One year ago, our evening enrichment routine was a lot different. I was working from home, my business was my full time job, and I had complete control of my time and our routine.

But now I’m working at a job from 7-3:30 with a 45-minute commute in both directions. So our routine changed a lot.

Here’s a quick overview of our evening enrichment routine:

  • 4:15- I get home from work
  • 4:20- cuddles, petting massage, and boops
  • 4:30- Jericho eats dinner
  • 4:35- wiggles and playtime
  • 4:45- Jericho grooms and looks out the window while I make food for myself
  • 5:30- relaxing and cuddling in bed
  • 7- clicker training
  • 7:10- wiggles and playtime
  • 8:15- petting massage in bed before bedtime
jericho cuddling petting massage in bed jess caticles

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After work evening enrichment routine

I get home around 4:15/4:30 and Jericho meets me at the door. He’s so cute and dog-like in so many ways.

But let’s be honest, he only meets me at the door because he knows I’m about to feed him lol.

Next I lay down on the couch, and Jericho pops up for cuddles and a petting massage. Cats are so interesting when it comes to routine. As soon as you make it a routine, they expect it!

jericho cuddling and boops on the couch jess caticles

Jericho pops up onto my chest, purrs a bunch, and gives me lots of boops. So many boops that he’s learning what that word means.

After cuddles and boops it’s time for Jericho’s dinner.

Jericho’s diet is raw and whole prey. And he chomps on that while I get his meals ready for tomorrow.

cat eating day old chick whole prey feeding jess caticles

I love feeding him this way because he gets the mental stimulation from chewing on prey. It’s also just very cool to see my cat eat a natural diet.

All of my cats growing up at dry food only and suffered serious health issues. But Jericho is living life like a rambunctious kitten at age 9.

Jericho gets the wiggles after he eats so I take advantage of that and play with him. He runs around the entire apartment like a madman.

Jericho’s new routine is to jump up and run across the couch, jump up and run across the bed, and then jump to his window perch.

jericho jumping while playing jess caticles

It’s almost like he created an agility course for himself. Very cool and interesting since I started clicker training him again recently. And I’m interested in doing agility courses with him since he’s so active.

After Jericho’s done drifting around the apartment like a race car driver, he hops up into his bed. He either goes into the bed on John’s desk or our new perch that’s on the table.

I bought the Ergo Purrch recently, and we both absolutely love it. Jericho loves looking out the window. So this gives him a comfy spot where he can be up a bit higher to see more out the window.

ergo purrch cat tree jess caticles

Jericho relaxes and grooms himself and waits for me to be done making food for myself.

Then we both go lay down in bed. He snuggles with me while I rot my brain watching commentary videos on YouTube lol.

Evening bedtime routine

Finally, we have our bedtime routine about one hour before bed. I put the blackout shades up, scoop Jericho’s litter box, and we do some clicker training.

Clicker training has been a lot of fun. Jericho looks forward to school every day! Now we do a combination of agility and tricks. Julie of Cat School convinced me that tricks are worth it so I’ve been taking her advice.

clicker training cats jericho jumping over obstacle jess caticles
Jericho jumping over an obstacle

Jericho gets another round of the wiggles so we play a lot right before bed too.

It’s a lot of fun and even better at night actually. Cats see better in dim light since they are more attracted to movement than color.

So playing with Jericho gets a bit crazier once the shades are up and my cozy night light is on.

We go to bed around the same time every night. Jericho (surprise surprise) hops up on my chest for another round of petting massage.

Jericho is very demanding of our routines. But that’s a great thing. These routines hold me accountable to keep up with everything I want to do for Jericho.

Sometimes it’s tough keeping up with him after working. And it’s easier to say “I’ll get to it tomorrow”.

But Jericho is hilarious when he plays and so cute when he’s cuddly. What a wonderful ball of fur to come home to. Such a nice way to forget about the work day and just live in the moment. He brightens up my day so much!