A new research shows that cats are happier when they work for their food. As per the new research in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, new information has come out. The indoors cats are not intelligent and they need intellectual stimulation. As it turns out these indoor cats need to work for their d by solving puzzles. It will help them both physically and mentally. University of California performed a test on 30 cats.
It clearly states that the health issues of these pets showed drastic reduction where cat had to work for their food. The examples include an obese 8 years old feline creature that lost 20 percent of its fat content within one year. Another cat’s aggression showed drastic reduction within 6 months of resorting to cat food puzzles. Another 2 years old cat’s fear was substantially reduced after these food puzzles.
According to research, cats are natural feline hunters. They like to search for their food instead of you serving them on a platter. You should allow your pet to hunt for meals. It will not deprive her of the ability to hunt and she will be in high spirits. At the same time, cats are happier hunting their food. Allowing them to solve puzzles related to their food makes them agile. It exercises their mind properly. She is in a state of joy once they find their food after a lot of physical and mental labor. Reverse all the psychological problems in your pet by resorting her to hunt for her meals.
Food Puzzles: A Great Way to Make Cats Happy
When you keep your cat indoor all the time, her lifestyle changes completely. She tends to have many health problems like diabetes, obesity, urinary tract issues. The best solution to these behavioral problems is food puzzles. It will fine-tune their hunting instincts and they will be able to access food with a lot of zeal. When you put food in an eating bowl, your pet is not doing any physical activity. It increases the level of stress in her body because she is not allowed to hunt her food down. Food puzzles are instrumental in helping feline creatures to lose weight and manage their bad behavior. The puzzles allow these four footed animals to acquire their meal with sense of joy and ecstasy. At the same time it presents as a challenge that appeals their natural instincts
Different Types of Food Puzzle for your Cat
You should know that every cat is different from others. Each of them has their unique preference while solving puzzles. You need to make some trails before she finds the one that she enjoys. A large number of food puzzles are available online as well in retail pet stores. Some of them require your pet to push a mobile device with their nose. Other puzzles are stationary where they have to navigate a board. You can use these puzzles on dry as well as wet food for feeding your cat friend. If you are financially unstable, you can make food puzzles at home instead of buying from market.
Given over here are some of the food puzzles that you can make at your own home:
- Wheel: You will need a round food container like cream cheese or margarine. Do not use PVC based containers because it will harm your pet. You will also need non-toxic glue and a utility knife. The container should be perfectly clean and make small holes in it. Holes should be large enough that kibble can pass through them. Glue an additional lid at the container’s bottom that should be slightly large in diameter.
- Bottle: This food puzzle requires a soda or water bottle and a utility knife. The bottle should be clean and sanitized properly. Cut a few small holes on the side of the water bottle using the knife. The holes should be a little large than the size of kibble. Put some kibbles in the bottle and screw the cap. Put it in front of your cat and let her go to work.
- Egg: It requires a medium or small sized plastic egg and a utility knife. Properly clean and sanitize the egg before using. Make a couple of holes at top and bottom of the egg. Any remnant plastic requires trimming. Put some kibble inside the egg and give it to your cat for playing and eating.
If you are interested in making food puzzles for your pet animal, here are some tricks that can help you. Leave food at unexpected places. It will inculcate the idea of eating somewhere else than a bowl. You can even throw dry food or cat treats across the room and tell her to chase it. It will also help her body to get the sufficient amount of exercise. If your cat likes eating dry food, then mobile puzzles will be best for her. You need to increase the challenge gradually because cats like improving their detective skills.
According to research, it shows that feline creatures like playing with soft toys. So provide your pet with a set of toys that she can enjoy. If you want your pet to grow into your most beloved companion, the feed her food puzzles. It will keep her brain active and free from any kind of intellectual worries. So from now make sure that you are feeding your pet by allow her to solve the food puzzles in the first place.
There is no doubt that cats are happier when they are able to work their food independently. However, the studies show that feline creatures might struggle initially. Therefore, you should not provide many food puzzles in the beginning. Try to maintain the balance for getting the best results. The puzzles should be less in the initial phase. As your cat gets efficient, you may increase the quantity of puzzles.
Hi! I’m Karen and a certified dog lover. As a freelance writer and blogger, I do my best to squeeze in some time with my dogs, learning more about the way they act and how I can make sure that they continue to stay well-cared for by yours truly.
My dogs have helped me through a lot, and this is my way of giving back to them! Besides animals, I also love to travel and cook, having explored my country’s restaurants and unique places. Follow me as I show you all the amazing tips and bits of information I learn along the way about our furry friends!