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How to prevent your kids and your cats getting bored (and have fun too!)
The coronavirus pandemic has brought a lot of change to our lives and routines and even those of our pets too. Schools are closed and kids are home and your cat may be wondering what's going on¿ Now is a great time to enrol your kids in some kitty education and get them involved in activities that will boost your pet's health and happiness too!
Some of our craft ideas and DIY tutorials require scissors and other equipment which could be harmful if children are not supervised. Please always assist and supervise as appropriate to your child's age and ability.
Create a safe space for your cat
All cats need somewhere to hide. It helps them feel safe - and with more people at home than usual - they will really benefit from a small piece of calm and privacy that they can call their own. Hint: their safe space should be big enough for them to sit upright, turn around and lay down.
A safe space can be made as simple as cutting holes in a large cardboard box and filling it with soft bedding. Perhaps the kids would enjoy personalising the box by decorating with colours and pictures? Or why not upgrade your project and make a castle for your cat? Follow our DIY YouTube video on how to do this. Your kids might also enjoy putting their den-making skills to use and build special cat den using sheets or towels. Optimise what you have in the house and get creative with the kids!
Find the purrfect location
It's important that your cat can always access their safe space so ensure it's located somewhere that will always be accessible to them i.e. avoid rooms where doors are often closed. Think about a quiet and calm area of the house too. It'll be difficult for your cat to feel safe if it's located in a noisy and busy part of the house. Also, think about places off the ground because cats like to be up high. Send the kids around the house to investigate possible locations and together you can find the purrfect spot.
Become a cat ambassador
Get your children involved in ensuring your cat's safe space remains just that! Help your kids to understand and respect your cat's need for rest and privacy. Teach them the golden rules; don't block access to your pet's safe space and always leave them alone while they're using their safe space. Perhaps they can become a cat ambassador and explain the rules to the rest of the family too!
Quick boredom busters
There are lots of household items that your children could turn into great cat toys¿ We recommend playing with some rustling paper or wrapper, turning an old sock into a 'mouse' by putting a cotton wool ball inside or even curlers can be turned into little hairy rolling toys! Ribbon is also fun for encouraging your cat to pounce, chase and grab - helping to keep both their mind and their body active and healthy!
More crafty cat ideas
- Follow our DIY video on making a fishing rod toy with the kids and watch our top tips on playtime.
- Used egg boxes can make great simple puzzle feeders for cats by simply adding a few bits of your cat's daily portion of kibble. Working out how to get the food out is great exercise for your cat's mind and your kids will have fun watching your pet puzzle solve!
- Get your kids to stack up some toilet roll tubes into a pyramid - you can use double-sided or sticky tape. Pop a piece of kibble in each tube and marvel as your clever cat uses their paws to push and pull the food out!
