What to Do with Your Pet at Home: 10 Activities for Cats and Dogs

Indoor activities give cats and dogs valuable opportunities to move, think, explore, and interact with family members. They are especially useful during heavy rain, extreme heat, snow, poor air quality, or any period when long outdoor walks are impractical. Home-based games may also suit pets recovering from temporary activity restrictions, provided a veterinarian has approved the exercise. Use age, health, personality, experience, and energy level to guide each activity. Participation should always be voluntary. End the session if the pet walks away, hides, freezes, growls, repeatedly licks its lips, flattens its ears, or otherwise appears uncomfortable.

1. Try Mobile Entertainment 

Phones and tablets can support brief shared activities. The aim is not to keep a pet in front of a screen for long periods, but to introduce a sound, capture a reaction, create a short video, or add variety to an existing game.

Cat Translator for Cat Play

Cat Translator is an entertainment app that includes cat sounds and interactive features. Pet owners can play different types of meowing, observe the cat’s response, and capture photos or videos during the activity. Treat the sounds as playful prompts, not meaningful statements. A cat may approach the phone, search for the source, vocalize, or leave. None of these reactions proves that it has understood a translated message. 

The app cannot provide a scientifically accurate interpretation of feline language. To assess a cat’s needs or health, consider its overall body language, usual behavior, appetite, litter box habits, and, when necessary, veterinary advice. The translation feature is intended only for entertainment. 

Dog Translator for Shared Play

Dog Translator includes dog sounds, simulated communication features, an emotion soundboard, and activities designed for shared entertainment. Families may use it to record reactions, make short clips, or introduce a new sound during supervised play. Training lessons can also provide ideas for brief indoor sessions.

Simulated translation cannot reliably determine whether a dog is happy, afraid, frustrated, or unwell. Behavior must be interpreted in context, including posture, movement, facial tension, vocalization, surroundings, recent events, and health.

Use the app as an entertainment tool, not as a diagnostic or behavioral assessment system.

Screen Games for Pets

Some mobile games show fish, insects, mice, balls, or points of light moving across the screen. Cats may track or tap them, and some dogs also respond to moving objects. Interest varies widely.  

Use screen games with care:

• install a strong screen protector;
• place the device on a stable, flat surface;
• keep the sound at a comfortable level;
• supervise the full session;
• prevent biting, forceful scratching, or repeated impact on the device;
• end the game if the pet becomes irritated or overstimulated.

Afterward, let the pet catch a real toy. A physical reward provides a clearer ending than an image that repeatedly disappears.

Mobile entertainment should remain a small part of a varied routine. Screens cannot replace movement, scent exploration, social interaction, outdoor walks for dogs, or opportunities to perform species-specific behaviors.

2. Organize a Treat-Finding Game

A food search encourages an animal to use its nose, memory, and problem-solving skills. Set aside a measured portion of the pet’s regular food or several small treats. Hide them in safe, accessible places and allow the animal to search.

For Cats

Begin with obvious locations. Place food:

• inside an open cardboard box;
• beside or under a lightweight toy;
• in the folds of a suitable activity mat;
• on different levels of a stable cat tree;
• in shallow, uncovered containers.

A cat that has always eaten from a bowl may need to watch you place the first few pieces. Do not hide food in areas where the animal could become trapped or exposed to household chemicals.

For Dogs

Let the dog see or smell the reward, then place it nearby and say “Find it” or “Search.” Begin with food behind a chair leg, beside a box, or under an overturned cup that the dog can easily move.

Increase the difficulty gradually. A more advanced search might involve several rooms or empty containers, only one of which holds the reward. Scent games allow dogs to perform natural foraging behavior and can provide mental exercise without requiring a large indoor area.

Count all food used in the game as part of the day’s intake. AAHA guidance generally recommends keeping treats to no more than about 10 percent of total daily calories unless a veterinarian or veterinary nutrition professional gives different instructions. Using part of the regular meal often provides the simplest solution.

3. Make a DIY Pet Toy

A useful enrichment toy does not need to be expensive. Many household materials can support supervised play.

Possible options include:

• a cardboard box with openings cut into the sides;
• a paper bag with all handles removed;
• cardboard tubes containing a few pieces of food;
• a large fabric knot for an appropriate dog;
• a durable fabric toy with hidden pockets;
• a divided box with several sections;
• several boxes connected to form a simple tunnel.

Match the construction to the pet’s size and chewing habits. A thin cardboard tube may work for a gentle cat but fall apart quickly when given to a large dog.

Remove staples, tape loops, plastic film, sharp edges, loose stuffing, and detachable decorations. Make every opening large enough to prevent the animal’s head, paw, or jaw from becoming trapped. Throw away damaged toys before pieces separate.

Strings, ribbons, yarn, and similar materials require direct supervision. If swallowed, they can act as linear foreign bodies and cause serious intestinal injury, particularly in cats. VCA Animal Hospitals advises owners not to encourage unsupervised play with these materials.

4. Build an Indoor Obstacle Course

Use cushions, tunnels, boxes, low barriers, mats, and other stable household items to create a simple route. Clear the surrounding area first.

For dogs, the course might involve:

• walking around two markers;
• stepping over a low pole;
• stopping on a mat;
• moving through an open tunnel;
• placing the front paws on a low platform;
• sitting at a designated point.

