HIIIIII! It's Ellie Mae! I'm taking over the blog today to discuss a VERY important topic relating to sharing our lives with our humans (if you only have one human, and it's not a Daddy, consider yourself VERY lucky ... also, if you'd like a Daddy, I have a used one for sale (* #). He's not low miles ... but he's reliable (@)).
The fine print
* Or completely FREE! What a bargain!!
# No wait! I'll PAY you to take him after I figure out how much is in Momma's wallet.
@ At being annoying and trying to touch me
Human enrichment is SOOO important to keep our humans' minds active! Because they spend hours staring at screens all day, giving them opportunities to problem-solve and think critically ensures their minds will remain sharp and occupied. We all know what happens when humans get bored ... they bug us! And we all know what happens when humans get forgetful ... dinner is LATE!
[ps - though I have my doubts. How come they never forget they ALREADY fed us? What cat wouldn't welcome a second breakfast?!]
Human enrichment tip #1
Select a spot in the house. Only eat when your human puts your plate in that spot. Keep them guessing! This game ensures hours of fun enrichment for your human! Achieve next level fun by eating 1/4th of your plate and then re-starting the game all over again with a DIFFERENT required spot.
Warning: Do not let this go on for over 12 hours, otherwise your human will get twitchy and take you to the vet.
Variation: This can be done with treats and/or dry food as well. Choose a place in your house where you will eat these, and make your human find it. My Mom puts piles of dry food all over the place, hoping I'll eat from one. While my Mom technically cheats, it's convenient for when I get the munchies far away from my food bowl (Momma says three feet is not far away from my food bowl). It's great!
Variation: Pick a food flavor. Refuse to eat until your human feeds you that flavor. Combine with "pick a spot" for endless fun: your human has to guess the food you'll eat AND where you'll eat it!
Human enrichment tip #2
Meow for no reason. Your human will scramble around trying to figure out what is wrong (is there enough food? a litter box problem? a missing toy?). What better problem-solving activity than one with no answer? Endless fun!
Variation: My brofur Bear used to sit on the table next to where my Mom works and stare at her. It would make her nervous. He'd refuse pets. Food. Even play. But he'd just sit there ... staring ... waiting for her to guess what he wanted (which wasn't anything).
Read about Bear's "wanting" in "On wanting (and annoying Momma)" from Conversations With Bear Cat: Part 14.
Human enrichment tip #3
"Lose" your favorite toy ... and let them find it! This drives my Mom INSANE. She's like a dog with a bone when my purple yarn ball disappears. She knows it's my absolute favorite toy and the only one I will always play with. No hints! Don't sit around where you hid it.
Warning: Since finding your favorite toy could involve moving furniture, your human might notice the nasty things under the furniture and grab the vacuum. I recommend observing the fun from a safe location.
By following these tips, your human will grow sharper by the day (and perhaps, more jittery). Jump in their lap, purr, and know you are doing everything you can to keep your human mentally fit.
© 2025 Momma Kat and Her Bear Cat - Written and Published by Katherine Kern.
All text, pictures, images, and other content are original and copyright by Momma Kat and Her Bear Cat [K. Kern], 2015-2025. No content on Momma Kat and Her Bear Cat may be used without the owner's [K. Kern] written permission. If you see this post posted on a site that isn't Momma Kat and Her Bear Cat, please contact cats@mommakatandherbearcat.com.
Featured post:
Thank you for these furry impawtant tips, Ellie Mae. We already use a couple, but new ideas are always welcome (mol). We purr-ticularly like the fact that implementing these requires little energy (on the part of the cat, that is).
ReplyDeleteHahaha. They want us to work for our food. It's not so fun when they have to work to get us to eat! ~Ellie Mae
DeleteAhaha, Ellie Mae! You've put alot of careful consideration and strategic planning into this, I can tell!
ReplyDeleteI work hard to keep my Momma healthy! ~Ellie Mae
DeleteThanks for sharing these tips, great information and cute photos. Take care, hope you have a great day!
ReplyDeleteThanks! You too!
DeleteEllie Mae! You sound just like yourself! AND...I do those things too. Not all, but I will now3 that you have given me those wonderful hints!
ReplyDeleteMy Mom says she feels sorry for your Mom, but I have no idea why. We're wonderful! ~Ellie Mae
DeleteWe always are happy to learn new and useful things to keep our humans on their toes. Sawyer practices all tips regarding food placement and food type. His favorite is heading toward his regular feeding spot and then veering off in another direction until Mom or Dad have made at least four circuitous trips through the house following him before giving up. That leaves him free to get the food of one of the other of us, as we do not have meds in our food. And, of course, there is Cooper Murphy’s favorite tip: Snorffle your own food as fast as possible so he can shove a slower eater out of their food and then wolf that down as well. We cats are all so clever. Ellie Mae, we bet you have even more tricks … err, we mean tips you could teach us. We were delighted to see you today and especially to know that you are still up to aggravating/training/entertaining your mom. Love you and her (and Latte) bunches. Not sure what to say about your daddy … sounds as if he is currently out of favor with you! Hmmm! XOCK, angels Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta & Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo, Cooper Murphy, Sawyer, Kizmet, Audrey & Raleigh
ReplyDeleteCooper Murphy sounds like Latte!!! My Mom stopped putting meds in my food because I wouldn't eat it. I feel sorry for Sawyer! ~Ellie Mae
DeleteI 100% agree we must keep our brains engaged. I love Words With Friends, crocheting, reading and of course visiting my furry friends and their humans
ReplyDeleteHugs cecilia
My Mom is boring! She does none of that (okay, okay, a bit of reading ... )! ~Ellie Mae
DeleteGreat ideas for self improvement and sweet kitty photos ~ thanks,
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores ~ clm
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Thanks!
DeleteLuckily Wilson will eat anything that's not nailed down. Whew...not sure I could stand the 'enrichment.'
ReplyDeleteP.S. If you're marketing your Daddy's 'good' qualities, why are you trying to unload him? 😻
Erm ... if you can't say anything nice .... ?! ~Ellie Mae
Deleteellie mae theez bee grate tipz, spesh a lee sinz de food servizz gurl heer in trout towne iz fee bull minded ….and half de time, noe 90 purrcent oh de time, canna figure out de answerz two de crozz werd puzzlez herz werkin on…. eye will try theez tack tickz startin two day, most shirlee numburr one coz who doeznt like mor nomz 🐾😺‼️💚💙
ReplyDeleteYou got this, Mackerull!
DeleteGreat tips! My catd already use the guess which flavor, maybe they'll expand their repertoire.
ReplyDeleteUh oh!
DeleteOh, Ellie Mae!!! I love your disclaimers about how not to go too far or you end up at the vet!
ReplyDeleteThe struggle is real. ~Ellie Mae
DeleteI think you must have sent this to our crew, they are on it already!
ReplyDeleteSmart kitties!
DeleteExcellent tips, Ellie Mae!
ReplyDeleteWe're always looking to help our mom and dad reach their human potential!
Love,
Ava and Target
Managing humans is so hard. ~Ellie Mae
DeleteYou are too funny. I am not going to let my kitties read this post though. XO
ReplyDeleteVery smart. Haha!
DeleteYou do very well at keeping your mom on her toes. I remember all too well the guess which flavour is favourite!
ReplyDeleteAMARULA: Even i have to admit that these enrichment tips are pure genius, Ellie Mae!
ReplyDelete