I was very pleased to see a new book has been written for the indoor cat. It was interesting to read a book that looked at the indoor life of a cat and how it can affect not only their physical but mental health. We all know how, we felt in the pandemic when many of us were locked in our homes with only an exercise allowance in which we could go outside for an hour, we now know how that impacted our mental health and how good it felt to be outside if only for a short while.
Imagine being a cat shut indoors with no mental or physical stimulation for most of your life? How sad and depressing never being able to express your real self……..sadly this is true of many indoor cats, but it’s also fair to point out that many indoor cats have fabulous lives and some experience getting outside in some form, be it in a catio, safe enclosed garden area or even being walked on a lead in a safe environment. This book has many tips and advice on how to make your indoor cats life better and happier and that’s a winner for me.
This book will educate and inspire cat owners to make their cats lives better and does not wish to cause controversy in the big debate about whether cats should be allowed to roam free or stay indoors 24/7 but rather put across the cat’s point of view which I have not read so well expressed in many cat books.
Ideas that I love from this book are having a screened window so it can be opened for fresh air and smells for your cat, have a box full of leaves and outside things for your cat to smell and investigate , grow indoor grass, create a window seat or perch for your cat to watch the outdoors, fill a small water tub or bowl (not too deep)and pop a toy in it for the cat to play with, offer scent enrichment opportunities for your cat to investigate and enjoy (not just catnip but anything that’s safe for your cat) maybe your cooking or a parcel that has just arrived?
I think it’s also fair to point out that not all cats do well being walked on a lead and each cat is individual and some do not do well being adventure cats.
I did not feel the authors’ were against cats being kept indoors but rather wanted to educate cat owners about improving the cat’s life so they had more mental and physical stimulation.
If a cat owner buys this book and does just one thing from this book but hopefully more, how much happier that cat’s life will be 🙂
Well done to both authors you have given the indoor cat a voice!
This book was written by Laura J Moss and Lynn Bahr DVM and available from the usual places.
