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Housing cats in an indoor environment has been associated with increased risk for obesity, diabetes mellitus, joint problems and chronic lower urinary tract signs. Furthermore, the risk of behavioural and mental health problems may increase with confinement. Commonly reported behavioural concerns from cat owners include aggression, attention-seeking behaviours and stress-related behaviours such as house-soiling and over-grooming.

Cats in the wild typically eat 10 to 20 small meals throughout the day and night, with hours of foraging time each day. By simulating this natural feeding behaviour we can ensure our cats receive exercise and can help prevent behavioural problems associated with lack of problem solving activity. Food puzzles are an excellent way to achieve this by giving them a new, more natural way to obtain their food by “hunting” for it. Food puzzles typically come in two styles, rolling and stationary. We stock a range of both at our Cat Hospital or alternatively you can make your own. Food puzzles can be used with both dry and wet food.

Successfully implementing your cat using puzzle feeding does require some planning. Cat often will have individual preferences on the type of puzzle (rolling or stationary) and how they like to interact with it (using their paws or their nose). Ideally, as with other toys, aim to use a number of types of puzzles and adjust their difficulty with the abilities of your cat as your cat learns.

Tips for Beginners

• Make it easy to start to avoid frustrating your cat. When learning, your cat should have to do very little work to get the food. Once they have learnt how to use the puzzle, slowly increase the difficulty.
• For nervous cats, use the puzzle in a quiet area where they will not be interrupted by others.
• Some cats prefer to be introduced to food puzzles in the usual location of their food bowl. Start your training when your cat is hungry and has a higher motivation to eat.
• With rolling puzzles, start with clear puzzles or ones with larger openings so that your cat can see, smell and hear that there is food inside and will be rewarded with food for even gently nudging it. Catit treatballs have different aperture sizes to allow for increasing difficulty. NoBowl feeding systems come complete with a training NoBowl for beginners before they graduate onto the real thing! Both of these puzzles are available from us.
• Puzzles should be at least one-half to three quarters of the way full so the food easily dispenses. An almost empty puzzle can be too challenging and to lead to frustration.
• If dry food is fed, sprinkle some around the puzzle so your cat can acquire a few pieces and nudge the puzzle for more. Your cat will make the connection between moving the puzzle and obtaining food.
• For slow starters, place small handfuls of food in locations around your house that is frequented by your cat such as window sills, beds and book shelving. This allows your cat to discover food in novel places and can then teach them to start to look for more.
• Stationary puzzles can be great for cats on a wet food or raw diet, but can also be used for dry food too. Begin with simple puzzles like egg cartons, muffin pans or ice cube trays. Alternatively you can use commercially available puzzles such as the Catch by Northmate or a slow feeder bowl. (We stock the Catch also)

Once your cat has grasped the basics of using their puzzle feeders, gradually increase the challenge

• Use opaque puzzles, or ones with fewer or smaller holes.
• Use puzzle that are unique shapes such as cubes which makes them more difficult to manipulate.
• Hide the puzzles around the house.
• Double up objects by filling a smaller puzzle and placing it in a larger puzzle so your cat has to work harder.
• Place a small weight or object such as a ping pong ball inside the puzzle to increase the challenge.

Eventually, the aim should be to gradually move to feeding most, if not all your cat’s meals from various food puzzles. Food puzzles increase your cat’s exercise, allow them to use their minds to obtain food which helps fulfill their hunting instincts and can provide entertainment to both you and your cat.