Learning how to make your cat happy indoors comes down to mental stimulation and enrichment. Cats need stimulation and enrichment daily to stay happy indoors.
Wild cats get this from hunting. Since indoor cats do not hunt, we must provide this to them.
Here’s how to make your cat happy indoors:
- Get private beds for your cat
- Set up comfy hiding spots for your cat
- Your cat needs scratching areas
- Cats love high spots
- Your cat needs to climb
- Cats are happy with window watching
- Play with your cat daily
- Cat tunnels encourage happy playing
- Air purifiers keep your cat’s air clean
- Feed your cat healthy food
- A clean litter box makes a happy cat
- Spend quality time with your cat
Check out these ideas today or pin the image below to your Cat Happiness board on Pinterest.
Disclaimer: You (and only you) are responsible for your cat. I earn a commission through affiliate links below. No additional cost to you.
1. Get private beds for your cat
Cats prefer warm temperatures, and they love to nap.
Private cat beds (open or enclosed) are a great way to provide cats with warmth while you arenβt home.
Even if your cat loves your bed, he should still have private beds.
Cat beds make your cat happy indoors because they love a warm, safe place to curl up and nap.
Jericho sleeps in bed with us every night. But he only goes to the bed when we are there.
He loves to curl up on my desk or lap while I work. So I use private beds to keep him happy.
Jericho’s favorite cat beds
Organic cotton sleeping bag
- Made in the US
- Organic cotton
- Super soft
- Washable
- Great for travel
Buy the organic sleeping bag on Etsy.
Cat bed and cave
- 2 in 1 bed
- Collapses for open style bed
- Great for a modern look
- Washable
- Soft
Buy the 2-in-1 bed on Chewy and Amazon.
2. Set up comfy hiding spots for your cat
Cats hide a lot in the wild to keep themselves safe.
Hiding spots help indoor cats feel safe when thereβs a storm, loud neighbors moving in, or when he just wants to get away.
Even though cats arenβt dodging cars and potentially dangerous strangers in your home, they still need places to hide.
This is why cats love curling up in the tiniest boxes.
Hiding spot ideas:
- Enclosed beds
- Huts in cat condos
- Boxes
- Empty drawers
- Cabinets
- Cat tunnels
If you notice your cat frequents a hiding spot, try making it more comfortable. Add a blanket, a few cat toys, healthy treats, or some organic catnip.
This will help establish the hiding spot as your cat’s territory.
Providing multiple comfortable hiding spots will make your cat happy indoors.
3. Your cat needs scratching areas
Wild cats catch and kill their prey. They rely on their claws to grab and hold. Sharp claws are a must.
Imagine trying to cut a steak with a butter knife. Youβd be there all day.
Indoor cats still have the urge to scratch and sharpen their claws. Scratching is also a stress reliever.
Offer proper cat-friendly places to scratch.
This will save your furniture and rugs.
Benefits of scratching:
- Sheds dead layers of claws
- Stretching exercise
- Cats mark their territory
- Stress reliever
Trees are natural scratching posts so we need to replicate that as best we can indoors.
Jericho’s favorite scratching surfaces
Cat Ladder
- Handmade to order in the US
- Customizable size, stain, and carpet color
- Provides scratching, resting, perching, climbing
- Doesn’t take up a lot of floor space
Buy the Cat Ladder on Etsy.
Purrfect Post
- Handmade to order in the US
- Multiple size, stain, and fabric color options
- Super sturdy wood base
- Softer on paws than sisal rope and doesn’t fray
Buy Purrfect Post on their website.
Trixie scratching post
- Tall
- Top platform doubles as a resting area
- Soft plush
- Note: I’ve had this one since 2017 and have replaced the sisal rope twice. Instead of replacing the sisal rope again, I upcycled with a rug.
This is a budget-friendly option. You will have to replace the sisal frequently. But it’s better than no scratching post.
Buy the Trixie post on Chewy and Amazon.
Turboscratcher pad
- Cats love cardboard
- Doubles as a toy
- Replacement pads available
- Note: I have to replace the pad every 6 months or so.
Buy the Turbo scratcher on Chewy and Amazon.
Check out Tuft + Paw for modern cat furniture options.
Scratching is a natural stress relief for cats. Provide multiple scratching options to make your cat happy indoors.
Never declaw your cat.
This is a serious amputation of the toe, not just the nail.
Even declawed cats have the urge to scratch.
So now think of how unsatisfying and stressful it is for them when they can’t scratch.
4. Cats love high spots
High spots allow cats to watch over their territory safely.
Cats feel safe and in control when they can watch over their territory up high.
Wild cats can climb trees or hop on the top of a truck to get a nice view of their personal space.
These instincts are ingrained in our domesticated cats.
Even if your cat has lived indoors her whole life. So we have to give access to these high spots indoors.
Jericho’s favorite cat trees
Cat Ladder – yes it’s worth mentioning again
- Made in the US
- Natural wood and carpet
- Different sizes, wood finishes, and carpet colors available
- Put up against the window, wall, or furniture
- Scratching, climbing, perching, and resting all in one
- Best purchase I’ve ever made
Buy Cat Ladder on Etsy.
Cat tower condo
- Tall
- Soft plush
- Multiple scratching areas
- Huts for napping
Buy the cat tower on Chewy and Amazon.
5. Your cat needs to climb
Climbing is great for exercise. Cats can climb to get to their high spots too.
Jericho loves to run up and down his cat condos. He naps on the high perches quite frequently too.
This is why cats love to jump up on counters.
