my cay is a inside cat and i wanted to know if any one can tell what most inside cats need
eg , toys plants
it will be great if you can help me

Is your cat alone most of the day? When you´re home she´ll probably enjoy you playing with her. When I go out, Sophie has a radio playing so she has music or voices to keep her company. She has cat trees to climb and scratch on and see out the windows from. She has a couple of stationary toys to play with (balls and mice that run in plastic tracks). She has a basket of toys (rolly balls, rattly mice, etc) that she can dig through. She has a couple of boxes to sit in, mats to sit on, several things to scratch. My friends all say that my place is actually a playroom for my cat that she lets me share (but Sophie´s the one who has to spend 24 hours a day here, so I don´t mind). The best thing you can do is make sure your kitty has enough toys or activities and things to scratch and climb on to keep her from being bored when you aren´t there.

Make sure you keep a window open for him/her to see outside. Even if they don´t go outside (my cat´s afraid of doing so), they often like to look that way.

Michy had some really good suggestions. Also, make sure they have a toy they LIKE. You might have to try out a few before they discover the one for them, but just having a toy doesn´t always cut it. They have to like it, otherwise they´re still bored.

dawson has kind of grown out of toys so its really hard to keed him happy he has other cats that come in some times but they don´t like him what kind of plants do you keep inside for cats

I don´t know if there are really too many plants you can keep for cats that they won´t destroy. You could try getting some cat grass for them to munch on, but it won´t last long. As Tiffany is a bit older she doesn´t really like to play. She just lounges around, sleeps and eats. Sophie and Mercedes LOVE little rattle mice, and they will play with them on their own but they like it a lot better when I throw the mouse for them to chase. I have yet to find a toy that they can enjoy on their own

Mugger seems to not play with his toys when he´s alone, although he does play with some of my things... like the toilet paper. I could hide it on him, and I do hide most of it, but I always leave a roll on the roller - for him to play with if he feels the need. Mostly I think he sleeps or looks out the window.

thanks very much. I have another question and that is dose anyone have a cat run if so dose you cat enjoy it

Hi
I have a cat run, and they do love it. I have made shelves on the wall so they can go up and see what´s happening. A place for them to be in the sun and also I have some of their litter boxes there as well. For 3 years I only allowed them the cat run - then I have covered and hopefully made my tiny yard/garden safe and now allow them to go out there during the day. Not during the night. But I always hope and Pray that they will not find a way to escape.
They cannot escape from the cat-run. If you can do that for your cat - then do so.

I HATE leaving Zvonek at home but there is not much I can do as I have to work. I do leave the radio on for him and a lamp if I have to go out at night. I have cat nets on my windows so I can leave at least one window open for him. He has his cat tower by the one window so he can look out and his stool and cushion is by the other window for the same reason. He has a few toys out to play with but seems to prefer my hessin bag which is now his.

I have 2 cats. Although they are completely indoor cats, but they can play with each other, and occasionally I suspect they gang up on my dog... Anyway, sometimes we´d leave some stringy toys on the floor for them to find and play with or if they get really bored, there are always boxes for them to chew on.

Wolfie - I had a foster cat (lovely, sleek black male named Panther) that loved toilet paper - especially when I put a fresh roll on. I came home from work one day to find an ENTIRE roll of paper shredded and all over the bathroom floor. Muggers´ distant cousin? I had to resort to balancing a small dixie cup of water on the toilet roll to discourage him (which worked fine until I forgot it was there in the middle of the night).

Seeing as cats are diurnal (most active at dawn and dusk) and seeing as they can sleep up to 18-20 hours out of 24, I have learned not to feel too bad about leaving Sophie to her own devices when I´m working. She has a radio and enough toys and activities to amuse herself and I spend plenty of one on one time with her when I´m home. If she were more active, or enjoyed the company I´d have a permanent kitty companion for her. I´d love to have a run for her to play in out of doors, but from the 3rd floor of an apartment...not so easy. For now, she seems a contented kitty.

To koolkat, re: indoor cat
Ditto what MichyD said. Also, cats do well being alone,
unlike most dogs. Most cats don´t experience
separation anxiety. Cat proof your home as you would
child-proof it. As a rule, unless you throughly research plants
as being non-poisonous, do not leave plants where cats can
reach them. Cats tend to sleep when there is little disturbance
in the home, so that will take up a goodly part of the day. 5 minutes
of undivided attention when you get home is all it really takes to
make a cat feel loved and cherished. Of course, we do endulge them
a lap sit or a cuddle on the couch later. The first one is for them,
the second one is for us. I think they know that, too.

In my opinion, your cat needs a room well to him so that he can rest there and not to be to disturb (need for intimacy) and to put at it : a basket, toys, grass for cat, a cat tree to avoid the damage ! It will be used for to griffoir, game, observation post and even of hiding-place if this one is rather large.
How you are also a good playmate !

Merlin sleeps an awful lot. I guess he likes looking out the window at the birds and eating a lot cos the food is always gone when I get back in. He is happy enough and greets Jules for a game when he comes in. Sometimes Jules brings a present in from the garden and Merlin will play with that for a while

I also bring some grass in for Tegan as it is good for her. A few catnip toys, scratch post...or a log as I use....balls are great or rolled up foil...the cat chases it round the floor and get excersise. A warm jumper to snuggle and of course string that you play with the cat with.

I don´t mind if Mugger shreds the toilet paper - toilet paper is cheap, and he gets such a thrill out of it. Plus, I know that he´s getting exercise when he´s "running" on the roll - so that´s good, too.

But I never leave a light on or a radio when I´m at work - I never even though of it. I mean, cats can see much better in the dark than we can, plus the way my apartment is situated, there´s a street light which keeps the place from being totally dark when I´m out working (I work at night). What would the purpose of leaving a radio on be? Does it make the cat happier? Because I could definitely do that if it´s a good thing.

Hey Wolfie, I´ve read in several sources that leaving a radio on is soothing for a cat and keeps them company when they´re alone. Being able to hear music or people´s voices (as in talk radio) has been known to reduce or eliminate separation anxiety. Cats with separation anxiety might vocalize excessively (neighbours would have to report on that one), engage in destructive behaviours or relieve themselves somewhere other than the litterbox. I had a kitten once who would sit at my apartment door and cry - I didn´t know that until I came home from work and found that a kindly neighbour had shoved a handful of cat treats and a note that she felt sorry for him through my mail slot. Obviously not all cats do that sort of thing, but I figure leaving a radio on for them couldn´t possibly hurt. Couldn´t recommend classical versus pop though - that might depend on the cat. I suspect Mugger might be a classic rock kind of kitty (or even heavy metal - next time you play Metallica, see if he plays the air guitar)

Mugger hasn´t ever demonstrated any of the behaviors associated with separation anxiety in cats. I´ve asked the neighbors if they can hear any yowling when I´m gone, and only one of them reported that sometimes he can hear Mugger playing - running around and such - but no crying.

thanks

Sophie doesn´t show any signs of separation anxiety either - unless I´ve been gone longer than my usual work day. Then she meets me at the door and scolds me a bit. But I figure even if the radio isn´t necessary to relieve anxiety, at least it keeps her company. Behaviourists tend to agree that pets find it soothing.