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Dementia Support Kit

Holistic Support for Feline and Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

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Cat and Dog Enrichment Toys For Active Minds

Vet Talks 3 min read
A black cat playing with cat and dog enrichment toys.

Keeping your little one’s brain and body active is extremely important, and that’s where cat and dog enrichment toys come in! Mind and environmental enrichment games may help to slow down the symptoms and progression of cognitive dysfunctions, especially in older pets. Increased playtime is a great way to show your love, bond with your furkiddo and improve their quality of life.

What is Environmental Enrichment?

Environmental enrichment is a technique that turns your home into a place that challenges your little one in a fun way. Cat and dog enrichment toys and activities should stimulate them like their ancestors in the wild, and help preserve their natural instincts. In that sense, environmental enrichment is essential to make sure your furkiddo is psychologically stimulated, is using their brains, and maintains primitive characteristics.

Environmental enrichment can help your little one exercise more, spend more energy, and have better overall behavior.

Easy access to food and limited space, for example, may lead your furkiddo to gradually become sedentary and lose interest in fun activities. So, unlike popular belief, making your cat or dog work for their meal can help them live a happier and more relaxed life!

Implementing some environmental enrichment techniques at home can also help avoid bad behavior in your little one. Bored pets with extra energy to spend are more prone to destroying the house, barking or meowing excessively or showing aggressive behavior. Cat and dog enrichment toys can also help facilitate your training efforts.

Environmental enrichment and the brain

Cat and dog enrichment toys encourage your little one to use their five senses, their natural instincts and cognitive function to their full ability. With slight changes to your pet’s environment, you can also help them spend their energy in a healthy and fun way. So a good environment enrichment for dogs and cats can really help them live a better life!

There are also natural ways to help improve your little one’s cognitive abilities, alongside environmental enrichment. The supplements present in our Dementia Support Kit may be helpful to slow down the progression of dementia and other neurological issues caused by the aging of the brain.

This bundle includes five supplements that work together to help support nerves and brain function, as well as improve the immune system and aid with discomfort and inflammation. NHV Natures Immuno, NHV Turmeric, NHV Pet Omega 3, NHV Old Timer and NHV Yucca are rich in antioxidants, vitamins B and C, and many other properties that can be used at any age to help your furbaby live a fuller longer life.

A very elaborate cat tree with perches, tunnels, beds and scratching posts. There are 3 cats on the tree: one is spotted and slightly out of frame, there is a brown and white cat in the middle of the cat tree and a black and white tuxedo cat in the bottom of the frame.

Advantages of enrichment toys for dogs and cats

There are different methods to improve your space into something more challenging and stimulating for your pup and kitty. These are some of the improvements you may notice once you include cat and dog enrichment toys in your home:

• Increase in confidence and self-esteem

• Motivation to spend their physical and mental energy

• Helps develop their primal instincts

• Helps develop their intelligence and agility

• Helps decrease fear, hyperactivity, and aggression in pets

Since cats and dogs are stimulated differently and demand distinct activity levels, they may require different enrichment stimulations. Age and breed types can also interfere with the type and amount of enrichment activities you should implement. I talk about cat and dog enrichment ideas you can easily use at home here.

Does environmental enrichment substitute exercising?

Environmental enrichment can help your little one exercise more, spend more energy, and have better overall behavior. But it’s also important to make sure you take responsibility for their energy expenditure when you are together. For dogs particularly, walks are essential! Try to take your dog for a light walk, especially before leaving them alone for a while.

Having a routine and quality time as a furmily is also essential for your little one’s health and happiness. Playing and cuddling before and after work and are easy ways to prevent your pet from getting frustrated. This goes for dogs and cats!

To make playtime more interesting, consider using rope, balls and other cat and dog enrichment toys favorites! This should be a daily bonding activity, especially if your furkiddo has a lot of energy and disposition.


Using cat and dog enrichment toys is a great way to keep your little one active while you’re away. But don’t forget to separate some time to dedicate exclusively to your little one and strengthen your bond! We are always here to give extra tips on how to give the best life to your little one. Click the button below and let our pet experts know how they can help you.

Dr. Rebeca Oliveira DVM

Dr. Rebeca Oliveira DVM

Dr. Rebeca is a holistic veterinarian from Brazil with a passion for natural and integrative medicine. She’s been studying integrative medicine and alternative (and healthier) diets since 2015, and now started to study the power of herbs with the NHV Family. In her spare time, you can find her spending time with her golden retriever, Kuga.

Published: August 2, 2022

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