In November, Southern Finland gets about six hours of daylight, with less in Lapland. Walks get shorter, rain cancels them, and indoor cats stare out dark windows. Unspent energy doesn't just disappear—it turns into restlessness, furniture scratching, and nocturnal antics.
Good news: thinking tires out an animal more effectively than running. Fifteen minutes of nose work is equivalent to a longer walk for many dogs.
For dogs: slow down eating, prolong the moment
The simplest change is to stop feeding from a bowl. The same portion on a lick mat or snuffle mat takes multiple times longer and requires effort.
Wet food, cottage cheese, or peanut butter can be spread on a lick mat. Licking itself is calming—that's why the mat also works when the dog is left alone or during nail trims.
Tip: Freeze a filled mat for half an hour. This makes it last significantly longer.
For dogs: tug-of-war quickly expends energy
When it's raining horizontally outside, five minutes of tug-of-war in the hallway does more than a ten-minute wet walk. The Taavi tug toy is braided from cotton jersey, so it's flexible and doesn't jerk teeth.
Tug-of-war is also a shared activity—unlike a chew toy, which the dog uses alone. It strengthens the bond between dog and owner precisely when shared outdoor time is less available.
For cats: food shouldn't come from a bowl
Cats are predators whose natural daily rhythm involves catching several small prey. For an indoor cat, this need goes unfulfilled when food is readily available in a bowl.
Enrichment toys and food puzzles bring back the element of work. Try also hiding a few kibbles in different parts of the apartment—it costs nothing and works surprisingly well.
For cats: vertical space and a window perch
Cats need vertical space as much as floor space. A cat tree or window perch provides a vantage point, and birds and passersby visible from the window offer free entertainment during the dark season.
Scratching is also not disobedience, but a need. It cannot be trained away—the only effective method is to offer a more appealing alternative in the spot the cat already uses.
For children: same phenomenon, same solution
The dark season also keeps children indoors. Screen-free, calming activities are just as valuable here as activating pets.
A memory game is a good example: it requires concentration, lasts a suitable amount of time, and doesn't require adult arrangements. Moomin Memo is also one of the few games where children regularly beat adults—children's visual memory is genuinely better.
Building activities work on the same logic. BRIXIES mini construction sets require precision and can last an evening or more, and the finished model remains visible on the shelf.
In brief
- Thinking tires out more effectively than physical exercise
- Dog: stop feeding from a bowl, switch to a lick mat
- Dog: five minutes of tug-of-war replaces a wet walk
- Cat: food puzzle and vertical space
- Cat: scratching post where the cat already scratches
- Child: memory games and building instead of screen time
Read also: when does a dog need a reflector · Dog paws in winter