More Than Sleep: Inside a Cat’s Daily Needs
What does a cat (fish) actually do all day?
Sleep, snack, nap again… right?
For the next week, I’m documenting everything Flounder does in a single day—from the moment she starts her day to the last conversations before bedtime. Not because she’s extraordinary (though she is), but because her routine quietly reveals something most people underestimate: how much intention goes into keeping a cat mentally stimulated, physically healthy, and emotionally fulfilled.
Enrichment isn’t about spoiling your cat or turning your home into a feline amusement park. It’s about meeting real, biological needs—movement, problem-solving, choice, communication, rest, and connection. When those needs are met, cats don’t just behave “better”… they thrive.
Flounder’s day includes play, training, exploration, rest, communication, and yes—plenty of caring for Mouse Toy. But none of it is accidental. Every activity supports her body, her brain, and her sense of agency in the world. Over the next week, I’ll break down what those moments look like in real life and why they matter—not just for Flounder, but for all cats.
Because enrichment isn’t extra.
It’s essential.
Monday
~15 minute walk outside
Training session, focusing on learning new behaviors
Played "Stick toy" (teaser toy) for about 15 minutes
Played "Fetch" for about 10 minutes
Ran the lure course for about 5 minutes
Played "Fetch" for another 5-10 minutes
Play in the bathtub with Shark toy
Another walk outside for ~15 minutes
Fed her dinner with a food puzzle
Ballet School with Cat Dad
More stick toy until she seemed tired enough to let me sleep
Tuesday
~15 minute walk outside
Homemade puzzle
Pawzler Puzzle
Ballet School ~10 minutes
~5-10 minute training session focused on new behaviors
"Find it" scent game puzzle
Play with water toys
Run on lure course
Ballet school 5-10 minutes with Cat Dad
Small dinner in a puzzle (bc she had a lot of food in her puzzles throughout the day)
Stick Toy on and off for an hour
Wednesday
~15 minute walk outside
~10 minute Ballet School
Practiced skateboarding
Piano lesson
Played with shark in the bathtub
Training session focused on new behaviors ~5-10 minutes
Run on lure course
~10 minute walk outside in the afternoon
Tube Ride (swinging her around in her play tunnel)
Played fetch in her Cat Christmas tree
Dinner in her Pawzler Puzzle
Ballet School ~10 minutes with Cat Dad
Stick Toy on and off for about an hour
Thursday
~15 minute walk outside
Homemade puzzle
Pawzler Puzzle
Find it scent game puzzle
Lick mat
~10 minute Ballet School
~5 minute training session to work on new behaviors
Played fetch
Another ~10 minute walk outside
Small dinner in food puzzle
~5-10 minute Ballet School with Cat Dad
Stick toy on/off for about an hour
Friday
~15 minute walk outside
Homemade puzzle
~10 minute training session focused on learning new behaviors
~5-10 minute skateboard lesson
~10-15 minutes of fetch
~10 minutes running on cat wheel (with encouragement using a teaser toy)
~5 minutes more skateboarding
Painted some beautiful paintings
Lick Mat puzzle that suctions onto the refrigerator (or window)
Dinner in her food puzzle
~10 minute Ballet School with Cat Dad
Stick Toy on/off for about an hour
Saturday
Sunrise Paddle board adventure (not a typical weekly thing - it has to be warm(ish) and low tide at the time of sunrise.)
KONG while mom takes a shower
~10 minute training session to work on new behaviors
Lure course for ~5 minutes
Homemade Puzzle
Piano lesson
Dinner in her food puzzle
~15 minute Ballet School with Cat Dad
Stick Toy on/off for about an hour
Sunday
~15 minute walk outside
~10 minute training session to work on new behaviors
~5 minute Ballet School
Lure course ~5 minutes
Skateboard lesson for ~5-10 minutes
Fetch in her Cat Christmas Tree
Tube Ride in her play tunnel
Dinner in her food puzzle
~10 minute Ballet School with Cat Dad
Stick Toy on/off for about an hour
