10 Indoor Pet Activities When It’s Too Cold to Go Outside

Lafayette averages 300 sunny days a year, but sometimes during the winter it feels like the sun is nowhere to be found. If the short, gray, chilly days don’t inspire much get-up-and-go, you’re not alone. In fact, many of us (pets and people alike) are perfectly content to wait for spring while snuggling on the couch. We all know that’s not really healthy or sustainable in the long run, though. To help with the winter blues, our team at Coal Creek Animal Hospital dug into the best indoor activities to introduce to your pet. Get ready, get inspired, get moving!

Setting It Up

If your pet is like the ones we know and love, they are probably game for anything you want to do. Take advantage of their enthusiastic interest by gathering up certain items you know they like. A tug toy, laser pointer, ball, or catnip mice are among the most accessible, guaranteed-to-please items meant to inspire pet exercise. Always switch toys out over time to keep things interesting, and try not to leave items out for them to chew on while you’re elsewhere. 

Brain Games

All pets need and deserve opportunities to test their brain power and expand their knowledge. Without daily mental stimulation, or chances to build acuity, pets can become depressed, anxious, lethargic, or prone to destructive behaviors. 

Chewing and scratching rank high on the list of unwanted behaviors of dogs and cats. Owners can mitigate some of these instincts by redirecting them to healthy, or positive, outlets. Instead of scratching the corners of the couch, provide scratching posts for cats. An alternative to chewing on your shoes might be to give your dog a peanut butter Kong or an indestructible chew toy. 

Top 10 Indoor Pet Activities

Without further adieu, we hope that you and your pet enjoy any or all of our top 10 indoor activities:

1. Hide and seek (using treats, toys, or yourself)
2. Tug of war
3. Fetch (even some cats get into this!)
4. Treadmill walking
5. The Shell Game Trick
6. Teach your pet to “clean up” all of their toys and place them in a basket
7. Train your pet to find certain items, like your keys, newspaper, or handbag
8. Invest in a treat dispensing toy and watch them work for their tasty rewards
9. Introduce new tricks every week (or whenever they show mastery of previously learned tricks or commands)
10. Shape train your pet with a cardboard box (an easy, fun, and satisfying way to provide physical and mental stimulation)

Rules of Thumb

Many pets in Colorado continue to enjoy the great outdoors all through the winter. Ensure their winter safety in these ways:

• Dress them in an insulated jacket or vest
• Encourage them to wear booties
• Limit their time outside (if it’s too cold for you, it’s definitely too cold for them)
• Wipe their paws off after walking outside (if they don’t like booties)
• Encourage them to drink clean, fresh water
• Provide a self-warming bed away from drafts to warm up once indoors

If you have questions about winter pet safety or concerns about our indoor pet activities, feel free to email us at info@coalcreekah.com. We can’t wait to serve you in 2024!