Contributor: Samantha Bell, Cat Expert for Best Friends Animal Society
Samantha Bell has been working with shelter cats and cat behavior for over 20 years. She spent many years as the Cat Behavior & Enrichment Lead for Best Friends Animal Society and as a national trainer for Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Pawsitive program. Currently, Samantha is the Cat Content Strategist for Best Friends and runs her own cat business at samanthabell.org.
Champion Petfoods is a corporate sponsor of Best Friends Animal Society
The ideal cat routine allows your cat to live safely in your home while still feeling like the wild predator they were born to be. They should have the opportunity to complete their instinctive cycle of “hunt, catch, kill, eat, groom, sleep” at least once a day, and preferably at the same time.
Cats have the desire to hunt, and if we don’t provide them with interactive hunting opportunities through play, they’ll look for other, less appropriate outlets to express this desire, like “hunting” us or other pets. To prevent this, play with your cat, feed them afterward, and make it a routine.
How to start building a routine
When building a routine, you’ll want to start with small steps and achievable goals. I’d recommend playing with your cat for 3-4 minutes with a wand toy every night before their last feeding for one week. Once this becomes a habit you can build on it and see how happy it makes your cat!
What are the benefits?
There are so many benefits to having a daily routine with your cat. After just one week of having an interactive playtime routine, you will see a more confident, less stressed, happier and healthier cat. They will burn extra calories, helping with their weight. It will prevent boredom which can lead to so many behavior problems. And it will create a stronger bond between you and your cat, as you are the one creating their happy place.
Create a night time routine for a more restful sleep
In addition to building a strong bond between you and your cat, having a routine is one of the best ways to keep your cat from waking you up in the middle of the night. My routine consists of a few minutes of wand toy time with my cats right before I go to bed and then feeding them wet food immediately after. The playtime helps get their energy out, and then eating protein-rich food helps keep their bellies full and lets them sleep longer overnight.
Pro-tip: I also have an automatic feeder that provides food for them at 3 am to ensure I can sleep through the night.
Samantha Bell has been working with shelter cats and cat behavior for over 20 years. She spent many years as the Cat Behavior & Enrichment Lead for Best Friends Animal Society and as a national trainer for Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Pawsitive program. Currently, Samantha is the Cat Content Strategist for Best Friends and runs her own cat business at samanthabell.org.
Champion Petfoods is a corporate sponsor of Best Friends Animal Society