Vet-Approved Ways To Spoil Your Cat

Authored by Nicole Coleman, Veterinary Assistant

Cats are unfairly stereotyped as not wanting much from their humans. My fellow crazy cat people will tell you, this couldn’t be further from the truth for most felines.

Cats benefit greatly from environmental and emotional enrichment, and a little spoiling never hurts. Even the most finicky of cats will appreciate the extra loving from Her Human.

The key to successful enrichment for your cat is to determine what your cat will appreciate (cats are nothing if not individuals!).

For example, does my cat Waffles seem annoyed when I brush her? Yes!

But did she love the birthday party I threw her, complete with a cat treat-filled piñata? Yes!

Admittedly, the hours I spent decorating for Waffles’s birthday bash may not be the level of commitment you are looking for, but there are as many ways to safely spoil your cat as there are cats, many of which are surprisingly simple.

Take Your Cat For A Walk

Lots of indoor-only cats show some interest in the world beyond the front door, and letting them explore can be an easy way to provide rich environmental stimuli. Before you release your strictly indoor-only cat into the wild, consider some of these safer ways to bring your cat outside, while skipping the risks of predators and cars:

Pet Stroller: Hear me out! These compact strollers are essentially a cat carrier on a wheeled frame, and provide a safe, elevated perch from which your cat can take in the world around her. A short outing, even just to your own patio or yard, is a great way for her to experience new sights, smells, and sounds.

Tips for Success: Not all cats will like being outdoors. Introduce the stroller slowly (get her used to it inside, then venture out on short adventures) and take cues from your cat — if she seems cool, calm, and collected, carry on. If she looks like she wants to hide away from the scary outdoors (crouched or hiding in the stroller), or is attempting escape, dial it back!Check your stroller before each outing to ensure there are no holes or broken zippers.

Cat Harness: For cats who really want to get into the grass and feel the sun on their fur, short walks with a cat harness and leash can be a safe way to proceed. Again, take your time and gradually introduce the harness and leash indoors first, then gradually increase the scale of your adventures. Tips for success: Use a cat-specific harness and make sure it is well fitted and secure. Dog harnesses are shaped differently and will be easy for most cats to slip out of if they are nervous.

Be sure your cat is fully vaccinated and on a flea and heartworm preventative before venturing out. Even if you aren’t meeting other cats whisker-to-whisker, they can leave behind invisible viruses in the environment. Fleas and heartworm disease also don’t require direct contact to spread, but can easily be prevented with a safe topical medication. Call us anytime to check your cat’s vaccine status and for recommendations on safe parasite preventatives for cats in the Hudson Valley.

Treats

Spoiling your cat with treats can quickly turn into a “your cat is a chonk” chat during the next checkup, so we want to help you figure out how to do it in a healthy way:

The best treats are often those designed specifically for cats. Many are formulated to carry a big punch in a little bite, with delectable smells (cats’ favorite!) and flavor to back it up. As a bonus, many of these have calorie content information available (online if not on the packaging itself). Not sure how many ‘extra’ calories are appropriate for your cat? Call us and ask! We can check your cat’s most recent weight recommendations and give you an exact number of calories.

If your cat is on a diet, try flavored water as an alternative. Drain a few tablespoons of water from a can of tuna fish into an ice tray (so you have a few drops in each cube well), then fill with tap water and freeze. Add an ice cube to your cat’s water dish or fountain (see below!) to create tuna-flavored water. Many cats will go gaga for this option.

If your cat is on a prescription or limited diet, get creative! Try using pieces of that diet’s kibble in a food-dispensing toy or dividing a meal up into several tiny portions and putting them all around the house to create a scavenger hunt.

Water Fountains

This may be my favorite way to spoil my water loving Waffles. She used to have an obsession with any running water, whether I was doing dishes or taking a shower. I was surprised to learn that the reason many cats don’t fully hydrate is that still water is unappealing. Providing running water can be one of the easiest–and healthiest–ways to spoil a cat.

Enter our water fountain, a life changing item for Waffles. Her water intake increased dramatically, and each time I plug it in, she runs to it and falls in love all over again.

There are many styles of fountain available, from small trickles to dramatic spouts. Look for one that is easy to clean and is the right volume for your menagerie’s needs (dogs and cats usually drink ~1 ounce a day per pound of body weight, so a typical cat will only drink ~5-12 ounces of water a day, while a labrador may need more than a half gallon).

Try these out and see what your pet thinks — her personality may be different from that of my own Waffles’s, but I bet she’ll appreciate the extra love. Cats bring so much joy to our lives and a little spoiling in return is the least we can do!