101 things to do with your cat

Although cats are often thought of as low-maintenance pets, they can become irritable if not given enough stimulation. For the sake of your kitty’s health and your family’s overall happiness, this list of 101 fun things to do with cats will get the job done:
 

1. Teach your cat to walk on a leash. It might take some patience on your part, but this is a great way to let your indoor cat safely experience the great outdoors.
2. Take your newly leash-trained cat to the park and explore.
3. Or try out a cat backpack!
4. Trim kitty’s claws. This is considered more humane than declawing and only takes minutes.
5. Throw a birthday party for your cat.
6. Brush your cat’s fur — especially if they have a long coat.
7. Dress your kitty up in a pet costume.
8. Include your cat in family time. Let kitty curl up in your lap while you read to the kids or watch a movie together on the couch.
9. Absorb some culture and listen to classical music with your cat.
10. Take a catnap together and let their purring lull you to sleep.
11. Go bird-watching together.
12. Better yet, mount bird feeders outside a window to provide plenty of indoor bird-watching opportunities.
13. Train kitty to be a good travel companion …
14. … and then take a trip somewhere together.
15. Take a break from your busy day and experience the Zen of staring out a window with your cat.
16. Invite your feline to sit on the porch with you.
17. Spread a blanket in the backyard and soak up some sun.
18. If their temperament’s right, take kitty camping. Just don’t forget the leash!
19. Take your kitty on an RV road trip.
20. Teach them to give a high-five.
21. Use empty boxes and paper bags to build an indoor cat playground.
22. Let them indulge in some catnip — then sit back and enjoy the show.
23. Learn to clicker train your cat and teach kitty some new tricks.
24. Watch “cat TV” together — stare at an aquarium. Don’t have an aquarium? Try an oceanic screen saver.
25. Hide treats or pieces of kibble around the house for your kitty to forage and find.
26. Take your cat to work.
27. Make a simple puzzle by hiding some treats inside a lidless plastic bottle.
28. Plant a pot of wheatgrass for kitty to nibble.
29. Watch some videos for cats on YouTube.
30. Drag a piece of string or yarn around the house for your cat to chase.
31. Blow catnip-flavored bubbles and watch kitty go wild.
32. Repurpose an old T-shirt into a DIY cat tent.
33. Tie feathers to a string or wand and dangle it for some playtime fun.
34. Rub a slice of lunch meat on some old socks and hide them around the house for kitty to track.
35. Know how to crochet? Make a variety of homemade cat toys.
36. You can also make some awesome cat toys from toilet paper rolls.
37. Play pingpong with kitty in an empty bathtub.
38. Pick up a variety of wind-up toys for your cat. Wind them all up and let them go.
39. Tired of scooping the litter box? Try toilet training your cat.
40. Make a wolf tail for kitty to chase.
41. Make a ribbon wand out of washi tape and a dowel rod.
42. Bring the outdoors in — plant a large tray of wheatgrass and place it in a sunny spot for kitty to lounge in.
43. Make an under-furniture cat hammock.
44. Does kitty love to hang out with you while you work? Place a cat-sized box on your desk to keep them off your keyboard.
45. Turn cat bathtime into bonding time.
46. Teach your cat to shake hands.
47. Plant an indoor cat garden.
48. Install some cat-friendly apps on your phone or tablet.
49. Make a do-it-yourself (DIY) cat scratch pad out of cardboard boxes and duct tape.
50. Use a laser pointer to start a game of chase.
51. Play some birdsongs to keep your cat entertained.
52. Make some homemade cat treats.
53. Wad up pieces of aluminum foil for an easy toy your cat will love to bat around.
54. Waggle your fingers over the edge of the furniture and see if you can pull them away before your cat catches them. (You might want to trim kitty’s claws first.)
55. Move your hand under a blanket and watch your cat pounce.
56. Make a no-sew cat bed.
57. Line the bottom of a cat-sized basket or box with corrugated cardboard and place it in a sunny location. Kitty will love being able to scratch and lounge in the same spot.
58. Tape or glue several empty toilet paper rolls together. Hide treats and toys in them to make a fun cat puzzle.
59. Take kitty boating. Once again, don’t forget the leash.
60. Got a koi pond? Wait until winter and then let your cat go ice fishing.
61. Read to your kitty.
62. Sing to your cat, or serenade them with an instrument. Encourage them to sing along.

63. Move a toy under the door and pull it back when kitty dives for it.
64. Play hide-and-seek with a blanket.
65. Play tag and chase each other around the house.
66. Play a piano duet together.
67. Better yet, teach your cat to play the guitar.
68. Build good dental hygiene habits by brushing your kitty’s teeth.
69. If you have wide windowsills, fill one with pillows for sunbathing.
70. Include kitty in a family portrait.
71. Build a DIY cat tower for kitty to climb.
72. Unleash your kitten on a keyboard and see what kinds of crazy typing you get.
73. Move the mouse around your screen and let your cat try to catch it.
74. Mount inexpensive floating shelves to build a cat climbing wall.
75. Use a human-to-cat translator app to hold a conversation with your cat.
76. Let kitty play in a box full of packing peanuts.
77. Spend some quality time watching Nyan Cat together . . .
78. . . . then make a Nyan Cat costume for your cat.
79. Make a tiny hat for your cat.
80. Listen to T.S. Eliot reading his poem, “The Naming of Cats.”
81. Give kitty cat some space to contemplate the thought of the thought of the thought of his name.
82. Mesmerize kitty with a robotic fish.
83. Dress kitty up for Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19.
84. Have a photo shoot with your cat as the star attraction.
85. Make it even better by putting your cat in a wig.
86. Start an Instagram feed for kitty and make them a viral star.
87. Do a resistance workout together.
88. Encourage kitty to exercise with interactive toys.
89. Take your cat for a walk around the house — carry their food as you go and watch them follow.
90. Enroll kitty in agility training.
91. Build a homemade cat ramp for agility practice.
92. Compete in a cat agility tournament.
93. Create a ball pit for your cat by filling a box with pingpong balls.
94. Give your cat a cat-sized exercise wheel.
95. Take kitty to visit a nursing home.
96. Wrap sisal rope around the legs of an IKEA Rast bedside table for a stylish scratching post.
97. Stack several of the Lack tables to make an easy DIY kitty condo.
98. Have multiple cats? Stack Ikea doll beds to make feline bunk beds.
99. Take your kitty to a big box pet store. Let him ogle the mice and parakeets.
100. Reward kitty with a chicken-and-tuna-flavored catsicle.
101. Finally, nothing beats a good, old-fashioned petting session with kitty curled up in your lap.