Not something I have a great deal of time for, I have to admit, but I wouldn't mind, now and again, to be able to sit staring at the wall, going errr.....
But for many urban pets, boredom can be quite an issue. It's OK if your canine or feline boredom threshold is very high and a lack of anything immediate to do triggers rapid onset of a deep and satisfying sleep, but if not, there lies trouble ahead.
Bored dogs pine, bark, chew and destroy. Cats over-groom and stress themselves into cystitis, and most pets will be more likely to over-eat and stack on the weight. Not a good combination.
The curiously-named Temple Grandin, quite apart from being famous for her autism, is one of the great animal behaviour gurus, and amongst many other things, loves cardboard boxes and paper bags. And this is why:
- They are cheap, easily available and destructible, and are great for environmental enhancement for pets. Try these:
- Use paper bags to hide small bits of dry food or treats so they have to work a bit for their next snack.
- Cardboard kitchen or toilet roll inners can have food held in place by a piece of scrunched up paper at each end.
- Use sheets of cardboard to hide the sight of something scary such as a neighbouring predator cat.
- Hide food treats amongst scrunched up paper in a cardboard box
- Cardboard boxes are great to get into and out of, hid in, pounce out of or sleep safely in.
Hiding places are particularly important for our pet 'prey species' so make them simple and easily replaceable hideaways. Bunnies and guinea pigs really don't like a high visibility lifestyle.
And if you find yourself with enough time to be staring at the wall, check out Temple's Ted Talk
And if you find yourself with enough time to be staring at the wall, check out Temple's Ted Talk
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