. All animals under human care can benefit from having their environments enriched. For example, animals kept in zoological collections are often provided with enrichment that mimics the experience of their natural habitat. Western Lowland Gorillas are very intelligent creatures, so their handlers may give them things like puzzle feeders to help them flex their problem-solving skills. Animals living in the wild, such as ostriches or zebras, are allowed to engage in their natural social behaviors by also being included in their cages.
How Can I Recognize World Animal Enrichment Day?
The best way to recognize World Animal Enrichment Day is to spend some time looking at how you meet your cat’s enrichment needs.
Although cats have been domesticated for thousands of years, they still retain many of the natural instincts of their ancestors. Proper cat enrichment ensures that cats can engage in natural behaviors, such as climbing, stretching, scratching, and hunting. So, while your pampered house cats don’t have to hunt for their next meal, the instinct to do so is still ingrained in their DNA.
Enrichment is especially important for indoor cats, who have fewer opportunities to engage in these instinctual behaviors.
Types of Cat Enrichment
Social Enrichment
Although cats are generally considered aloof, they are very social animals. Most truly enjoy spending time with their humans and other furry family members. Social enrichment can look like taking time to play with them every day and thinking of different methods for incorporating variety and excitement into their daily routine.
Environmental Enrichment
Adjusting your cat’s environment can meet their physical and mental needs. Making small changes to improve their habitat can allow them to act on their natural urges. This can look like growing cat-friendly plants (eg, cat grass), providing places for them to scratch, providing vertical space, and even giving them a box from your latest order. on Amazon.
Cognitive Enrichment
Cats are very intelligent animals, so meeting their mental needs is just as important as meeting their physical needs. Cognitive enrichment centers around giving your kitten a good mental workout. You can achieve this by training them, providing food puzzles, and making or buying interactive toys. Even just hiding their treats around the room instead of giving them to your cat can be a great way to meet their mental stimulation needs.
Sensory Enrichment
Sensory exploration is extremely enriching and rewarding for kittens, so providing opportunities that allow them to use all of their senses is important. Things like window perches to watch the outdoors in, lick mats for their lickable treats, catnip for sniffing, and squeaky toys are great options for increasing your child’s sensory enrichment. kitten
Looking for toys that meet your cat’s many needs? The Hepper Hi-lo Cat Scratcher is one of our favorite cat products. Its clever thee-angle design offers plenty of ways for your cat to climb, stretch and exercise. Made with a sturdy plywood base and a replaceable cardboard insert, this scratcher is an option cats can enjoy for years to come. If your cat needs a little encouragement for self-play, the Hepper Plush Mouse Kicker is a fantastic choice. Equipped with bite- and kick-resistant fabric, an inviting indoor bell, and organic catnip, cats can indulge their natural prey instincts while getting the physical activity they need to thrive.
At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so we can benefit from the unique designs of this cool cat company!
Final Thoughts
There’s no better time to look at your cat’s daily enrichment opportunities than on World Animal Enrichment Day on November 12. Although you should periodically review the ways you’re enriching your cat’s life your pet and are always working to add more activities that cater to your cat. natural behavior, having a specific day each year to remind us to do it helps. So, mark your calendar with the recurring event of November 12, so you know you’ll be reminded at least annually to check in on your cat’s environment to see how you can improve it.
Featured Image Credit: Svetlana Rey, Shutterstock
