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Do you ever wonder what your pet does when you’re not around? Or, worse, is it all too obvious what destructive mischief they’ve been up to in your absence? The answer is to keep your pet busy when you’re not home with pet-friendly activities – also called environmental enrichment.
Giving your pet an opportunity for environmental enrichment and something to do while you’re out can have multiple benefits. Basically, it’s about increasing the number of positive interactions they have with the space around them, which in turn will help boost their mental and physical health, and reduce the risk of them becoming bored or frustrated.
The theory behind environmental enrichment can be summarised as letting a cat be a cat and a dog be a dog, says Dr Amanda Cole from Vet Behaviour Team. “That generally makes everyone happy,” she says. “Enrichment involves providing outlets for an animal’s natural behaviours such as eating, hunting, smelling and how they like to engage with the world.”
Food is likely to be top of your pet’s list of favourite things and a good place to start. Dr Amanda suggests one way to add enrichment is to vary how your pet’s food is delivered to make it engaging and fun. For dogs and cats, try food-based activity toys, such as lick mats or treat puzzles, or try hiding their dry food in empty toilet rolls. In summer, frozen food snacks will give your pet something a bit more challenging to work at to get a reward – plus help keep them cool. For birds, provide lots of natural food options such as fresh flowers, fruit and nuts or grains that are appropriate for the species.
Set your pets tasks to activate their brains and bodies. Hunting toys for cats can work well, but some cats have a prey preference, so experiment with feathers, toy rodents or toys that mimic hidden prey. Cats also like to be high up, so consider creating some hiding spots for them on shelves. “Agility courses are great for lots of dogs, not just working breeds,” says Dr Amanda. She suggests creating an agility activity for your dog (with tunnels, hoops, etc), and hiding treats in it when you go out. “Your dog might also like a sandpit, in which you can bury treat balls and dog toys.” Adding lots of natural branches and foliage is a great way to make a cage more engaging for birds.
Don’t worry if your pet is more inclined to snooze than play while you’re out. “Play is often social for animals, so you might leave a lot of things for your pet to engage with, but they won’t do so until they have you there to play with,” says Amanda. “Even when you’re around, an animal may only engage with an activity for 10-15 minutes then have a rest – that’s entirely normal.”
No toy is indestructible – always supervise your pet with new toys, inspect toys regularly and remove if they become damaged or unsafe.
Check out how to dog and cat-proof your home.
*Some advertised services and products are not available at some Bunnings stores, but products can be ordered. Pet products are not available in WA, except Armadale and Bunbury stores.
Photo credit: Adobe Stock
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
