bulldog laying with dog toy — How do you know if your pets are bored?

What are the signs?
How can you entertain them?

As the first snow of the year arrived this week to my neck of the woods, I started to think about the long Winter ahead.

Yes, it’s still Autumn. But the daylight hours are waning. Getting up in the dark and coming home in the dark is becoming the reality again.

This time of year can be an extra challenge for pet owners. Walking the dog becomes more difficult as we bundle up with layers, walk in the dark and the gloomy weather, and deal with muddy paws and wet fur.

Between walks, we stay inside more, so dogs may get less play time outside to burn off energy and get the mental stimulation a change in scenery can provide.

Cats who are used to going outside can find themselves inside more as the weather rages.

Indoor cats need stimulation year-round. Boredom can be a real concern for them if you don’t make an effort to enrich their lives.

So, how do you know if your pets are bored?

What are the signs of boredom in pets?

How do you keep them entertained?

Signs of Pet Boredom

Destructive Behaviours

Cats may begin to scratch furniture and carpets. They may knock over items off shelves, dig in plants, and send them toppling to the ground. They may also begin to make messes outside of their litter boxes as their stress builds.

Dogs may start chewing and destroying household objects such as pillows, shoes, and your children’s toys. They may get into garbage containers or recycling bins. They may also begin to have accidents in your home.

These are not acts of defiance directed at you and your home. These are signs of pets that are bored to the point of stress and anxiety.

Sleeping More

You may find that your pet is sleeping more than usual. With a lack of stimulation, boredom may cause them to simply take more naps.

Restlessness

Your pet may go the other way with their boredom. They may become restless, pacing or moving from rest spot to rest spot, or wandering from room to room with seemingly no purpose.

Over-Grooming

If your pet is incessantly cleaning itself, to the point of obsession, with no physical cause, boredom may be to blame. It’s a form of stress relief for your pet.

Over-Eating

What do we do when we’re bored? For most of us, boredom causes us to eat more. Your pets are no different. Food is entertainment. So, a pet with access to extra food may take full advantage.

Vocalization

Ever find your dog barking for no reason whatsoever? Does your cat begin meowing in some other part of your home? Well, boredom could be the cause. It’s another way for them to blow off some steam.

Attention Seeking

You may find your pets becoming extra clingy or following even more obsessively than usual. They may simply be so bored that they will cling to you and any chance of entertainment you can provide. If your pet normally follows you around, this might not be an issue. But if they are abnormally shadowing your every move, boredom could be the cause.

Lack of Interest in Toys

Do you find that your pet just doesn’t seem to want to play with its toys? It might be time to buy one or two new ones. Even better, you can cycle through your toys, bringing only a few at a time to catch their interest again.

I like to check under our furniture. There will almost always be something that has been shoved or batted underneath and abandoned. Deep cleaning days are like a treasure hunt in this house.

Picking Fights with Other Pets

Let’s face it. Sometimes, the similarities between the behaviours of children and pets is uncanny. Boredom can cause your pets to get a little cranky with each other. It might even just cause them to try a start a play fight with a less than willing participant.

So, how do you keep your pets from getting bored, anxious, or depressed? What can you do to provide them entertainment without a lot of extra time or effort on your part?

Boredom Busters for Dogs

Treat or Food Challenges

There are a lot of options for making meals or treat time into a more challenging activity for your dogs to keep them entertained:

Stuffed Kong

This is a classic toy for your dog that can keep them entertained for a long time and work our those boredom aggressions. These toys are made of natural rubber and are practically indestructable.

They can be stuffed with a variety of treats such as natural peanut butter, plain yogurt, berries, dog treats, liver bites, canned food, and dog kibble.

You can even freeze the Kong and it’s stuffing to make it even more of a challenge, keep your dog entertained longer, and to make it less messy.

dog tipping a treat dispenser to release the treats inside — Treat Dispensers

A good quality treat dispenser can provide mental stimulation and a physical workout for your dog

Kong Wobbler(or other treat dispensing toys)

These are toys that can be filled with kibble or small treats. The dog has to nudge the toy with its nose or paw to tip the toy, allowing tasty tidbits to be dispensed.

You can even use these toys for meal time if you have a dog who eats too quickly or who is overweight and needs to work for his food or extend meal time to feel satisfied.

Lick Mat

These are food grade silicone mats that are grooved or textured to hold smears of peanut butter, canned dog food, or yogurt. They often have suctions cups on the back side to hold them in place on horizontal or even vertical surfaces for your dog to enjoy.

Snuffle Mat

A snuffle mat is a pet mat with strips of fabric or other materials that mimic grass. Treats or kibble can be sprinkled on the mat where it will sink into the fabric. Dogs have the instinct to sniff out and forage for food and snuffle mats can be an enriching and entertaining game for your pup. Just be sure to keep and eye on them, especially if your dog likes to shred or swallow things they shouldn’t.

Treat Puzzles

Interactive treat puzzles can be a great options for dogs who need a little more of a challenge. Designed with little doors and latches that need to be moved with nose and paws to release hidden treats, these toys come in a variety of challenge levels.

Lucy loves when the vet brings one out to distract her. She makes quick work of figuring out how to get to the treats.

