I travel a lot for sales, so I’m home maybe two days a week. My Maine Coon Rex is 10 now but still has plenty of zoomies. I’m worried he’s getting destructive or just stressed out when I’m gone. He’s been gaining weight too, so I don’t want to just let him loaf all day, but I can’t play with him when I’m on the road. How do you keep an energetic cat from becoming a wreck?
Check if it’s boredom or anxiety. I post about the difference here Stressed vs Bored: How to tell the difference. If he’s just bored, you need more vertical space, like Vertical space for big cats in small apartments. If he’s anxious, look at calming aids in Natural calming aids that actually work.
Rex sounds like Copper when I was out tending hives. We used slow feeders to keep him busy and control his weight. See my thread on Interactive feeders for weight management. It’s not just about exercise, it’s about mental stimulation while you’re away. Also, since he’s 10, be careful with high-impact play. I have a thread on safe exercise for older cats here Exercise for older energetic cats.
Oh my gosh, I am so stressed about this because my Bengal Loki is 1 and basically a tornado. I feel like I’m failing him when I go to work. I’ve tried the feeders but he just ignores them. Is it the age? Or the diet? I saw a thread about diet affecting energy levels but I can’t remember the link. I’m just overthinking it again. I feel terrible leaving him alone even for 8 hours.
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