Window Access Can Impact Cat Behavior
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Huh? Did you read that correctly? If your cat has access to windows on a regular basis it can have a positive impact on your cat’s contentment and ultimately their behavior. Yes, I have seen this affect firsthand.
Letting your cat sit in front of a window is a lot like having a young child sit in front of a television or device.
Cats sleep a lot. However, when they are awake or even just dozing they need SOME stimulation. On average most cats require about 20-30 minutes of play per day. Now if you have one cat and time this is not a big issue, but when you have multiple cats in the house this can become a challenge.
Cats love watching for birds. It’s a huge bonus if there is a tree nearby outside the window. We try to make areas around the outside of our house as enticing to birds as possible. This helps to ensure our babies will usually get a good show out there on a regular basis.
Cats also love to watch for bugs, other neighborhood critters like cats, dogs, squirrels, people, and just leaves blowing on the trees or the ground. You never know what might show up. Just ask Oliver in the pic above with the balloon.
We have the perfect house for cats. There are several large windows with some at ground level. Most of our windows also have wide window sills with plenty of room even for the larger cats. Other windows are on a 2nd floor with great views from above.
We also have 4 patio doors and large double doors at the front with a security screen door. This is another ground level opportunity with a view in the front and the street.
We try to arrange our furniture and cat furniture to take advantage of windows as much as possible. Chairs, back of a couch or recliner, a table, and cat towers are at or very near almost every window. In our office we have a long counter right below a huge window. It’s too low for the cats to really see so we have a row of boxes with blankets on top for maximum comfort.
Cats also enjoy laying in the sun quite a bit. There is another post about cats and sunshine that was written earlier. It’s a big bonus too if the window can be open. Now they get the full experience of sights, sounds, and smells. If you throw in some sunlight and a little breeze oh man we are cooking with gas now!
Remember…we are not letting the cats go out because of the hazards and dangers, so this is the next best thing. They still get to interact with the outdoors in a safe way. Another option is a cattery which we will discuss in the future.
This is the corner of our dining table which doubles as a cat perch in between meals. Usually between meals, but there can be exceptions, especially if my wife is not eating… It will be our little secret right?
Now enough of this online internet stuff. Step away from your device and go check your windows for options to help your cat. They will thank you for it…or maybe not. They are cats after all.
