Cats need attention—some cats more than others. If you’ve had many cats over the years, you know that some are more needy than others and their neediness might come in spurts. Cats also have a way of appearing bored. That’s one of Olivia’s super powers—sulking and making you feel sorry for her because 
she has “nothing to do.” Poor baby.
She can usually get my attention with her whiny mews and constant misbehavior, such as jumping up onto my computer desk which she knows is a HUGE NO-NO! She might just sprawl 
across whatever work she thinks is holding my interest at the time. Oh, what a drama queen. So what’s my solution?
Enrichment. They say cats need enrichment—things that will enhance their life by giving them something new and different and interesting to do. When Olivia gets needy, I show her all of the toys and the cat tree in
my office. The only thing she wants in my office is me out of my office—with her. So we go into the living room and I might tip her cat condo over for something 
different, bring out toys she hasn’t seen in a while, toss a ball, wave a wand, lift the blinds so she can see out the window, hide from her and let her find me. I’ll even get out the grandchildrens’ windup toys to entertain her. She loves it all, but when 
I leave the room and go back to my writing, she follows me with her “meow, meow” I’m bored routine again.
Enrichment also might mean exercise and Olivia is still quite young, so we have a routine that she entices me into almost every day. We have a long hall with wooden floors leading into a large room. I toss her chew sticks and balls up and down the hall and she chases them with gusto. This activity provides enrichment for both of us. I get so tickled when she tries to stop herself on those slick floors and she slides as if she’s on ice, sometimes crashing into a wall. Like any good hockey player she’s immediately up and at-em again.
What do you and your cat do for enrichment?
