Do cats get bored? Signs of cat boredom

Rainy Sundays trapped inside. Running out of things to watch on Netflix. And particularly long video calls that could definitely have been an email. We all know what it feels like to be bored. And cats are no different. If left without good mental stimulation for too long, your cat can feel bored. 

Read on to learn all about cat boredom. And how to stop them from knocking everything off of every shelf in your house. 

Yep. Just like humans who feel bored if they go for too long without anything fun to do, cats get bored when they don’t have enough mental stimulation. 

Cats are pretty intelligent animals. So they can feel bored if they’re understimulated for too long. It could be because of a number of different reasons. Including:

• Not enough social interaction.

• Not enough exercise.

• Not being able to use their hunting instincts.

• Not having enough opportunity to explore. 

Indoor cats are more likely to feel bored if they’re not able to hunt and explore. If your cat isn’t given much opportunity to use their hunting instincts, or if they’re left alone for long periods in the day, they might end up feeling bored. 

Unfortunately for our belongings, and their health, cats can let their boredom out in rather destructive ways. Equally unfortunately, cats are really good at hiding how they’re feeling. Here are some symptoms of boredom to keep an eye out for. 

Things like over-grooming themselves, going off their food, and taking it out on the sofa are all anxious behaviours. If your cat is suddenly acting anxious and you can’t find any reason why, they could just be expressing their boredom. 

Just just us, cats can turn to the food bowl when they’re feeling bored. If your cat has suddenly started eating more, they might not have enough to do. But overeating can also be a symptom of other illnesses. So if you’re concerned, take them to the vet. 

A common sign of boredom can be aggression. They might fight, chase, or just get into trouble with their human or animal siblings. Think of it like negative attention seeking. It’s as if they’re looking for any kind of social interaction with others. And it doesn’t matter what form that attention takes. 

Cats are infamous for causing mischief. And when they’re bored this behaviour ramps up to 11. If you’re spotting your cat pushing more things off shelves than usual, scratching up furniture, and playing with things they shouldn’t, they’re probably just bored. And trying to entertain themselves. Time to break out the toys. 

Despite being known to sleep for a lot of the day, bored cats might actually sleep too much. If you’re finding that they’re sleeping for more than their usual 15 hours a day, it could be due to boredom. But just like a few other symptoms, sleeping too much could be a sign of something wrong. So if you’re worried, take them to the vet.

Banish that boredom by entertaining your cat for at least 10 to 15 minutes every day. 

If you’re anything like us, you can't wait to give your cat a cuddle the moment you get home. Cats love attention. But not all of them are snugglers. Some just like to be in your presence, while others prefer interacting with you through play. However your cat prefers attention, make sure you’re giving them plenty of it.

Letting your cat play is an important part of keeping them happy. It stimulates their hunting instincts. And keeps their brains engaged. You can play with your cat yourself or buy automatic toys, which are usually battery operated and allow you to get on with other things around the house. Learn how to play with your cats and how to exercise your indoor cat to keep them happy. 

You can also offer them foraging or puzzle toys. These are great for mental stimulation. They act as a challenge and reward your cat with their favourite treats. Fill the compartment with some of our Nibbles freeze-dried treats and have fun watching them figure out how to get to the goodies. 

It’s important to note that you should use laser pointers very sparingly. Lasers can just leave cats more frustrated because they can’t catch the little dot of light. If you want to use these types of toys? Make sure you give them something to ‘catch’ like a kicker toy or a soft toy. After all, the ‘murder’ is part of the fun .

Send your cat on a scavenger hunt by hiding treats for them to find. The mental stimulation of finding them will banish any boredom. And it’s a great indoor activity for rainy days. 

As the saying goes: variety is the spice of life. Rotating different flavours of food is a great way to keep your cat entertained. And stave off boredom. Our fresh cat food is available in a wide range of different flavours and two different textures to keep them coming back to the bowl. Not to mention the 100% human-quality meat is a great source of energy to keep them playing, hunting, and knocking over your trinkets all day.