Cat TV: Video and audio to help stimulate and relax your cat.
Cats like to watch wildlife. You may find your indoor cat spending time at a window or glass door to watch the activity outside. You may even have a catio or outdoor enclosure in which your indoor cat can safely spend time outside.
But what can you do if your cat doesn't have access to an outdoor enclosure or a window offering something to watch? Or what about when the weather turns bad or it's dark outside and there's no wildlife to see?
You can give your cat an on demand virtual window by playing videos to capture your cat's attention. These videos can be of birds, fish, squirrels, rodents, insects, etc. Videos and audios can also provide natural sounds or even music to give your cat stimulation or soothe and distract an anxious cat even when you're not at home.
YouTube Videos and Live Streaming
The advantages to videos and streaming on YouTube is that they're free and there are an ever growing number to choose from. While you can use a laptop, tablet, computer monitor, or even a phone to watch YouTube, you can also play YouTube on a larger screen, namely a TV.
How do I watch YouTube and other streaming videos on my TV?
YouTube Videos
Searching YouTube for "cat tv" will result in a number of videos that may appeal to your cat. Some of those videos are eight hours long or even more. You can start the video at breakfast to give your cat something to watch all day until you return home for dinner.
You can also do the same with shorter videos by creating a playlist of them. For example, you can create a YouTube playlist of eight 1-hour videos.
YouTube videos for cats to watch, listen to, and interact with
YouTube Live Streaming
An alternative to videos is live streaming. You can just let a live stream of birds feeding at a bird feeder play continuously for your cat to watch.
It's as if your cat has a bird feeder to watch through a virtual window. Unlike windows however, live streams often provide clear sounds of the activity around the feeder and you can also switch to a different stream for a different view at any time.
Live streams of bird watching / feeder cams from around the world
Videos vs. Live Streaming
Videos may be more consistent in holding your cat's interest because the quiet times can be edited out (e.g., when there are no birds at the feeder). Weather and time of day also don't effect videos like they do the live stream where there might not be any activity if the weather is bad or it's night time.
However, whereas a video will play the same thing over and over again, live streaming offers something new every moment because it's happening in realtime. Also, unless the camera goes down, there is no time limit to a live stream.
DVDs for cats
If you don't have Internet access and want to put that old DVD player to use you could play DVDs that your cat will find stimulating. If available you can turn on the repeat or loop option to keep the video playing continuously for when you're not there.
While you could find some DVD content that may be of interest to your cat by exploring wildlife or nature videos from the local library, you can also find DVDs that are made specifically for your cat's watching pleaure. Below are a few examples.
DVD for Cats: While You Are Gone
Streaming Video Services
There are a number of streaming video services that will stream video from the Internet to your computing device, smart phone, or smart TV. Some are free while others are pay.
A smart TV with the appropriate streaming service app is the easiest way to watch videos on a large screen. You can also connect your computing device or smart phone to a TV by cabling or casting means.
How do I watch YouTube and other streaming videos on my TV?
One example of a streaming service that offers videos for cats is Amazon prime. Some videos are free, some are free with paid membership, and some you can rent or buy.
Click here to see a list of "videos for cats" on Amazon prime.
Bird Feeder with a Camera
If you're more tech savvy, you can set up your own bird feeder with a camera. Some of them come with a camera. Others allow you to install your own home security camera (e.g., blink, wyse, ring, etc.).
You could even create your own live stream on YouTube with this setup if you wanted.
Click here to see "bird feeders with a camera" at Amazon.
Music for your cat
CDs and streaming audio recordings are available just for cats. It's often a blend of relaxing music and other sounds such as nature sounds, purring, etc. It can calm and relax your cat and help with separation anxiety when you're away.
Click here to see some "music for cats" available at Amazon.
Cat proof your TV
A cat watching TV may be tempted to chase or attack what's on the screen. You don't want your TV toppled and destroyed by an overambitious kitty. Worse yet, you don't want the TV to topple over on your cat causing injury. Cat proofing your TV mitigates the risks that these possibilities pose.
A place to watch TV
Getting your cat to watch TV is probably easiest when a TV is where your cat likes to hangout. That place could be snuggled up against you on the couch or on your cat's favorite piece of furniture. You could even create a little TV viewing area just for your cat.
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