Five indoor games for a bored cat

Indoor cats sleep a lot, but they still need to hunt. A bored cat finds its own games, usually at 4 am and usually involving your feet.

1. The wand chase

Move a feather wand like prey: hide it behind furniture, let it twitch, then dash away. Let your cat catch it at the end of each round.

2. Treat puzzles

A puzzle box turns dinner into a job. Start with the easiest setting so your cat wins early.

3. The cardboard box

Cut a few paw-sized holes in a box and drop a toy inside. That is the whole game, and it works.

4. Hide and seek with treats

Put a few treats around the room while your cat watches, then a few while they do not.

5. Window time

A perch by a window with a view of birds is free entertainment for hours. It counts as play.

Two short sessions a day, ideally before meals, are better than one long one. End each session with a catch and a snack, the way a real hunt ends.