Indoor cats may be safe but they often experience boredom if their surroundings don’t provide them mental stimulation. So one way to keep your cat happy is to practice “nosework,” which means taking something the cat likes (such as treats) and hiding them around the house.

This forces the cat to use its nose to sniff out the location of the item, giving it a chance to practice its hunting and stalking skills. Start out with puzzle feeders that force cats to dig out their food, then try hiding treats in different parts of the house. This can give your cat practice hunting down and finding everything you hide, keeping it happy so it won’t wreck your house in your absence.

To learn more about “nosework” for cats, click here.