Guide the dog slowly with a treat or toy. Avoid tight turns, repeated jumping, or fast running in small rooms.

For cats, create a route with open boxes, tunnels, low platforms, stable shelves, and places to hide. Many cats value vertical space, but every elevated surface must support the animal’s weight and provide a safe way down. Indoor cats need opportunities for climbing, hiding, simulated hunting, and play as part of an appropriate home environment.

Use rugs or nonslip mats on smooth flooring. Slippery surfaces increase the risk of falls and can make older pets or animals with joint pain reluctant to participate.

Pets with arthritis, back problems, heart conditions, recent surgery, breathing difficulties, or movement restrictions need veterinary approval before attempting an obstacle course.

5. Teach a New Command or Trick

Training provides mental stimulation and gives families a structured way to communicate with a pet.

Suitable skills for dogs include:

• giving a paw;
• turning in a circle;
• going to a mat or bed;
• waiting briefly;
• touching a hand with the nose;
• finding a named toy;
• placing an object in a basket.

Cats can also learn. Start with simple behaviors such as coming when called, touching a target with the nose, entering a carrier, sitting on a mat, or jumping onto a designated stable surface.

Use reward-based training. Mark the correct behavior with a consistent word such as “Yes,” then provide a reward the pet values. This could be food, a toy, praise, or access to an activity.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends reward-based methods rather than techniques involving pain, intimidation, force, or fear. Positive reinforcement helps animals remain engaged and protects the human-animal relationship.

Keep sessions short. Several minutes may be enough for a beginner. Feline training guidance recommends multiple short sessions instead of one long block because cats often learn better through brief, frequent practice.

End after a successful repetition while the animal still wants to continue.

6. Play Hide-and-Seek

Ask another family member to hold the pet or wait with it in a separate room. Hide somewhere easy, call the animal once, and reward it when it finds you.

A child can participate by hiding with an adult, but should not jump out, scream, or grab the animal. The reunion needs to feel safe and predictable.

Dogs can also search for a favorite toy. At first, leave part of it visible. Once the dog understands the task, use more difficult locations.

For cats, place a moving toy partly behind a box, curtain, or piece of furniture. Move it in short bursts to imitate prey. Allow the cat to catch it regularly; endless pursuit without capture may create frustration. Feline veterinary guidance recommends interactive toys that imitate prey while still allowing the cat to complete the hunting sequence.

7. Use Puzzle Feeders and Interactive Toys

Puzzle feeders require an animal to perform an action before reaching food. Depending on the design, the pet may need to:

• move a sliding piece;
• open a compartment;
• roll a ball;
• lift a cover;
• use a paw or nose;
• locate the correct section.

Begin with the easiest setting. Leave food partly visible and demonstrate how one component moves. A puzzle that is too difficult can produce frustration instead of useful stimulation.

Cats may benefit from feeders that imitate searching and hunting. Dogs often enjoy toys that roll, wobble, or release food after being pushed. Both purchased and homemade versions can work when they are sturdy, appropriately sized, and free from pieces the animal could swallow.

Veterinary sources recommend starting with simple food puzzles and making them harder only after the animal understands the task. Part of the regular meal can be used to avoid adding unnecessary calories.

Wash food toys regularly and inspect them for cracks, sharp edges, or loose components.

8. Arrange a Home Photo Session

Choose a quiet location with good natural light and a simple background. Allow the pet to investigate the area before taking pictures.

Possible ideas include:

• the pet with a favorite toy;
• several natural facial expressions;
• a seasonal background;
• a family photo;
• action shots during play;
• a comparison with an older photograph.

Use treats or toys to direct attention, but never hold an animal in an uncomfortable pose. Avoid flashes close to the eyes and limit repeated noises intended to make the pet look toward the camera.

Children can help prepare the background or choose a toy. An adult should control the session and make sure the pet can leave at any time.

Costumes and accessories are optional. Do not use them when the animal tries to remove them, freezes, lowers its body, repeatedly scratches, hides, or shows other signs of discomfort.

9. Create a Short Video with Your Pet

A short video can turn an ordinary home activity into a family project. Record the pet:

• performing a learned cue;
• searching for a hidden toy;
• examining a safe new object;
• completing an obstacle course;
• showing a familiar daily habit;
• moving through a simple “day in the life” sequence;
• resting before and after a play session.

Plan several brief clips instead of recording continuously. This reduces pressure on the animal and makes editing easier.

10. Turn Grooming into a Calm Activity

Not every indoor activity needs to involve running or chasing. Calm interaction can help a pet become comfortable with routine handling.

Depending on the animal, owners may spend a few minutes:

• brushing the coat;
• briefly touching and checking the paws;
• examining the condition of the fur;
• providing a gentle massage;
• practicing calm handling;
• checking the fit and condition of a collar or harness.

Begin with an area the animal already accepts. Touch it for one or two seconds, reward calm behavior, and stop. Gradually increase the duration over several sessions.

Children may help brush a relaxed pet under adult supervision, but they should not pull mats, touch painful areas, or restrain an animal that wants to leave.

Do not perform painful grooming or medical procedures without a valid reason and proper knowledge. Avoid forcing a session to continue. Gentle handling and moving at the animal’s pace reduce stress and help preserve trust.

Sudden sensitivity, flinching, limping, swelling, skin changes, or aggression during normal touch may indicate pain and deserves veterinary attention.