5 Fun Ideas For How To Keep a Pet Entertained Indoors

There are several reasons why you might find yourself needing to entertain your pet indoors. Be it the weather or just needing to keep them occupied while you get a few things done. It’s important to remember that dogs, cats and small pets all have different energy levels and activity requirements though. It can even vary breed to breed!

The weather plays an important role in pet care no matter what species of critter your pal is. Dogs need their walks and while most will go out in any weather, that doesn’t mean they will enjoy it or you can do the same interesting walks they’re used to. Rain and wind might have you sticking to pavements and avoiding muddy puddles so walks tend to get a little shorter and more boring in the winter. Outdoor cats may practically become indoor cats in the winter to avoid the worst of the weather so they wind up with a lot more free time that isn’t occupied. If you bring your bunnies and guinea pigs in over the winter then you have to come up with a whole bunch of different ways to occupy them, as well. Even if they stay outside and are happier in their hutch, you might still want to bring them in for playtime when they can’t go out into the garden to explore.

No matter the time of year, all pets need mental stimulation. You can take your pup on a several hour walk and they might still have energy when they get home if they haven’t had enough mental stimulation. Your bun could have all the toys in the world but if they’ve played with them a hundred times before, they’re not going to be very mentally stimulating. Mental stimulation can be lots of different things but typically, it involves some interaction with you. Setting up puzzles for your pets to work out or doing a training session together can mentally exhaust them more than a game of fetch. A repetitive game might tire their legs but not their brain. Your hamster might run on the wheel all night but will still have the energy to investigate things in the morning. Mental enrichment is an important part of keeping them happy and healthy.

Indoor time often means that your beloved pet gets time to interact with you however it can also mean that they have to spend time alone. Whether it’s a full day of work at the office or if you just need to pop to the shop, they will always have to spend some time without you. Getting them to spend time alone might mean you’re cracking into the pet toy box in search of activities that can keep them busy for a little while. It might be a toy, some enrichment or a nice chew to keep them busy but entertaining them while they’re alone can be the difference in what you get home to.

If you’ve been a little less active with your furry friend, especially in winter, you should be looking for signs that they’re bored. Some quite drastic behaviour changes can all amount to just being bored and getting a little frustrated. Signs that your pet is bored can involve:

●      Repetitive behaviours like pacing

●      Over-grooming

●      Increasingly vocal

●      Overeating

●      Becoming destructive

●      Aggression towards other pets

●      Attention seeking

●      Lethargy

●      Toileting in the house

You might think that your kitten has simply forgotten where the litter box is or your pooch has suddenly developed a taste for skirting boards. The solution may be easier than you think. If unwanted behaviour correlates with the time of year and having fewer things to do, it could be that they just need more entertainment.

Make your furry friend’s playtimes as safe possible so you can rest assured they’re having nothing but fun! Here’s a couple of tips on how you can create a safe space for your pet’s playtime:

-        Choosing a designated play area: this helps your dog understand the boundaries and associates playtime with a particular space! It also makes keeping it hazard-free much easier.

-        Speaking of hazards, make sure to remove anything that could get mistaken for a toy, or could get in the way during playtime.

-        Fencing off their play area will keep them from wandering off into areas that haven’t been hazard checked.

Having fun isn’t just limited to outdoors and there are plenty of ways to bring the entertainment inside even if you have a smaller space to work with. Make sure to keep your pet’s toys on rotation – keep them guessing what toy will be the focus of their playtime!

Playing a game of fetch or getting in 10,000 steps isn't a realistic goal when it comes to keeping busy indoors so you might have to change the games you’re playing to match the environment. Games need to be a bit less energetic but can still be great fun. Instead of a ball, most pup parents can dig around in the dog toy box for some form of tuggy toy like the Happy Pet Rubber Tug O War. Playing tug with your pooch is a great indoor activity that doesn’t take up too much space and can be a fun workout for both of you!

