Winter is coming and everyone knows (except Jon Snow, naturally) that it means cozy inside time reigns supreme. Which is great! For the first few weeks. But when it just stays cold and the sunlight stays weak, it’s hard to do anything besides lay in bed under a blanket of cats.

Sure, cats are furry and lay around for much of the day – that doesn’t mean they’re meant to be blankets, though! Get up and active with your cats to keep them engaged during the colder months. To help, we’ve put together five fantastic forms of cat entertainment for this winter.

Playtime’s For Everyone

Cats sleep an average of 15 hours a day, and it’s important to make the time they’re awake both active and fulfilling. Engage their bodies and their minds with regular play sessions, once or twice a day: you can start with aerobics, breaking out the fishing line toy to have them leaping and rolling after feathers and bells – or deploy the Red Dot of Doom (I mean, laser pointer) that no cat anywhere has yet conquered.

When it’s time to feed your feisty felines – or reward them with treats – make them work for their vittles! You can purchase puzzle feeders to put their kibble in or even create your own. This practice keeps their minds stimulated and engaged, ensuring they get some additional activity with their dinners. If you feed them directly after playtime, they will follow this up with their usual grooming and a nap.

More to Explore

For an additional outlet of cat entertainment to help your pets create their own fun, consider introducing some new cat furniture – especially new pieces that provide more vertical space for your cats to explore. Use a variety of shelves, perches, and cat trees to create an obstacle course of climbing fun. They’ll happily check out any new hidey-holes or observe the plebes (that’s you) from their superior position… after they finish playing in the cardboard boxes everything came in, of course!

Seriously, if you can’t afford any new cat furniture, just leave out cardboard boxes and paper bags, and they’ll make up their own floor-bound games.

Kitty TV

When it’s time for your cat to relax physically, you can still keep their minds and senses engaged through the careful application of Kitty TV. You know what I’m talking about, right? You can find Kitty TV through pretty much any window or cat entertainment-oriented videos on YouTube.

To create optimal conditions for window Kitty TV, set up a comfortable perch where your feline friend can look out one or more of your home windows. They can watch the neighborhood and bask in any available sunlight. To encourage interesting activity outside the window, install a bird or squirrel feeder. Just be sure to keep the blinds lifted a bit to protect them if your cat gets super into the Morning Bird-Feeding Show!

You could also set up cat-oriented games on your iPad or other tablet, or put YouTube videos of birds and squirrels on your television or computer to hold your kitty’s attention and give them a hunting thrill.

Cuddle Time

Now that you’ve given your cat several different mentally-stimulating games and activities, let’s talk about those 15 hours they spend asleep. When it’s chilly, enjoy and accommodate the increased cuddle time this induces in your cat – it’s perfect bonding time and will do wonders for your stress levels. Besides, it’s not like you’ll have much of a choice – remember that blanket of cats I mentioned at the beginning? I’m typing under one right now: my calico Rey has been holding down my knees all day, and I’m maneuvering around my queenly silver tabby Daenerys as she sits on my lap. She doesn’t mind; she’s purring away. Now if I try to put her out of my lap, I’m sure to get an earful!

Keep your cats happy this winter. Don’t put them out of your lap.

Snuggle Spots

Of course, we can’t all work from home or spend our winters hibernating under a blanket of cats while binging on Netflix. Keep your cats happy and make sure you provide them with safe and warm spots to curl up in while you’re away – use sunlight and snuggly nests or cat beds when you’re outside the home. If you’re available to supervise, try investing in a heated cat bed to keep your kitty extra toasty warm and happy.

What’s your favorite wintertime cat entertainment – or your best strategy for keeping them warm and happy? Tell us in the comments or share on our Facebook page!