Curing Cat Cabin Fever

Try teaching your cat a simple trick. You might be surprised at what cats can learn when they are rewarded with good treats. Tasks such as jumping over a stick or through a hoop, or simply sitting when asked, can be easily taught when food treats are used as a physical lure. Offer the treat immediately when the cat does what you want him to do, and he will soon learn. When taught with positive reinforcement and short sessions (always ending on an upbeat note), even older cats love learning new tricks. And even if your cat doesn't learn the trick, he'll enjoy the time spent interacting with you.

Build a cat tree for your cat. Start with a floor-to-ceiling beam and add two to three horizontal shelves and at least one box. Cover all with carpet remnants or thick-coiled rope. Placed by a window, cat trees provide a lasting source of exercise and fun, and they make a terrific napping perch. Spend extra time grooming the loose hairs from your cat. These "nesting" months offer a great opportunity to reintroduce routines for which you seem to have run out of time.

Provide a variety of scratching posts that your cat will actually use. Although each cat is an individual with her own scratching interests, many cats enjoy horizontal corrugated cardboard scratchers (available at many pet supply stores) and anything wrapped with sisal rope. Go for a mixture of horizontal and vertical posts, and see which ones your cat likes best. Place these posts in central locations or near any place you've witnessed scratching in the past.

 More Cat Behavior Articles
 Browse Cat Behavior Questions & Answers