Homemade Treat Dispensers

You can do simple homemade treat dispensers for your dogs.

Use a muffin tin, with tennis balls nestled in each muffin cup to hide a small treat in the bottom of each cup.

You can also take a small towel and roll it up with treats inside or an empty paper towel or bath tissue roll can be folded at each end and stuffed with tasty morsels.

Use your imagination. Just make sure you monitor your dog to ensure they eat only the treats and no fabric or cardboard.

Games

If you’d like to try to entertain your dog without food, there’s lots of games you can play inside your home.

Fetch-You can play fetch in a small room or hallway to keep control of the ball or toy. You can even play on the stairs but this is riskier to your dog’s joints so be gentle and don’t use this on older dogs or ones with joint issues.

Monkey in the Middle-This is a fun games to play with at least two humans to keep the toy or ball in play at all times and your dog will delight in trying to snatch it.

Follow the Leader/Chase-Dogs will have a blast as you race around your house and they run to catch you. Be warned. You will tire long before they do.

Hide and Seek-Your dog will love to sniff around the house to follow your trail and find you. This stimulates their hunting instincts and is excellent for mental stimulation.

Tug-of-War-A lot of dogs enjoy a serious game of tug. If you don’t have a tug toy or soft rope, an old t-shirt can be cut and braided into a rope for your tug toy.

Training New Tricks

You can train your dog to perform a new task. It’s fun and is mentally stimulating for dog. Any dog can learn new tricks with patience and consistency. You can also have practice sessions with your dog to improve and reinforce training. Just 10-15 minutes at a time can provide your dog with a satisfying practice sessions.

Indoor Obstacle Course

Set up a course inside with various obstacles for you dog to weave around, jump and crawl under and then spend time teaching them the course. Be patient and reward them with high praise for completing the tasks.

Car Ride or Visiting a Pet Friendly Store

Sometimes, what dogs need is a change of scenery.

When I go to a pet store, Lucy usually comes along. She loves all the smells and the attention from staff and other customers.

We’re working on her behaviour with other dogs. She absolutely loves other dogs and wants to be besties with all of them. She can be a little intense for a cautious dog so we need her to learn to be more respectful of their need for space.

Bubbles

A quick little bubble fest can entertain your dog, your cat, or your children. Just make sure you choose bubbles that are labelled as mess-free and in a no-spill container. You can even get a bubble machine you don’t have to blow the bubbles yourself.

Boredom Busters for Cats

Lick Mats

These mats can be used for your little kitties too. They can be spread with wet food, natural peanut butter, pumpkin puree, or lickable treat paste.

Catnip

You can use catnip to entice your cat to play. It’s available in several different forms, including fresh, dried, inside toys, sprays, in treats, and even bubbles.

You can learn more about catnip and your cat here.

Lasers/Feather Wands

Bring out your cat’s hunting instincts with toys like lasers and feather wands.

These are great for mimicking prey and encouraging your cat to chase and pounce without leaving the comfort of your sofa.

calico cat yawning while laying on top of a sisal cat cave by a window so it can see outside — Window Perches

A good view of the outside can be both entertaining for your cat and a sunny spot to catch a snooze

Window Perches

Cats love to watch the outside world from a window. It gives them a front row seat to birds and squirrels playing in the yard.

I’m lucky enough to live in an old house with super deep windowsills. But you can also install a window perch to give them the perfect view. You can purchase ready-made window cat perches or, if you’re super handy, make your own.

Cat Towers

Cat towers and cat trees are purpose-built cat activity centres with built-in features like staggered perches, scratching posts, cat caves, and lounging areas. They fulfill your cats’ instincts for climbing, scratching, and private hidey-holes to catch a snooze.

Indoor Jungle Gyms

You can take expand the cat tower theme to an entire playground for your cats. This can include tunnels, modular shelving attached to walls and climbing structures to really give your kitty the space to explore and play. You can keep it fairly simple or go all out and have a wall or even a room dedicated for your cats to explore.

Catio

You may find that you have a cat who really needs the enjoyment of an outdoor space but needs the protection of a safe and secure place. A catio(or cat patio) is an enclosure can be as simple as a window box that extends to the outside from your house, or an entire fenced in structure, attached to your house or in your yard that can be connected to your house via a tunnel.

If you want more ideas about providing a pet-friendly home, visit here.

calico cat with a cat toy with a mouse attached by a spring to a stand — Cats need to satisfy their hunting instinct

Rotate through a variety of toys to keep your cat entertained and challenged

Cardboard Boxes/Paper Bags

Want to keep it a lot more simple and still provide plenty of entertainment for your cat?

Sometimes tossing down a fresh cardboard box or a paper bag can provide your cat with hours, even days of entertainment.

Cats love the warmth, cushion, and safety of a box or bag. You can easily replace it or change its location if they become bored.

Final Thoughts

Boredom in pets can result in a destructive, anxious, and even depressed pet.

I hope I’ve given you a few ideas to keep your pet active, mentally stimulated, and happy.

Take a few and add your own. The most important part is to spend time with your pets and show them your love. That’s really what they want most of all.

If you have any more ideas for entertaining pets, please feel free to share them in the comments below.

Boredom Busters for Pets