If you have been reading this blog over the past seven years, then you already know that I am a total cat person (don’t tell the dog!) We rescued our current cat, Jinxy, two years ago. She is a total character, and I couldn’t imagine not having her add laughter to our day. Because she is so loved, we go out of our way to pamper her with every indulgence that you can think of—like her favorite Friskies® cat food! Today, I want to share with you five ways you can spoil your indoor cat with love, too!
Fine Dining, Cat Style
Jinxy LOVES her wet cat food. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever had a cat that didn’t love it. She not-so-patiently waits for her nightly meal every evening. In fact, if I’m not timely, she positions herself like this right smack dab in the middle of the kitchen for a subtle hint!
I love giving her a nightly meal of wet cat food. I alternate between Fancy Feast®, Friskies, and Purina® One varieties. She likes them all, but her very favorites are the Friskies pate flavors; you should see her attack her plate when those are on the menu! I feel good about giving her something she loves so much because I know it provides high protein for lean muscle and complete nutrition for her. It also provides hydration. Did you know that many cats don’t get enough water? Adding wet cat food to your cat’s diet is a great way to help them stay hydrated!
Give Your Cat a View
Purchase a cat window hammock or position a scratching post under a window to give your cat a view of the outdoors. Jinxy has a suction cup hammock that attaches to the window of my office. She has a great view of the backyard and a bird feeder I positioned outside the window. She spends the days with me here. As I work at my desk, she chatters at the birds and squirrels and is happy as can be!
Groom Your Cat
Did you know that cats engage in mutual grooming to express comfort and companionship? So if your kitty gives you a little lick, it’s their way of showing love! Return the favor by giving your cat a nice brushing every now and then. Not only will it help reduce any excess shedding but it’s an easy way to show your cat how much you love them! (And yes, Jinxy often sits on the couch like the picture above. I told you she’s a riot!)
Bring the Outdoors In
It’s no secret that most cats love getting into houseplants! We remedy that problem and indulge our kitty by keeping a little planter of cat grass and catnip just for her. See this post on making a DIY Cat Water Bowl Planter!
She loves to chomp on it and get her greens while I enjoy that it discourages her from doing the same on the rest of my plants!
Bring on the Toys!
Providing your indoor cat with lots of toys helps keep them active and fit. Whether it’s a laser pointer, feather toy, or jingling balls, anything that your cat finds engaging will help them to get moving. Jinxy’s favorite toys are crinkle balls; she goes crazy over them, so we always keep extras on hand!
Do you pamper your kitty with any of these fun toys or keep her happily healthy with wet food?
You might also like this post on how to get rid of litter box smell.
What are some of the best wet food choices?
I don’t recommend anyone feed junk food like friskies or fancy feast. Both are full of carbohydrates, animal by-products (which can legally be made up of things like beaks, feathers, tendons, rotting meat, even diseased meat), chemicals, and other fillers. It’s kind of like a person eating a Big Mac everyday.
I strongly encourage all cat owners to read labels and stick to a grain-free by-product free diet (or even raw food, if you can swing it). Yes, it’s more expensive in the short term, but is better for your cat in the long term.
Hi! So I actually am a studying vet tech,
So the only problem with trying to make your own cat food , ESPECIALLY when using internet recipes, is that you will never give your pet what they actually need( vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc)
Even with the help of a nutritionist it would be pretty impossible to create a full effective diet and have it be a reasonable expense.
So while a lot of people have an issue with buying big names brands, it’s actually healthier than buying a boutique type food.
While there are not many standards on what companies have to do with their food, pet owners talk. If a business was truly making animals sick, it would probably go out of business pretty quick.
If you really aren’t sure what to feed your pets, Hill Science, Royal Canin, and Purina all have full time Veterinarian nutritionist on staff.
Purina One and True instinct is a good fairly resonable food.
But the most important thing to know about feeding your cat, is just feed them something they like.
Cats can be extremely picky eaters, and especially once they get older, they can have a hard time if you suddenly start switching their foods on them.
It doesn’t really matter what you feed them as much with name brands, just watch your cat and how they react towards to and in general health wise.
You know your pets, so just make sure they are still acting like themselves.
I am owned by two wonderful girls, a tuxedo, named Freeway, and a tabby/ calico mix, named George. They both adore Temptations treats, catnip, laser pointers, and, like me, they enjoy the little things. Freeway loves to play a game called ‘got your tail’, which is where she will walk under my hand and when her tail reaches my hand, I would very gently grasp her tail and say ‘got your tail’! She adores it, and will play along all day. Now George is a big lap lover. We have a stuffed chair for me to sit down on, and the second my bottom hits the cushion, my lap is taken over by George!
Now as for tuna fish prepared for humans should NEVER be given to cats to eat, because of the level of magnesium in it can be deadly to cats. Squeakers, who chose my husband and I for his humans, had a great fondness for tuna, and the next thing I knew, he had a blocked bladder due to the magnesium, which crystallized and nearly shreaded up his urethra. The next time that happened, we found out what happened to him, and he had to have (what the vet so charmingly described it as!) a sex change operation, where they rerouted his urethra to excise the damaged tissue. Now, fish prepared for cats are fine.
Wonderful and sweet ideas! Thanks so much for posting this. ?
You’re very welcome, I’m sitting next to my spoiled little cat right now, she’s in her window perch!
Hi everyone,
I love that indoor cats are getting so much love. I have two, twin brothers, Pico and Lolo. 3 years ago Lolo was diagnosed with diabetes. He was walking on his hocks, not jumping, and had glaucoma. I was told he’d never walk again. I was told to feed him this very expensive prescription food. I was DEVASTATED I missed what was happening. I researched feline diabetes but more so….the cat food industry. I’m appalled at what is sold to us, passed off as consumable food to our pets who most of us consider family. Our cats don’t need dry food, and they don’t need vegetables in their diet. I will ONLY feed my cats Tiki wet food. Lolo is walking and running and jumping as if he was never diagnosed with diabetes. I DO NOT HAVE ANY AFFILIATION WITH TIKI, wish I did and could get a discount! Ps If you tell your cat he “caught” the light (red laser, we cal, ours The Bug), and reward him with a piece of freeze dried chicken…then his hunt has provided a reward.
My cat is weird. He will not touch wet cat food of any kind. He also does not eat “people food,” with one exception. Heloves canned tuna. I don’t. He also loves to sit on the window ledge and watch whatever activity is going on outside, and he loves to cuddle. He chews up my artificial plants (including the Christmas garland), but leaves my growing herbs alone. He loves to be “up,” on top of shelves, doors (yes, I do mean normal doors), and chairs, but as far as I know, he never gets on the kitchen cabinets. He is my big, beautiful baby kitten. He is 17 pounds of glossy, sleek black fur. I love my Sir Mortimer, Lord of Allhesurveys!
Isn’t funny how they have their own unique personalities, I love the name too! Thanks for taking the time to comment, ~Melissa
I think we own the same cat!
I think getting them a really large cat tree / scratching post would be a great idea!!
I have recently purchased a used ladder to redo into a cat tree for my 3girls . I know I will have to put a couple hammocks on it,a basket and I may hang a doll cradle I got in a yard sale for$2, My cats seem to like to be in something up high to peer out of as well as jump into as they race through the house. With keeping the cost down I can afford to create several of these to take advantage of the changing daylight.
Great idea Pamela!
Laser pointers frustrate cats. No reward for their hunt.
good point Gwen, I had not thought of it that way, thanks for sharing ~Melissa