My impending arrival will be the first cat I ever intend to have as an indoor cat. This is all new to me.

Does anybody have any advice at all? Anything to do with ways to entertain them, things to be aware of, how do you deal with summer time open windows etc?

Anything at all which may be helpful, any practical tips please send them my way.

Thanks in advance

__________________

Put anything valuable up high so they can't get at them, fly screens for all window's are fab!

__________________


Made by smudge2009
Gloworm - Run free little man. 23.05.2011-06.09.2011

Have a variety of toys and rotate them so they don't get bored. Try to get them interested in activity toys, so they don't put on too much weight, be prepared to brush a lot of fur!

Possibly, if your cat really doesn't want to be indoors all the time- look into cat harnesses.

Bring in things from outdoors for them to smell and play with. Have activity centres on different levels so they can climb and jump (and hopefully not wreck the furniture!)

__________________

Is she/he going to be your only cat? I think mine would struggle if they didnt have cat interation. We have the windows open but not enough for them to get out, things that can recreate hunting are good, mine love the lazer toys.

__________________


gsds (Henrick and Bella), the cats (Syd, Lilly, Elvis and Dizzy), the gerbils (Honey, Lisa, crusty, Millhouse, Flanders, Bart and Homer), the rats (Valentine, Flower, Petal, Blossom, Koda, Cava, George), the mice (Minnie, Pop, Seudag, Caraid, Silver, Trouble, Athena, Pandora, Aphrodite, Meep, and Springtime)

Windows - invest in/make window screens, they will save your life!

I made my own, there's a thread on it here -Home Made Window Screen

lots of places to climb, play, scratch and hide - at least one decent sized cat tree for the climbing, even if just a tall skinny one in corner to minimise space

__________________

That is a good point, My Tig was an only cat for two years and was quite alright, BUT she is quite a cool customer, and doesn't feed on attention- IF I had had Dallie first I think I wouldn't have had any other choice but to get another cat- Dallie craves, adores, and lives off of interaction with others. She's even starting to bother the dogs a little, sniffing them, doing some play behaviour at Ambam- but she mostly hangs out with Tig, or on mine or my OH's lap. I think she would suffer as an only cat, and especially as an only pet.

Also YES! laser pointers are brilliant!

__________________

Lots of toys, anything breakable hidden away, lots of cozy places to sleep, a good cat tree, orange cubes, laser point, catit track, a window cill clear of clutter so they can see what's going on outside


As for the windows, I have Flatcats on all my windows, they seem to work very well

Window protection for cats - Open your windows without endangering your cat

__________________

Have you thought of a cat run in the garden for them?
Mai Tai likes to go out on her harness but Rosie is quite happy to be an indoor cat. Things like the Catit circuit type of toy are good as they can play with these by themselves. Dangler/fishing rod type of toys are good for leaping and catching games. A good climbing/scratching tree is pretty much essential.
Cats and kittens do sleep an awful lot of the time though
My girls usually have a mad hour around 9 -10 pm when they chase each other around the house, across the backs of sofas, on the tv, across the mantle -piece and up and downstairs

__________________

How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

Sometimes two litter trays are needed as when I had my mother cat she decided where she wanted to pee e.g. in the bathroom and by the front door.
When she had Snoopy (wherever you are come home!) she used to pee on the door mats.
Scratchy posts are great but my Snoopy loves the linen baskets so I found that having Dukes dog toys in one in the living room helped stop her from scratching the carpet.
Unfortunately if a cat wants to go out it will eventually find a way.
Poppy escaped when we were on holiday and came back pregnant and she now only ever goes in the garden if it's summer and we are out there.
Snoopy used to like sitting on the wall and smacking the neighbours cat's bottom and then she's been in by the dog but unfortunately she has gone missing so do be aware it's in a cats nature to be outside

I will do everything I can not to let him get out. I don't think he will have the common sense for the big wide world.

__________________