Enrichment for Senior Cats: Simple Ways to Keep Your Older Cat Happy and Active

As cats age, they may sleep a little more and play a little less. While this is ordinary behaviour for mature cats, the shift may worry pet parents, and it can be helpful to discuss these changes with your veterinarian, who can rule out any more concerning causes. One way to ensure your pet stays spry is to encourage cat exercises and games to keep both their brain and body active and limber. 

Since cats don't have gym memberships, we, as pet parents, need to guide them when it comes to exercise. Want to know the easiest way to get your pet active? Schedule time to play every single day. Cats are independent creatures, and some may scoff at the idea of working out, especially if they are older and becoming less mobile. However, by encouraging a senior cat to play with you, they'll get the daily activity they need in quick spurts around the home. Bear in mind that cats naturally only play for around five minutes at a time, so don’t be disappointed if they lose interest. Several short sessions a day are better than one marathon, especially for older cats.

Enrichment, just as it sounds, is how we make our pets' lives as optimal as they can be. It’s about adapting your habits and surroundings to allow them to express all their natural behaviours as they age. Enrichment for senior cats isn’t just about physical exercise; it includes mental and sensory stimulation, too. In this article, we’ll look at the three main ways you can enrich your older cat’s life and keep them moving and engaged.

Movement is really important for older animals and humans alike. As cats get stiffer with age, they will naturally start to move less. This leads to muscle loss and a vicious circle of increasing loss and weakness. While intense, high-impact exercise may be a thing of the past for older cats, encouraging gentle, frequent exercise is essential for keeping their muscles strong, which in turn supports their joints and helps their circulation.

Invest in playtime - toys you can buy

There are many smart tools that can help your mature cat exercise more. These gadgets range from small to big and cheap to expensive, so start small, as your cat may like some and not engage with others. A quick trip to the pet store will give you endless options, so be sure to choose toys and tools that are age appropriate.

Cat exercise for free

Take a look around your house to see what you already own that your cat would love playing with. Have some old fabric you can sew into a ball? Note that it is best to avoid yarn, as the strings can be swallowed or get caught around the body and cause safety issues. But what about empty paper bags or cardboard boxes? Scratch the back of a bag or box, and your cat will pounce on the ‘prey’. Find a stick and some string to make a wand or a ‘fishing pole’ to tease your cat, so they can swat and jump to catch whatever you put on the end of the string. Bear in mind that older cats will have more difficulty standing up on their hind legs to catch things, so take care to keep the toys trailing on the ground more.

Do you have more than one cat? Multiple cats may be more likely to play with each other than one cat would be to start solo play time. Break out the toys and one may encourage the other to get moving.

Take it easy and keep it interesting

You may be feeling very enthusiastic to get all this underway, but remember:

• Initiate short, frequent play sessions. 

• Keep games slow-paced, low-impact and adapted to your own cat.

• Use treats to add to the positive experience of play.

• Rotate toys so that your cat doesn’t get bored with them.

Cats love climbing, but senior cats who may experience arthritis will eventually have trouble climbing. They will find the impact of landing from a height painful and will become reluctant to jump up and down. Move your furniture around to make it easier for your cat to access their favourite sleeping spots. Placing a footstool or a low table near the settee will make life more comfortable and encourage them to keep jumping a little. If you already have a cat tree, you can try and persuade your cat to continue using it by hiding a few cat treats on different levels, so they have to jump to enjoy the snack. Again, be mindful that coming down may be as difficult as getting up, so try to think of ways you can make the jumps smaller.  

If your cat loves lazy afternoons watching nature from the warmth of a windowsill, install a bird feeder outside the window. Like television for cats, a bird feeder will bring new creatures into your cat's line of sight. They'll jump up for a view of the birds, who can provide entertainment for them while they eat their fill. Remember that you may need an intermediate piece of furniture if the sill is too high for your cat now.

Senior cats may become wary or even fearful of slippery floor surfaces like tiles. Look at ways to reduce exposure to treacherous flooring using non-slip mats or placing rugs in strategic places to help your cat get around.

Scratching is a really important behavioural need for cats. It’s a form of scent marking, so it makes them feel at ease and relaxed, and it also conditions their claws and keeps their leg muscles strong. Older cats may find upright scratching posts less comfortable if they have arthritis, so make sure to also provide them with horizontal scratchers. Ensure they are securely fastened, or they won’t get used.