how do you keep your indoor only cat entertained?

[shais_mom]

I have a bird bath and several bird feeders around outside- and put squirrel food out in front of windows so the cats can enjoy watching the wildlife without hurting it. I know in some communities it is a huge debate/fight with the indoor/outdoor kitties or the feral cat population b/c they hunt the smaller animals and birds. I don't think I have anyone that would be angry about that in my neighborhood. Several people in my neighborhood have indoor/outdoor kitties or outdoor only kitties.
I think what irritates me is that the people that are nasty to me about my dog pooping in their yard (with me in hot pursuit with a poop bag) are the same ones who have I/O or outdoor cats who guess what - think my yard is their litter box or my flower beds (and their grandkids think my yard is a great place to right their bike through. gggrrrr )

So to entertain my indoor only kitties

I don't have very many windows but the ones I do have I try to have stools or carpeted towers at each window where they can watch out the window. I have bird feeders and bird baths situated in front of the windows so they can watch the birds. I dump out squirrel food (mainly so they leave my bird feeders alone - I can't begin to count how many bird feeders they have broken/ruined ) so they can watch them as well.

[Taz_Zoee]

My indoor only kitty is getting up there in age, so he's not as playful as he used to be. But he does like to sit at the sliding glass doors (we have 3 of them) especially if the door is open and he can hear, feel and smell outside through the screen door. He does have a few cat toys, but I have to be careful that Zoee doesn't eat them. She's actually not as bad as DJ was about that.
And then of course we have the exercise track, which we commonly refer to as the hallway. Sometimes Taz likes to run back and forth down the hall. Eventually that ends up with Zoee chasing him though. But honestly, I think he likes it when she chases him. Shhh, don't tell him I said that.

[RICHARD]

I lie on my bed in my undies while I read.

The cat runs around and across my sorry arse. He exercises and has fun hiding in the house, while I bleed and chase him.

[shais_mom]

I lie on my bed in my undies while I read.

The cat runs around and across my sorry arse. He exercises and has fun hiding in the house, while I bleed and chase him.

Gee Richard - I would figger seeing you in your undies would be entertainment enough for Edster!

[jennielynn1970]

I used to have bird feeders hanging from my front porch, and the cats loved to watch the birds, and the squirrels , while they ate. Then I had a grumpy neighbor complain about the birds, and birdseed, and the squirrels as well. I know I'm in the "city", but geez... it's nice to see some wildlife. He kept complaining, and blamed the birdseed for the mice getting into his house (I did offer him a foster cat, lol), but in the end, I took down the birdfeeders. Sigh...

The cats still love to sit at the windows. They watch the people pass by, they watch the kids playing, and watch the squirrels and birds that are now at a distance . Some of them like to play with eachother. Some of them like to play alone. Some just want to not be bothered, and so they keep to themselves.

They do have an abundance of cat toys. Of course the ones they like best are the ones that cost nothing (like the strips that ripped of the milk caps, lol), or they like to play with my blush brushes that fell apart and carry the tops around. My one girl likes to play with my fabric hair bands, which is I guess why I can never find them. Every now and then I find a Christmas ornament they are playing with, and I haven't had a christmas tree up for 2 years . Finae still loves her blue gift bows and carries them around as well. She's so odd. There are feather toys, things suctioned to windows, play cubes, you name it, they have it.

The only one who ever goes outside, and this is only ever on my deck at this point (and he has a flimsy harness and a leash, so I don't really trust it) is Zach. He just loves to lounge on the deck and smell the plants as I'm reading. He's a good boy, and hasn't tried to get off the deck so far, and I'm not going to see if he does. He is forever under my watch, and the leash around my wrist. Last thing I need is him lost in my neighborhood.

[slick]

All I have to do is make my bed, but keep his pillow exposed. He entertains himself by seeking as many ZZZZZs as possible.

[Medusa]

Cat dancer, endless catnip toys and lots of windows in the enclosed patio for them to watch the birds.

[jennielynn1970]

I lie on my bed in my undies while I read.

The cat runs around and across my sorry arse. He exercises and has fun hiding in the house, while I bleed and chase him.

