Cat’s love to hunt; it’s in their basic nature, but this is something that indoor cats don’t get to take advantage of. If your cat never goes outside, how can you allow him (or her) to do one of the most basic things cats need to thrive? You might consider using Doc & Phoebe’s Indoor No-Bowl Cat Feeders.
Here’s some back story: I had an indoor cat for years; her name was Avah. She was a dear friend to me; she got me through some really tough times, and I always knew I could count on her for comfort and affection.
Avah never went outside, and for the most part, she seemed very happy and healthy until she was about 5. For some inexplicable reason (at least, to me and to her vet), at some point during her fifth year, she simply stopped thriving.
Avah’s coat grew patchy because she was constantly over-grooming herself, and she lost a lot of weight. She would hide out in my closet for days; once, she even peed in there. The best way I can describe her behavior at that point would be depressed bordering on listless. I took her to the vet multiple times, but the vet could never find anything that was physically wrong with Avah. At the vet’s recommendation, we tried changing her food, we tried engaging her in all manner of play, and eventually, we tried giving her the equivalent of kitty Prozac.
Nothing helped.
One day, I opened the back door and she ran out. I live on a ranch, and I knew that she would be safe so I didn’t try to stop her.
Over the next few weeks, Avah seemed to be doing better. I would go outside, and she would come to see me. She was still very thin and still sporting bald spots where she had licked herself bare, but she seemed happier. She would kill lizards and small birds, leaving them on our back step, which I accepted as gifts. I’d make a big deal about them to her, praising her prowess and lavishing her with affection. She might come inside for a little while, but before long she would yowl and claw at the door to go back outside. I get teary even remembering this.
