The post The Benefits of Having a Cat Run: Health and Behavioural Improvements appeared first on Katzenworld - Welcome to the world of cats!.
Cats are naturally curious animals. They don’t want to be holed up in an apartment for days on end. They want to explore and sense their surroundings, and the lawn and backyard are perfect places to satisfy their natural wanderlust.
That said, leaving them cage-free isn’t a particularly smart strategy. These animals are sly creatures, and they can squeeze through small gaps in the fences or jump above platforms to wander beyond their home.
Installing a cat run in your front yard is a good way to allow your cat to experience the freedom of the outdoors safely.
A cat run isn’t simply an urban cage placed on your lawn; it enriches your cat’s time outdoors in various ways, from providing physical stimulation to granting it behavioural improvements.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the benefits of having a cat run for your feline buddy!
Encourages Daily Exercise and Movement
Cats, just like humans, need occasional exercise to improve their physical health and mental well-being. A crowded house or narrow apartment isn’t the most conducive environment for your cat to engage in exercise, but a cat run is.
A cat run is a great space for your feline pal to run, climb, and play as this enclosure is safe and expansive enough for it to engage in these physical activities. This enclosure is also customisable to meet the needs of your cat, making it a great, versatile space to satisfy cats with a wide range of temperaments.
When cats don’t get enough exercise, they’ll be prone to suffer from health issues like obesity, stiffness, and irritation. This can drastically reduce their quality of life and lead to depression and an accumulation of negative, pent-up energy.
So, if your apartment is narrow or cluttered, or if your lawn doesn’t have ample fencing to prevent a cat from escaping, then having a cat run is the next best step to ensure that your cat can safely get enough exercise.
Reduces Indoor Boredom and Frustration
A common misconception is that cats are lazy and want nothing more than to sleep all day. However, that’s not the case. While they do enjoy lounging from time to time, the cat can develop restlessness and frustration if that’s all they do in their daily life.
These feelings of frustration can manifest in their behaviours. Some disruptive actions they could engage in include clawing furniture, meowing excessively, or acting aggressively toward their owners or companions. And, without a doubt, these behaviours are not something any household would like to deal with on a daily basis.
If you want to reduce these disruptive behaviours, there are a few solutions to curb these behaviours, like giving them a delicious cat treat every now and then. But by far the most optimal solution is to get a dedicated cat run for your household.
Not only will your cat have a dedicated place to play and lounge in, but you and your family can have peace of mind knowing that your home is more livable and less likely to be controlled by your feline pal.
In short, everyone will be happy with a quality cat run, like one of Somerzby’s cat runs.
Reduces Risk of Outdoor Dangers
Depending on where you live, there could be predators lurking near your property, just waiting for the perfect time to strike at your kitty. Snakes, wild dogs, and foxes are a few wildlife creatures that can wander around your property and see your pet as a tasty treat.
Besides those aforementioned predators, external hazards also exist and can present a risk of injury to your pet. For instance, highway roads and construction sites can be environments that can result in a wide variety of injuries to your pet, which is something every pet owner wants to avoid.
As a pet owner, it’s your responsibility to keep your cat out of harm’s way. Getting a cat run is one way of fulfilling that duty as it’s built with a sturdy mesh that keeps things from going in and going out.
It also fulfils a beneficial purpose of allowing your pet the chance to interact with the world outside the house, providing essential stimulation without the inherent dangers of the outside.
Supports Healthy Sun Exposure
Cats, just like people, need to have ample exposure to the sun. This is because the sun helps regulate their circadian rhythm, making them more likely to get enough sleep in the day to function, which falls in the range of about 16 to 20 hours.
A cat run provides your cat the opportunity to bask in the sun however long they want. Besides improving their sleeping pattern, healthy sun exposure also contributes to an improved mood for your feline pal. And who wouldn’t want their companion to be happy?
In any case, it’s essential to also provide enough shade for your cat to rest in and take refuge from the sun’s heat. Shade can come in the form of roof eaves, trees, or simply wooden platforms attached at a higher vertical angle.
Too much sun exposure can be harmful to your pet, leading to a slew of health problems like heat stroke and dehydration. This is especially true if we’re talking about the Australian sun, as the UV rays are much stronger here than in most other places.
Regardless, healthy levels of sun exposure is extremely beneficial for your cat. A minimum of 20 minutes a day in warm weather is an ideal amount of time for your cat to bask in their cat run—or more if the weather is particularly pleasant.
It Lets Your Cat Be a Cat
Cats have their own instincts passed down to them from their parents and ancestors. This includes actions you’ve probably caught your cat doing from time to time, namely climbing, running, exploring, stalking, and scratching.
In a normal household, there may be some places where your cat can perform these actions without much interference. However, the living room, bedroom, and kitchen area aren’t exactly the most conducive spots for your cat to perform these actions. They could even injure themselves if they’re climbing things like staircases or scratching electrical appliances.
In a cat run, you can create the ideal environment for them to express their instincts in a safe and controlled environment. And unlike doing it out in the open, the enclosed nature of the cat run allows the cat to perform these actions without the dangers of full outdoor roaming. This can be beneficial for its well-being and for your peace of mind.
We hope we’ve clearly laid out the benefits of having a cat run in your home. All the best in tending to your feline buddy’s needs!
The post The Benefits of Having a Cat Run: Health and Behavioural Improvements appeared first on Katzenworld.
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