Indoor activities for pets

By Charlotte Francesca Stiles, DVM

With the winter months and their cold wet weather approaching, you may be wondering what you can do to help keep your pet entertained inside. No matter the time of year, keeping our pets' minds and bodies active is very important to keep them healthy.

In this article, we’ll discuss some indoor activity ideas for pets to keep them entertained!

Disclaimer: Please refer to this article as a guide only. If you’re not sure whether an indoor activity may be suitable for your pet, it’s best to discuss it with your veterinarian.

If you’re extra busy and struggling to find the time to entertain your pet, our Lifetime Protection Membership comes with a $30 Rover discount, so you can save on pet care costs.

Indoor activities for cats

Whether your cat stays indoors all year round or not, in this section we’ll talk through indoor activities for cats.

Toys

Whether homemade or shop-bought, toys can be fun for both you and your pet! We’ve listed some points to think about when it comes to toys below:

• Catnip-infused toys - these often illicit a playful response in cats
• Homemade toys - homemade toys such as those involving toilet rolls or feathers can be a budget-friendly way to encourage your cat to play
• Independent vs assisted - this depends on whether your cat likes to play alone or together with you.

Climbing areas

It’s well known that many cats love to climb and explore! If your home allows it, facilitate this by providing your cat with a climbing tree or area. You can do this by buying specially made equipment from pet shops, or even by making it yourself.

Window seats

Just because your cat isn’t going outside, doesn’t mean it has to stop them from enjoying a nice view! Many cats love watching out the window, especially if there are birds to look at! You could even go one step further by incorporating a window seat into a climbing area.

Training

Training cats can be a rewarding and fun experience! Setting aside some time each day to practice can strengthen the bond between you and your cat, and lead to exciting results.

If you’re less experienced when it comes to cat training, don’t be disheartened, as it may take longer to train cats compared to other pets, such as dogs.

Indoor activities for dogs

Now let’s take a look at some indoor activities suitable for dogs.

Toys

Whatever your dog’s character, you’re sure to find a toy they’ll love! You could even get creative and make your toy! We’ve listed some examples of different types of dog toys below:

• Interactive toys - these are toys pet parents can become involved with too, such as ball-throwing and puzzle toys.
• Home-made toys - such as snuffle mats or chew ropes.
• Food-oriented toys - such as licky mats.

Training

Training your dog, whether for obedience or fun, can easily be done indoors! You can seek the help of a professional, or read up online and try your hand!

Agility

Agility training is something you can do with your pet in your home (if you have space) or in a special facility. It can be a great way to provide your pet with exercise and mental stimulation and if you go to a class, an opportunity for social interaction too.

Swimming

It may seem strange, however, swimming can be a great way to keep your dog fit indoors! Whether being used as hydrotherapy, or just for fun, swimming has a range of benefits such as:

• Improving muscles
• Weight loss
• Increase fitness

Gentle on the joints and tendons, so may be suitable for older or arthritic dogs too (check with your veterinarian beforehand).

Playdates

If your dog enjoys interacting with other dogs, why not invite friends over so they can play together? Playdates can be a good way to ensure your dog gets enough contact with other dogs even when the weather is bad.

If you are considering having a playdate, we’d recommend you make sure the dogs are supervised at all times.

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article and that it’s given you some inspiration about how to keep your pet entertained indoors!