How can one 'thing' make all the difference?

One solitary log

One of our main focuses for the cats right now is, "how do we make it better?".

To be honest, I don't think that focus will ever disappear, even as we move onto prioritising other areas for development. The cats all enjoy living with us and their space which we work on every day for them. So how can one 'thing' make all the difference?

Well, we could construct the most amazing enclosure filled with everything we can possibly imagine for them as part of their enrichment but, just like humans, they'll get bored.

Pictured above is a solitary log, one which we were going to use for something - and probably still will. It was lying in the pile of the 'do-something-for-the cats-with-this-stuff-pile' at the side of the garage. This log was placed up on the high-level section for the cats when I was in cleaning yesterday.

Cats get used to their environment very quickly. You can watch them looking around, taking in everything within proximity. My cats got comfortable with their surroundings and then someone came along and placed a LOG (what could this thing be!?) on the high-level section!? (What the!?)

They loved it! They were all right up there sniffing, touching, rubbing, some were cautiously approaching and the serval smacked it to make sure it was dead! A log. One solitary log.

I made a difference to those cats yesterday because I placed one item that was a 'hold on that wasn't here a moment ago' large intruder into that carefully mapped environment which they had come to know. This brings stimulation. It enriches their lives as they can explore and demostrate that enquisitive nature that they hold.

So my point is, sometimes the enclosures do not need to be 'perfect' or 'perfectly equipped with every possible kind of enrichment'. It is more important to continually work with their nature, give them something new, put food inside places that they can't easily access (this is why we love having a pallet in the enclosures to throw chicks inbetween!), put in a cardboard box with something sprayed onto it so they can explore it. New is the key.

Something new. Just one simple thing....can make all the difference.

Sincerely,
Kayleigh M-L
Stylisticat UK

TIP: Keep a note pad nearby so that you can jot ideas down that you get for your cats. Sometimes they come at crazy moments - like doing the laundry!

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