Foraging Felines: Providing House Cats with Necessary Mental & Physical Stimulation Through Fun with Food
Are you puzzled about puzzle feeders for cats? Most cat guardians are. Even the few who have limited knowledge as to what a puzzle feeder is they are still unaware as to why their cuddly couch cat desperately needs daily mental and physical enrichment. This results in a severe lack of species-appropriate enrichment for companion cats. A lack of mental and physical stimulation is linked to a myriad of medical and behavioral issues in cats. But this can be reversed! When properly utilized, foraging enrichment can enhance the lives of both cats and their guardians.
African Wildcat - Healthy Predatory Hunting Behavior In the Wild
Genetic evidence indicates that our modern day house cats are descendants from at least five feline founders of a group of Wildcats from 9,000 – 10,000 years ago. This species lived in the Fertile Crescent of Western Asia, and area believed to be the origin of agriculture, when nomadic tribes first began to settle and grow crops. The grain was stored in granaries that attracted rodents, which in turn attracted Wildcats. With no further need to forage widely for food, the Wildcats and humans began an alliance that is still in place today.
• Modern cats are descended from a midsize cat that existed 10–11 MYA.
• The ancestor of all modern domestic cats is the wildcat, Felis silvestris lybica
• Archaeological evidence indicates it was domesticated as early as 10,000 years ago in South-West Asia.
• Recent data claims that cat domestication also occurred in China some 5,000 years ago and involved the same wildcat ancestor
• This Wildcat has 5 distinct subspecies: European wildcat, Near Eastern wildcat, Southern African wildcat, Central Asian wildcat, Chinese desert cat
Each wild group represents a distinctive subspecies of Felis silvestris:
• European Wildcat Felis silvestris silvestris – Europe
• African Wildcat Felis silvestris lybica – North Africa and southwest Asia
• Southern African Wildcat Felis silvestris cafra – Sub-Saharan Africa
• Asiatic Wildcat Felis silvestris ornata – Central Asia to India
• Chinese Mountain Cat Felis silvestris bieti – Western China
Watch Here:
• Modern cats are descended from a midsize cat that existed 10–11 MYA.
• The ancestor of all modern domestic cats is the wildcat, Felis silvestris lybica
• Archaeological evidence indicates it was domesticated as early as 10,000 years ago in South-West Asia.
• Recent data claims that cat domestication also occurred in China some 5,000 years ago and involved the same wildcat ancestor
• This Wildcat has 5 distinct subspecies: European wildcat, Near Eastern wildcat, Southern African wildcat, Central Asian wildcat, Chinese desert cat
Each wild group represents a distinctive subspecies of Felis silvestris:
• European Wildcat Felis silvestris silvestris – Europe
• African Wildcat Felis silvestris lybica – North Africa and southwest Asia
• Southern African Wildcat Felis silvestris cafra – Sub-Saharan Africa
• Asiatic Wildcat Felis silvestris ornata – Central Asia to India
• Chinese Mountain Cat Felis silvestris bieti – Western China
Watch Here:
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Enrichment In Action!
The videos below are supplemental to a webinar I did for The Pet Professional Guild on October 10, 2016. The webinar was titled "Foraging Felines: Providing House Cats with Necessary Mental and Physical Stimulation Through Fun with Their Food. “ These videos are related to my PowerPoint slides from the 1.5 hour webinar. To understand these videos, I recommend watching the webinar; You will be able to better implement and understand the techniques in the videos.
A Geriatric Cat's Introduction to a Purchased Puzzle Feeder
Using Foraging (puzzle feeders) as a Tool to Modify Fear in Cats
"Wake and Hunt" - Safe, Outdoor Food Foraging Enrichment for Felines
Tips for Successful Senior Cat Foraging Sessions!
Consider using a Maze Feeder for Food-Frenzied Felines!
My webinar discusses how to successfully and safely enrich the lives of our feline family members, no matter their age.
The Learning Objectives:
· Learn why foraging enrichment should be viewed as an essential part of providing an excellent quality of life for companion cats in captivity
· Receive guidelines for safely and successfully implementing foraging opportunities
· Discover how to easily implement this important tool into everyday life.
· Dispel the myths behind foraging tools for senior and geriatric cats
· Explore the positive side effects of foraging for both cats and their guardians
· Learn why house cats need food enrichment that parallels the enrichment offered to exotic cats in captivity
Details Here
The Learning Objectives:
· Learn why foraging enrichment should be viewed as an essential part of providing an excellent quality of life for companion cats in captivity
· Receive guidelines for safely and successfully implementing foraging opportunities
· Discover how to easily implement this important tool into everyday life.
· Dispel the myths behind foraging tools for senior and geriatric cats
· Explore the positive side effects of foraging for both cats and their guardians
· Learn why house cats need food enrichment that parallels the enrichment offered to exotic cats in captivity
Details Here
