The experience of a pet's mealtime is underrated by humans. It is more than excited meows by your cat or the wiggle butt from your dog. When you fill their bowl, you don't just give them food. Eating and the experience around eating is just as important. Before domestication, their ancestors were predators who needed to hunt for their food out of necessity. It was a highly stimulating activity that provided nutrients and supported natural behaviors. Now domesticated pets are provided calories, often served in a bowl, and they are not given an opportunity to utilize their instincts. Over time, brain changes have occurred with domestication and are showcased in their behaviors. Join us as we highlight ways that eating can be more than just calories. Let's create opportunities for enrichment.
Cats are hunters
Cats have retained many of the hunting and predatory instincts of their ancestors. Most cats are adopted as a stray, from a shelter, feral colony or friend's litter. When adopted, the majority of cats adjust to living in our homes but one thing stays unchanged: their innate behaviors for survival and food acquisition are still present. According to Dr. Liz Bales, a veterinarian and expert in cat behavior and wellness, cats are hunters and would normally spend around 80% of their waking hours looking for prey to catch and eat. Seeking out food such as a mouse or bird, catching it, playing with it, then consuming it would be part of a normal behavior pattern for a cat. With this, cats achieve satisfaction, exercise, and the nutrients they need. When a cat is fed solely from a bowl, we take away the opportunity for them to express normal behaviors and find fulfilment. An approach to mitigate cat behavior problems, such as inappropriate eliminations or inter-cat aggression, is to provide appropriate enrichment activities therefore channeling the unwanted behaviors into expressions of normal instinct. Since finding and eating food is a large part of a cat's innate nature, mimicking experiences they would have in the wild will supply a sense of gratification for them resulting in a happier cat. Playing with your cat on a regular basis lets them exert energy and use their instincts, but there is an added bonus to their reward center when they get to actually consume their "prey".
The next question is: how do you provide an opportunity for your cat to "hunt" in your home? We are not suggesting you let wild animals loose in your home! A recommended enrichment toy is the Doc and Phoebe's Cat Hunting Feeder toy. This toy is great because it allows you to fill the toy with your cat's kibble and adjust the opening to make it a slow feeder. The toy is designed with a cloth skin on the outside as well as a stuffed head to help mimic the shape and feel of a real mouse. Your cat can pick up, carry around, and play with their prey while dispensing the food reward. It slows down their eating along with keeping your cat mentally engaged. An added activity bonus for this feeding toy is placing the mice in different spots around the house. This further emphasizes the hunt and provides additional enrichment; their food isn't handed to them and they have to go find it. There is also the Doc and Phoebe's The Wet Feeder for cats which is a feeder mouse specifically designed for wet food. Another great enrichment activity for cats is to use a puzzle feeder such as those made by Cat Amazing. There are different versions available but they all allow you to put dry food inside and require cats to use their paws to work the kibble through the maze to retrieve each piece.
Dogs are different
Domesticated dogs have been bred over time to select for what humans believe is appropriate temperament. Once humans began to provide food, hunting was unnecessary and finding food associated with people was now a means to provide nutrition. Over time this has progressed to food presented in a bowl without any opportunity for enrichment. Dr. Jon Bowen, a veterinary behaviorist out of the Royal Veterinary College in London, UK states that studies done on dog behavior through feral dog populations show they are ineffective at cooperative hunting unlike their undomesticated wolf counterparts. Modern dogs have "traded their ability to hunt effectively as a group to being able to read and respond to emotional and communicative signals in people" (Bowen). In contrast, while cats have hunting instinct similar to that of their ancestors, dogs on the other hand have developed a new food acquisition behavior and outlet for satiety: foraging. What does this mean regarding enrichment ideas for your pup? Well, providing a variety of puzzle feeders to your dog allows them this appropriate enrichment outlet. According to Dr. Bowen, a study showcased that doing this "increases the complexity and diversity of problem solving and foraging behavior available to dogs which is more important to them than the palatability and range of food flavors".
Foraging for your dog is the act of finding food and there are many ways to encourage this behavior appropriately. We are not implying they get in the trash can or counter surf! Lets explore safe options. Keeping in mind your individual pup, tendencies towards shredding and or consuming inappropriate objects may limit some food puzzle and enrichment choices. A common recommendation is the Kong food dispensing toy. The particular shape of the toy allows your dog to hold it between their paws and work at the various food treats that can be placed inside. Whether it is frozen low sodium chicken broth and some pieces of dog food, peanut butter, banana, or yogurt, this toy can be a favorite for the evening wind down. Another avenue to consider is a licking mat, snuffle mat, food puzzle, or slow feeder bowl which limits those pups who eat too quickly. Puzzle toys generally provide different levels of difficulty to mentally stimulate your pet while they retrieve pieces of kibble. These options provide two accomplishments for enrichment: slowing down the rate at which your dog consumes their food as well as making them think more about how to acquire their food.
Enrichment through food is a way to support the mental health and satiety of our pets. Just like us, they find satisfaction though problem solving and receiving an associated reward. Enrichment toys can be implemented daily to establish and maintain your dog training or cat training routine. When implementing any new enrichment toy, be patient during the training period and use positive reinforcement. Keep in mind the calories involved to prevent unwanted weight changes. The calorie impact is different for every pet based on their size, species, and age. An accurate weight and in person evaluation of your pet's body condition is needed to create a food calculation and review specific diet recommendations. Please contact us to schedule an appointment if you have any questions or concerns surrounding food enrichment for your dog or cat.