One of the most heard terms among those who have a cat as a pet is feline environmental enrichment, which is nothing other than caring for these animals in captivity.

To know more in detail what this concept is about and what implication it has for our pet, we invite you to read the following post carefully.

¿What is feline environmental enrichment?

Environmental enrichment for cats refers to the improvement of their physical and emotional well-being, identifying those environmental stimuli that are necessary to improve their quality of life at home.

It consists of the sum of those factors that provide welfare to the animal, which may include its relationship with people, its interaction with other animals, the quality of its food and access to games for its physical and emotional development, among other aspects.

It is important to understand that cats are animals that are very predisposed to suffer from stress and that they often cause problems in their behavior, which affects the tranquility of the home.

Therefore, it is necessary to guarantee a conditioned environment to help prevent stress or any other condition that may alter their normal development, such as anxiety, obesity, behavioral problems, aggressiveness, etc.

¿What types of environmental enrichment exist?

We can consider as a feline environmental enrichment any stimulus that acts positively on the cat, being able to differentiate five specific groups:

Sensory stimuli, which are those that drive the animal to exploration. These stimuli manage to intensify all your senses, especially that of smell.

The food stimuli are oriented to provide your food in an easy and controlled way, avoiding excesses and frustration.

The manipulation stimuli are referred to the research and exploration incentive by the animal. For this, it is usually resorted to the use of specialized toys.

The stimuli of the environment are those concerning the improvement of the cat’s habitat, punctually determining its areas of feeding, rest and recreation.

Social stimuli consist of optimizing their relationship with both humans and other cats, so that they are exercised naturally and positively.

Tips for adequate environmental enrichment

There are many actions that we can take to achieve adequate environmental enrichment for the cat.

At the sensory level, it is advisable to give the animal access to the outside in order to motivate him to hunt and observe the environment. Olfactory enrichment can be enriched using catnip, which motivates them to purr and play.

The relationship with another feline can be positive for the animal, although it is necessary to ensure that there is compatibility between both cats. In addition, it is necessary to encourage communication between the owners and the cat.

It is also advisable to give the animal toys that help maintain adequate physical and mental development, especially those who do not have easy access to the outdoors. Thus, balls or some specialized products can be very useful.

There are some other tricks that allow to favor the instinct of the cat, optimize its behavior and improve its quality of life; the important thing is to add to your space elements of your natural habitat, to integrate and entertain them.