Bored cats often find their own (sometimes destructive) ways to stay entertained. Mental stimulation isn’t just a bonus for cats — it’s essential, especially for those with anxiety, play aggression, or behavior issues. The good news? There are plenty of fun, easy ways to keep your cat’s mind engaged and their behavior balanced.

Why Mental Stimulation Is Important for Cats

People often say they prefer cats to dogs because cats are less work. But the truth is, they shouldn’t be. Cats don’t do much in our homes because they aren’t given things to do. It’s not that they don’t want to be active. In the wild, they’d be experiencing all kinds of things throughout the day. Chasing a bug here, climbing a tree there, watching a bird, catching a new scent. Their minds would be getting lots of enrichment.

It’s our responsibility to try to provide similarly enriching experiences for our indoor cats and even creating a safe outdoor exploration area, like a catio. That’s where mental stimulation (often called mental enrichment or brain games) comes in.

Why? Because it can help with just about every behavior issue. It’s not just about improving quality of life, though that’s a huge benefit. Mental stimulation is great for:

• Stress reduction
• Building confidence
• Burning off energy
• Managing play aggression
• Managing unwanted behavior

You may need to adjust the activity if your cat has special circumstances, like limited mobility, vision loss, hearing loss, or is a senior cat. There’s something for every cat in every situation and it doesn’t have to take much of your time.

Mental Stimulation Ideas for Your Cat

When you’re looking for ways to enrich your cat’s day-to-day, think about their senses — using their brains, noses, hearing, sight, physical ability, and even the sensory receptors on their body. It doesn’t have to be a complicated activity that takes an hour to set up. Keep it simple.

Here are some ideas to get your brain going on ways to get your cat’s brain going.

Food Puzzles

This is one of the simplest ways to provide mental stimulation for cats. A “food puzzle” makes them have to think a little, maybe use their paws, and use some problem-solving skills.

You don’t have to buy expensive food puzzles. You can make them from things you have at home, like water bottles, boxes, toilet tissue rolls, and clean yogurt containers. Try punching small holes in things your cat can move or roll around. The smaller the hole, the more challenging the puzzle. The treats or kibble should fall out of the holes as they move it.

Cut larger holes in stationary things like boxes so they can reach in with their paws, find the food, and pull it out. Small containers, like ice cube trays or egg crates, are also good for using the paws to fish out the food. Use your imagination.

Create a whole board of containers and tubes that your cat can investigate, think about, and then conquer by getting that treat! Just be sure your DIY puzzle is safe — that your cat can’t get their head stuck in anything and there’s no risk of suffocation.

To teach your cat to use the food puzzle, start very easy! If they aren’t doing it, either the puzzle is too hard, or the treat isn’t worth the effort. As they catch on, you can make the puzzles more challenging. Food puzzles shouldn’t replace your cat’s regular meals. Don’t forget to include play time with your cat, as it is a great bonding experience for both of you.

Catnip and Silvervine

If your cat responds to catnip or silvervine, these can be great for mental stimulation. A small pile on the floor is fun for eating and rolling in. Sprinkle it in an empty box, on a crumpled blanket, or brown paper, for a more exciting approach.

Toys

Toys are vital to a cat’s mental enrichment. Crinkly kickers, wand toys, scratchers, and balls are popular toys that cats enjoy. Electronic toys that move on their own can also spice up your cat’s play time.

If you already have toys that your cat doesn’t play with, that may be because they’re bored with their options. To help with this, take half the toys and put them away. Every few days, swap a few toys in and pull a few toys out. Your cat will feel like there’s always something new, which will spark their interest in self-play.

Cat Videos

If you don’t have many windows for your cat to look out of, or don’t have a lot of activity for your cat to watch, videos may be a suitable alternative. Some cats will watch videos of birds, mice, and other outdoor critters as if they’re looking out a window. YouTube is full of cat-focused videos.

Foraging Boxes

Indoor cats see and smell pretty much the same things every day. So, bring a little outside in. Pick up a few rocks, a stick, or a leaf and put them in a shallow box for your cat to check out. Make sure you’re not using anything toxic to cats. Stay close so you can make sure they aren’t eating anything they shouldn’t. They’re just going to sniff, roll things around, and use their senses for a few minutes. When they’re done, throw the items back outside. It’s a short, simple exercise that gives your cat a little something new to experience.

Cat Tree

A cat tree provides your cat with a space to climb, and a place to scratch and explore.  The various textures, different levels, and dangling toys are essential for a cat's mental health.

Window Watching

Give your cat access to a window where they can look outside and satisfy their natural curiosity.

Training

Teaching your cat to follow cues is fantastic mental stimulation. Clicker training is one of the best methods. Always use positive training techniques where you’re rewarding your cat for doing what you want them to do.

If they aren’t catching on, try simplifying the behavior. Break it down into smaller behaviors that you can shape into the final behavior. For example, lying down may need to start with standing, then sitting, then pointing their head to the ground, then fully lying down. There are lots of great books, videos, and training programs to teach you how to do clicker training with your cat.

Use Your Imagination

These are only a few ideas for mental stimulation for cats. Rotate between different toys and activities that your cat enjoys. Take time to learn when your cat is most active or seems most bored. Each week, try to think of something new and different you can do with your cat or let them experience.