Keep your indoor cat entertained all day!

Explore a range of creative and budget-friendly ways to keep your indoor cat entertained while also helping them burn off energy. Each activity is rated on the Feline Fatigue Scale, indicating to you which activities will have your pal huffin’ and puffin’ or just a little tired. Whether you’re looking for something that requires minimal effort, don’t mind putting in a bit of work, or are up for a more involved activity, this guide offers options that are all either free or very cheap. Don’t forget to check out our related posts for even more DIY treat puzzles and other engaging ideas!

High-Involvement Play (Get ready to join the fun)

• “String”
  This is by FAR Cheddar’s favorite game. You can make it as involved or not involved as you want. Changing up what kind of string you use is a major hack here. I’ll use yarn, twin, shoelaces, those elasticy strings that fall out of sweatshirt hood holes (they love these ones), ribbon, etc. They will get bored if I just use the same type of string over and over again. Cheddar will even sit there refusing to play until I grab his preferred string of choice (anything for my prince). Here are the different ways we play this one with cheddar, in order of his faves:
  • Chase: Run around the house with the string tossing it onto their cat tower, onto the bed, etc. making him chase me around with it. He goes craaazy for this
  • Cat acrobatics: stand still and move the string around in a way that he has to jump to catch it. Tbh this one depends on his mood and the quality of string I use. He used to be jumpin’ for dollas anytime I did this but now he’s pickier and only jumps when he’s after his fave string
  • Slow pull: slowly pull the string towards you and watch their pupils dilate as they go into hunt mode. Cheddar loves this one and it’s great cause you can do it from the couch while you’re watching TV
• Fetch
  Toss your cats toy on top of their cat tower or across the room. Sometimes they’ll bring it back to you (if you train them or you’re blessed with a naturally talented feline such as cheddar). Sometimes I’ll just stand there with a basket of toys, toss one across the room, ring a bell toy so they come back, then throw the next toy/paper pall. If I use a string though and toss it on top of the cat tower, Cheddar will actually go up and bring it back town.
• Explore New Areas
  Introducing your cat to new areas of your home can spark curiosity. Try showing them places like:
  • Apartment Hallway
  • Top of the Fridge
  • Closet Shelf
  • Safe Outdoor Spaces (on a leash or in a catio, of course!)

• Hair Tie Fun
  Hair ties are an instant cat favorite. Toss one on the floor and watch them bat it around. You can also try Hair Tie Paw Ring Toss, where you toss the tie for them to catch or bat. Make sure you don’t leave the hair tie with your cat after you’re done playing – they might try to eat it!
• Nerf Gun
  Use a Nerf gun to launch small foam darts for your cat to chase. It’s fast-paced and provides good exercise for both of you! If you can train your cat to bring them back to you then this isn’t as much effort, but Mochi and Cheddar definitely haven’t learned this trick yet. Make sure your cats don’t try to eat the bullets!

Medium-Involvement Play (A little effort required)

• Catch Them a Fly or a Bug
  My boyfriend this this is weird but I DON’T CARE because my prince and princess LOOOOVE it. If there is an annoying fly, mosquito, or (ideally) moth, capture it in a clear plastic cup or bowl and let your cats take it from there.
• Forts
  Cats love hiding and exploring new spaces. Build them a fort using blankets and pillows, or set up cardboard boxes for them to crawl through. If you create a fort on your couch or using cardboard boxes, try to mix up the fort to create a new experience for your cats. I will take several cardboard boxes, cut holes in them for the cats to walk through, sometimes I might add in a chair or a cat tunnel toy, then I’ll cover all of that with a blanket. I’ll rearrange the order of the boxes once they’re bored of it and it’s like a while new fort!

• Treat Puzzles
  Hide treats inside puzzle toys to give your cat some mental stimulation. This can occupy them for a long time as they work to retrieve the rewards. Check out our dedicated post on treat puzzles for some great suggestions.
• Combining Toys
  Try combining different toys to create a new play experience. For example, wrap a string toy around a crinkle ball or tie a feather to a rolling toy to see how your cat reacts to the new combination.
  • The cats hadn’t been playing with their auto ball toy as much or with their cat tunnel as much, but the second I combined those two, they went crazy!
  • cat tunnel combined with a fort or a blanket
• Turning Toys Upside Down or Into a New Position
  Sometimes, simply flipping a toy can make it seem new again. Cats are naturally curious, and they’ll investigate anything that looks different or moves unexpectedly.
  • For example, instead of just giving your cat the floppy fish like you normally would, put it under a towel or a blanket and watch your cats go nuts for it.
  • Mochi and Cheddar were getting bored of their ball track toy, but the second I turned it upside down it seemed like it became a brand new toy.
  • I didn’t think the cats could get any more entertainment from this rotating feather toy, but the second I put it up on a stool to switch it up they went craaazy for it
• Toy Rotating
  Switch up your cat’s toys on a regular basis. Keep a few in storage, and rotate them out every week to keep things fresh.

Low-Involvement Entertainment (Set it and forget it)

• Bathtub full of ice
• Toys in the bathtub
• Bird TV
  • A great way to keep your cat occupied while you do your own thing. Simply find a YouTube video featuring birds or squirrels, and let your cat watch the action unfold. Bonus points if you have a window setup with real birds!
• Paper bags
  • The key here is to use a nice crinkly paper bag. Mochi and cheddar aren’t too interested in the stiffer paper bags, but something with some crinkle to it? Oh cheddar eats that up
• Cat Grass
  Set out a small pot of cat grass for your feline to chew on and explore. The texture and smell are great for keeping them intrigued.
• Water Bowl with Floating Toys or treats
  Fill a bowl with water and toss in some floating toys or paper balls. Cats love pawing at things in water, and this can keep them entertained for a good while. Make sure the water isn’t in too big of a vessel that your cat could decide to go for a swim.
• Paper or Foil Balls
  Crumple up a small piece of paper or foil and toss it around the room. Cats love the crinkling sound and erratic movement, making this a simple but engaging activity.
• Hamper Play
  Tip a laundry hamper on its side and let your cat investigate inside. Cats love new hiding spots and sniffing your clothes, especially if you’ve just worn them.

By mixing up low- and high-involvement activities, you can keep your indoor cat mentally and physically stimulated, creating a happier and healthier feline. These are great to combine with DIY treat puzzle ideas to keep your cat in shape!