Kong dog toys are tough, durable and great for dogs who tend to break their toys almost as fast as you unpack them. Their soft and squishy toys are not as fragile as other cuddly toys might be as they contain rope, perfect for even the roughest of players. If your pooch loves to play fetch and you’re trying to break that stick habit to avoid them injuring themselves, toys like the Kong Ogee Stick Dog Toy are perfect for the part.

Dog rope toys are great for pups who like to get their teeth stuck into toys. The feeling can be soothing for them, they’re good for chewing on and it’s easy on the mouth if they like to play tuggy. Rope toys come in so many different shapes and sizes. They make for great balls to play fetch with as even when they’re full of saliva, they won’t get slippery and risk being swallowed like plastic or rubber balls might.

When your kitty can’t get out as much to burn off their excess energy, there are plenty of ways you can help them do this indoors. You can play a game of chase with them from the comfort of your couch with the KONG Cat Laser Pointer Toy. Cats love to hunt and during the colder months when they’re not going out as much, they won’t be practising their skills and getting in a good workout at the same time. A cat laser toy can help mimic the activity they’re used to during the Summer. You can help to keep up their activity with toys that bring out those instincts. For something a little more hands on and interactive, look into wand toys like the Catnip Feather Chase Cat Toy.  Interactive cat toys like wands and teaser toys not only get your feline friend up and moving to keep them active when they can’t get out and about as much, but they’re also a great way to play with your cat. Sometimes it can be risky business to get involved when their claws are out and playing with a toy, but wand toys that come on a pole are great for getting energetic play out of them without the risk of any fingers getting in the way.

For toys where you need your feline friend to occupy themselves for a little while, interactive feeders like the Catit Treat Ball Pink are a good choice. Not only do they have to work out how to access the treats inside the ball but they have to chase it around and they get a little workout in too!

If you’re looking for ways to keep your small furry friends occupied indoors then circulating lots of different toys can stop them from getting boring. It’s always better to have five toys that change every few days rather than offering them twenty toys all at once. They’re more likely to get bored by toys when they have access to them all the time. Putting some away and bringing them back out will mean they’re always interesting. Toys like Naturals Trio Of Fun Balls Medium are great because you might be getting the same toy three times over but swapping them out will give your small furry friend a different texture ball to roll around and chew on. It will keep the game fresh.

Rabbits and guinea pigs love to explore so providing new spaces with the Rosewood Boredom Breaker Chew Tube Rabbit Extra Large can be extra exciting for them. You can even join lots of tunnels together and make a little maze for them. Your even smaller pets don’t have to be left out either as rats, gerbils, hamsters, and all kinds of smaller pets love tunnels. They come in plenty of sizes like the Rosewood Boredom Breaker Chew Tube Hamster Small. You’re bound to find the perfect size for them.

Is your furry friend a foodie? For those pets a little more interested in food than fun, puzzle feeders and treat-dispensing toys may be the way to go for playtimes!

For cats that are super food-oriented and less inclined to chase toys, the Catit Treat Ball Pink might get them up and moving if they get treats or even just their dinner out of it.

Some dogs may not enjoy chasing toys or bringing them back so pups who prefer to chew might enjoy their toys to be a little more food driven instead. The Kong Toy Red Extra Large comes in different sizes so you can find the right one to suit your four-legged friend. You can stuff it with treats or even feed them their meals out of it and keep them entertained. If you need to extend how long it takes them to empty it you can even freeze it to make it longer lasting!

These kinds of toys are super beneficial for your pet’s mental stimulation because:

-        They encourage your animal to think and problem solve to access their food, which mimics natural behaviours in the wild.

-        It’s a healthy outlet for energy which prevents boredom-related behaviours (including destructive behaviour).

-        Successfully solving a puzzle or retrieving a treat themselves builds their confidence and their resilience.

Pair your furry friend’s puzzle toy or treat dispenser with nutritious treats that are healthy too! Look to natural treats that are nutritious and tasty, from brands like Lifestage or Natures Menu.

