A rainy day with my cat.

In this blog we look at what you can do with your cat on a rainy day.

This past weekend it was a wash out! So much rain. My boys are fair weather travellers, meaning they won’t entertain the thought of going outside unless a) they are desperate for a wee or b) it’s only a light drizzle.

Leo loves the fresh air and will often sit by the door or open window (if he gets to it before Baby Max), so he can stay dry but still enjoy the fresh air.

My boys are hybrid cats. By that I mean they aren’t solely indoor cats, nor do they have unfettered access to outside. I open the cat flap in the morning and then close it at nighttime to keep them in overnight.

Why do we need to consider the weather?

When it’s a rainy day not only do I need to consider my plans, but I also need to take a moment to consider how I can support the boys.

As you know everything is made of energy. Our physical bodies work thanks to energy i.e. our cells regenerating or our digestive system. When we pause, stop, slow down and rest we still use energy. When it’s a rainy day our cats don’t just stop creating energy, they still need to find a way to release the energy their body is creating.

On a dry day Leo and Baby Max would expel energy by foraging in the woods, sniffing the trees and plants in the forest at the back of our house. What are they going to do when it’s a wet day and they don’t want to go out? Yes they may sleep a little more but it’s unlikely they will do that all day long.

I don’t know about you but when it’s a rainy day I’m thrilled! It means I can find a good film to watch, dig out my heated blanket and make a tasty hot chocolate #snuggletime. It’s a great ‘excuse’ to slow down. To cancel or not make plans with other people, to take my day at a slower pace. And yet … the boys may have other ideas!

In my last blog Is your mental health harming your cat I asked you to consider how your mental state was impacting your cat. I did not say that if you have mental health challenges that you are harming your cat. I simply asked you to consider … how are your thoughts, actions and behaviours impacting your cat and their energy.

It’s about doing the best we can

I’ve shared with you all quite openly that I manage anxiety. Some days I nail it, others not so much. Why am I bringing this up in this blog? Because when we have a rainy day we have a wonderful opportunity to do the best we can. I want to put on film after film, do no jobs or chores in the house and retreat. The boys may sleep a little, but they still need engagement, entertainment. So .. this weekend I did the best I could. I did watch a film with my heated blanket and a pumpkin spiced hot chocolate. And then I played with Baby Max. I don’t know if it’s because he is a little older or because he is generally more reserved but playtime with Leo doesn’t happen too often.

Here you can see the basket of toys, balls, fish and more that we have to play with. Baby Max decided to delve right into it all to see what he wanted to play with. Leo simply watched from the doorway.

Now I could of a) put on another film and mindlessly thrown balls for Baby Max to play with. Entertaining for him? Probably not so much. Easy for me – totally.

Or option b) delve deep into my reserves and get a wand toy out. Mimic a mouse from the woods, darting around on the floor and hiding under the sofa. Engage Baby Max’s play/prey instincts. Great for Baby Max, requires energy and presence from me.

On our rainy day we did a bit of both. I did the best I could. I chose to have cats. Sentient beings that need engagement, connection and interaction. As their guardian I do the best I can for them.

Don’t rely on your cats to entertain each other

Because I have two cats it would be really easy for me to just ‘let them get on with it’ and entertain each other. Let them play or expel energy together. And my boys will do that at times, chase each other around the house and ruff and tumble. But if I did that all the time we would all miss out. When I play with Baby Max and the wand toy he will usually do something that makes me laugh. A crazy jump or silly manoeuvre, it lights me up. It puts sparkle in my jar. It’s great for his mental and emotional health to engage with me, and to be honest mine too.

The relationship cats have with each other is different to the relationship they have with us.

So the next time it is a rainy day, take a moment and see if you can shift your perspective. Instead of focussing on the wet, grey, windy day outside. See how you can bring some sparkle, joy and connection to your relationship with your cat.

SIDE NOTE: After I spent 25 minutes playing with Baby Max, he came and enjoyed the first part of the second film with me on my lap! #win

I hope you have enjoyed the blog. The next time the rain comes, get in touch and let me know how you are spending the rainy day with your cat.