YIKES!!!! TMI!!! What a visual, lol!

[jazzcat]

Any cardboard box big enough for a cat to get in, plastic rings from the milk jug, plastic straws and the occasional moth or fly that mistakenly comes in the house.

[rosethecopycat]

Party Papers

get some tissue paper (from gift wrap section) and put about 20 sheets in a pile.

Great fun, and cheap

[Grace]

We have 2 indoor only and 4 that are in-and-out.

Like Taz_Zoee, we have an exercise track that all of them enjoy. Ours makes a complete circle, and it's fun to watch and see who is chasing whom. We have hardwood floors which makes the event even more interesting - adds the sliding factor.

We have a basket full of toys that is usually empty with the contents scattered all around the room. Laser light is a big favorite, as are the kitty whips.

[Laura's Babies]

My babies have a baskets FULL of toys and Giz's purse is always on the table or counter top, stuffed with her toys. There is a perch at just about every window and beds all over the house.. The shoestrings on my shoes are also where they can find them and Boo loves playing with those, she'll slap around the toys Giz pulls out of her purse too.

However, Giz is one that can find her own entertainment! Nothing is off limits to her, if it is in "her" house, it is hers to play with no matter what it is!

[catfamily]

we throw balls around the house...either the cat plastic ones w/bells inside or i make small ones out of tinfoil(i make them in a room without them because the tinfoil hurts their ears)
but i make them hard and round so they are just like hard hockey pucks they kick around.
don't make them too small for them to put in their mouths.

plus we have string toys we toss up in the air for them to jump up.

and we have fly toys that we circle around like immitating a bird...it freaks them out and they all want to carry it in their mouth (after jumping up and catching it)while i am chasing after them with me holding onto the handheld end...don't want them to wander off with it and choke.

i put all the string toys away after playing.

and of course we have the lazer lights for them to get good excercise running after it.

but they all seem to entertain themselves too.

plus the open windows when it's warm enough to open them.
or they look out the closed ones.
we just bought a home with land that is really nice for them to look out the windows.
(no neighbors anywhere in site...nor the street is in site)I have had enough of neighbors taking over our yard as if it's ok to walk around anytime they want on our lawn and their dogs and cats using it to pee and poop in.
Finally Peace! I never dreamed having no neighbors would make me this happy.I sound terrible but it really is nice.try it if you can someday.(if you can find space in this overcrowded world...lol)
we built a new beautiful home (BEFORE buying this 10 year old home)and i was never so unhappy in my life with only a half acre and the nosiest plus rudest ,loudest neighbors i have ever met.

we also have a bird nest that was put their by the old owner of our home.
she put one of those wooden shelves(very small one for trinkets)and nailed it to the house under the roof of our front porch.just outside the door up above.
the birds go in and out without squirells ruining it.it's really a great idea she had.
we have a small round wondow where a cat can sit on it and is in perfect veiw of the wooden trinket holder outside rthat now has a full nest.

[critters]

My monsters don't have as many Curlies, etc. as you might think, although Spunk has stolen a fair number of flowers. They still have their other tote/fetch stuff, like my socks, Beanies, and Mosby's mats. They can chase each other, climb, or sit in a few windows. A couple enjoy singing by themselves. The laser's been missing for ages; I guess I should get another one. Annoy the Parent is another popular game!! Shredding things is fun--cardboard, styrofoam, newspapers, and tough little baggies.

[Pam]

We play a couple of different games around here. The first one is "help mommy read the paper." Spread your newspaper on the kitchen table and watch the kitties have great fun attacking each page as you turn it. (Hint before starting this activity: make sure you have read the important stuff before you begin. )

This next one has been a great source of entertainment for Andy over the years. He stands on any flat surface and knocks things onto the floor one-by-one and then watches them hit the ground. Oh what glee! As he has gotten older and understands gravity, this game has lost some of its appeal.

The last one was Trevor's favorite activity. Place a vase of flowers on the table and watch kitty attempt to pull the flowers out of the vase with his teeth. Should the vase tip over the game is not as much fun for kitty, as there is water everywhere and the human winds up screeching in a very high pitched voice causing kitty to flee in horror.