While many pet parents have venturing outdoors to enjoy the spring weather, it might be keeping your cat inside more than you’d like - but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring the experience of nature into your home to experience some of its benefits. Read on for some ideas to bring the advantages of the natural world inside so that your pet (and you) will feel less restless and more relaxed during this period of social distancing.

A day of forest bathing

Forest bathing, from the Japanese “shinrin-yoku”, means fully experiencing the forest atmosphere through all of one’s senses. Humans receive many benefits from this practice, including reduced stress and anxiety and increased creativity and feelings of happiness. Just like humans, cats love the outdoors and likely get many of the same benefits from spending time in nature, so why not create an indoor forest bathing experience for the both of you?

According to research, just looking at nature can have positive effects on psychological wellbeing in humans. While cats might not have the same experience of feeling more relaxed from simply looking at a green roof or image of a waterfall, it may be worth investigating if your cat can experience similar positive effects from spending time in an immersive indoor natural environment.

You may also choose to incorporate indoor cat-friendly plants into your home to give you a sense of the outdoors.

Creating an immersive experience

To test this hypothesis, try incorporating elements into your living space that engage all of your cat’s senses: think bird chirping sounds, a contraption that dispenses fresh water, warm snacks that remind your cat of its hunting roots, and artificial grass or other house plants. In addition, ensure that your cat has access to a sunny window for a dreamy mid-afternoon nap. You will likely find that your pet is a bit less restless after its rejuvenating home forest bathing experience.

A sense of freedom

One of the things that cats like most about nature is the interesting and unpredictable experience that it offers and the sense of freedom that exploring it brings. So, try creating a less typical indoor landscape for your cat. For example, you could create a fort with cardboard boxes or a climbing gym with different elevations and textures to keep things interesting and bring out that sense of adventure that might be lying dormant in your cat.

Cat and mouse

Another classic way you can bring nature inside for your cat is by simulating a hunting experience that it might have outside. You can move a toy mouse or other object quickly and unpredictably as if it were prey—this should help keep your cat from getting overly bored with its day-to-day indoor routine. In addition to keeping it engaged and interested, playing a mischievous game of cat and mouse is a great way to sneak in some exercise for your pet. 

With a bit of effort and some creative staging, you can turn your house into a natural oasis for your cat and yourself. While you may not perfectly re-create the outdoor environment, your makeshift indoor forest should provide some much-needed rejuvenation during a long social distancing indoors.