Your furry friend will love to learn something new – it keeps them mentally engaged and interested! Chances are, you’ve already taught your pet how to “sit” or “stay, but there’s other fun tricks you can teach your fur baby. To set up your pet’s training time, simply ensure you’ve got plenty of training treats, your clicker and some training pads. You could teach your dog “paw” or “spin”, show your kitty how to “high-five” and train your rabbit to “come here”!

Turn your home into an obstacle course with safe indoor agility set ups like tunnels, ramps or hoops. This can work for dogs, cats and small pets, using a range of materials you have at home or that you can buy from Jollyes. Utilise your feline friend’s climbing towers and scratching posts for their own indoor obstacle courses.  For your fur babies, look to creating tunnels and hideaways (be it DIY or purchasing your own) so they can hide, scurry and forage to their heart’s content.

Playtime with your pet introduces another opportunity for bonding with them. Look to interactive games like hide-and-seek with treats or toys, so there’s a reward-based element to their hunting! This will be particularly popular with your pooch, so for your feline friends look to chasing games using teasers or laser toys – they’ll be ready to pounce!

Such activities with your pets really does build their trust and connection with you, as over time they learn that your presence equals fun and rewards. Interactive games also help strengthen your communication with each other; your pet begins to understand your tone of voice and facial expressions, and you learn their signals of excitement, tiredness or overwhelmed. Being able to understand one another is a key part of building trust.

Relax and soothe your furry friend with a toy too! Toys don’t always have to mean noise, over-excited pets and chaos – once your canine companion is settled with a chew toy or your kitty cat is relaxed with a catnip toy, you’ll see the effect of your pet relaxing whilst having fun. Comfy beds and calming sprays for downtime are a great way of helping your pet unwind and keeping them relaxed.

Toys that offer mental stimulation are great when you can’t physically exercise your pooch. Sniffing out treats from the Smart Choice Pet Play & Snuffle Mat is a great way to keep them busy. If they’ve mastered a snuffle then you can get them increasingly advanced puzzles like the iQuties Wobbler Interactive Dog Toy. You can fill both interactive toys with treats or if your pup is fed a diet of dry food, this can go into an interactive toy and it will take them a little longer to gobble down their food.

From season to season, your pet’s needs can vary! So we’ve made it easy-peasy and broken down how you can care for your pet and keep them entertained indoors from season to season.

You’ll need to choose a warm bed for your bed, heated pads for cold nights, cosy blankets for snuggling and both mentally and physically tiring indoor games for rainy days.

Look to allergy-friendly toys and bedding, light blankets and interactive toys for pets with more energy as the days get longer.

Definitely grab cooling mats, frozen treat moulds, and line up some mentally sitmulating indoor play ideas for hot days when walks are shorter to prevent your pet from overheating.

Pick up some chew toys to relieve your pet’s boredom during wetter, windier days; enrichment feeders for evenings when it gets darker earlier and seasonal-themed plush toys!

You’re really looking to beat boredom from setting in, so keeping your dog mentally stimulated is key. That’s why we’d recommend puzzle toys or hide & seek to keep your pet entertained indoors.

Cats are natural hunters, so satisfy that instinct to beat boredom! Interactive toys like laser toys or feather teasers are a great way of enchanting your cat.

Yes! Puzzle feeders are a great way of tapping into natural instincts, stimulating their brain, slowing down their eating and reducing stress levels.

Entertaining your pet indoors is super beneficial for both your pet’s mental stimulation and their bond with you! However, not all indoor activities need to involve toys. You can do a session of trick training and that isn’t just for the doggy parents, cats and bunnies can get involved too. You can also do some grooming with your beloved pet, it can help with bonding but also be a great way to prevent boredom. Even a little cuddle session might not feel like you’re doing much keeping them company and spending time together can be a great way to pass days stuck indoors because of miserable weather.

For all of your indoor activity needs to keep everyone happy and entertained, have a sniff around in store and online.