After leaving your offices and starting a work from home lifestyle, those of you with pets may have discovered you now had some new very needy office mates. Self-isolating does not only affect you but will also affect your pets’ routines. They will probably be excited to see you around more, and as a result will want constant love and attention. Creating a nice calm environment while also introducing new indoor activities can relieve stress in your animals and can also relieve stress of your own.
Cats
Cats are instinctual hunters and need opportunities to hunt and catch prey. Every cat owner has experienced the inability to get work down because their cat has decided that their pen, headphones, coins are prey that needs to be caught. If you are in a situation where you need to distract your cats for a good chunk of time, creating a hunting game for them to enjoy is not only great physical exercise but will also work their brains for some problem solving. Watch this video of a treat scavenger hunt. After both kitties finished all their treats they fell asleep for their afternoon nap, giving a whole afternoon of freedom to work without cat distractions.
For more cat activity ideas please check out Jackson Galaxy’s video on surviving quarantine with your cats. He’s got lots of tips and tricks including puzzle toys and games you can play to ensure that you and your kitties remain sane during this difficult time.
Dogs
With strict self-isolation rules in place, many of us with dogs are struggling to figure a balance between providing your dog with enough exercise and outdoor time while also remaining safe.
If you have a small dog you can play indoor fetch with a tennis ball or even have your dog chase to get a treat.
There are many other indoor games you can play with your dogs, like getting a puzzle feeder or training your puppy new tricks. For some neat ideas of how to distract your pup at home check-out Rachel’s YouTube channel. She has two mid-sized dogs and keeps them occupied at home with lots of mind games that keep her dogs attentive and well-behaved.
Tortoise
When schools shut down Mango the RussianDessert Tortoise had a lot more free time on his hands. His owner decided that he would document Mango’s adventures in self-isolation with regular video updates on YouTube. Watch as Mango chomps on fresh lettuce and explores his owner’s apartment. He also gets to go outside to sun himself and get some fresh air. Watch day one of Mango’s adventures below.
Filming Pets with Time Lapse
Our pets are all silly and unpredictable. Time lapse lets you capture them in all their glory. Whether it’s a sleeping cat or exploring tortoise, you are left with a video that not only warms your heart but also gives you an intimate look into your animal’s life.
Fastmoving pets (cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, etc.)
CaptureMode: Timelapse
CaptureInterval: 1 or 3 seconds
Scene: Day or Twilight – depending on your filming environment brightness
SlowMoving pets (Reptiles, fish, sleeping animals, etc.)
CaptureMode: Timelapse
CaptureInterval: 3-5 seconds
Scene: Day or twilight – depending on your filming environment brightness
What are your tricks to keeping your pets occupied during self-isolation? Make sure you share your videos with #brinno or #selfisolatewithbrinno.