Cats enjoy climbing and being up high.
Napping up high helps cats feel safe too.
DIY climbing condo:
- 3-tier wire shelves
- Stackable wire shelves
- Cardboard box pieces to line shelves
- Ripple Rug bottom only
- Cotton bed
- Organic catnip
Tip: Put your condos and trees next to your window.
Bringing us to our next indoor happiness essential…
Need a centralized place to keep track of everything related to your cat? Grab my Cat Care Binder Bundle!
6. Cats are happy with window watching
The window provides endless entertainment for your cat.
Cats enjoy watching their territory. They like to see what else is going on too.
Cats are curious by nature. They want to know what’s going on beyond their territory.
Letting your cat look out the window is probably the best way to make your cat happy indoors. Even if your view isn’t great.
Jericho runs up his condos to his window perch whenever he hears a motorcycle or sirens outside. Heβs so nosey.
He also loves to watch birds flying around the area. One time we were sleeping in bed and Jericho heard a bird outside.
He jumped out of his slumber and ran across mine and my partner’s pillow straight to the window. Even though the blinds were closed, he still wanted that bird.
Jericho also uses his window perch to take naps in the warm sun.
Window perch
- Memory foam and soft washable cover
- No power tools required
- Placed on the window for added entertainment
- Doesn’t take up floor space
- Note: measure your windowsill before buying
Buy the window perch on Chewy and Amazon.
7. Play with your cat daily
Cats require mental stimulation and exercise daily. Indoor cats don’t hunt.
So playtime provides exercise and stimulation indoors.
You need to have lots of cat toys to make your cat happy indoors.
Cats get bored easily so keep a few toys out on rotation.
Jericho’s favorite toys
Rabbit fur toys
- Safe for cats to chew
- Natural soft material that attracts cats immediately
- Simulates the hunting experience
Buy the rabbit fur toys on Etsy.
Matatabi sticks
- Catnip alternative that attracts more cats
- Safe for cats to chew
- Fun to chase and jump to catch
Buy the Matatabi sticks on Etsy.
Kitty Whip wand toy
- Handmade in the US
- Reclaimed wood and cotton
- Mimics prey tails
Buy Kitty Whip on Etsy.
I’ve found the best cat toys are on Etsy.
But you can also shop my top picks on Amazon:
8. Cat tunnels encourage happy playing
A lot of cat tunnels have strings or toy balls hanging inside them.
This makes it easier for cats to play and learn how to use it.
Cats love running through tunnels because they make a crinkle sound.
You can connect tunnels to beds or condos. Or you can get a few tunnels and connect them.
Tunnels encourage running and also double as hiding spots.
Jericho’s tunnel
PAWZ Road tunnel
- Durable and easy to store
- Crinkle sound entices running
- Longest and widest tunnel I’ve come across
- Cute print
Buy PAWZ Road tunnel on Amazon.
9. Air purifiers keep your cat’s air clean
Clean air is very important for cats (and for you too).
Cats spend a lot of their time close to the floor. This is where dust and dirt fly around.
Even if you clean regularly, dust exists and itβs microscopic.
So, itβs good to have a filtration system to keep your breathing air fresh.
10. Feed your cat healthy food
We are what we eat.
And unfortunately, commercial cat food is not what it seems.
Commercial cat food is overly heated and processed. It’s the exact opposite of the cat’s natural diet.
Cats cannot survive and thrive eating dry food only.
Think about it like this…
Would your doctor ever recommend that you eat a dry, processed diet? And only that?
Jericho’s diet
Hare Today
- 15+ different proteins to choose from
- Grinds, freeze-dried, whole pieces, treats, and whole prey
- USDA and FDA inspected
- Sourced from local farms and some human production facilities
- Nutritional supplements available
Easy homemade cat food: buy meat, bones, and organs chubs. Plus nutritional supplements Alnutrin for meat and bone and fish oil.
Buy everything you need on Hare Today. Create an account and earn discount points on purchases.
Tip: Check out my homemade cat food guide for help putting it all together.
Check out cat food reviews for more options. The reviews list includes 100+ records of all types of food available inside and outside the US.
Cats are sensitive to food changes! Please use my free cat food transition guide.
11. A clean litter box makes a happy cat
Cats prefer and deserve a clean bathroom. Just like you!
Cats are clean creatures with a strong sense of smell.
You’re happy when your bathroom is clean, right?
If you had to dig and step around pee and poo to get to the toilet, you’d be upset, right?
Buy my litter box supplies on Amazon:
Scoop every time your cat goes. Clean out the box completely once weekly.
Check my 5 mins/week litter box routine.
A clean litter box keeps your cat happy and healthy.
12. Spend quality time with your cat
We should spend quality time with our cats. Studies show cats prefer human interaction to other stimuli.
Spending time with cats is good for our health and happiness too.
Cats prefer human interaction to play, food, and other stimuli.
Benefits of quality time:
- Cat purrs lower our risk of heart disease
- Less stress for both of you
- Paying attention to behavioral changes can help detect health issues sooner
- Increases bonding experience
Spending quality time with your cat benefits both of you. Here are 29 activity ideas you can do with your cat.
Final thoughts on how to make your cat happy indoors
These are essentials that you must have to make your cat happy indoors.
Use healthy treats, toys, and catnip to get your cat used to new stuff. It’s best to have multiple options since cats are finicky.
Keep your cat’s natural instincts in mind.
Paying attention to your cat and his needs will make your cat happy indoors.
Need a centralized place to keep track of everything related to your cat? Grab my Cat Care Binder Bundle!
