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cat enrichment

Xing's World/Youtube

Can I go live in Cat Town, please?

We’ve all seen a lot of ingenuity come out of humans who wish to give their feline friends the best life possible—from custom aquariums to Wes Anderson-esque bedrooms to mini hotels. But a kitty subway? Now we’ve seen everything.

Astonishingly, it only took YouTube creator, cat dad, and DIY extraordinaire Xing Zhilei to build an entirely functioning, eerily realistic-looking subway system—complete with a working train, synchronized platform doors, signage with directions to places like “Moonwatch Terrace,” tunnels, and even a miniature escalator. Everything was meticulously designed to give his kitties as much of an authentic city experience as possible…save for maybe the constant train delays.

Watch below as a cat named Mr. Nice and his family set aboard as the subway’s first passengers. It truly feels like something out of a whimsical kid’s book.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Perhaps this amazing build shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. After all, Zhilei has built an entire Cat Town, one that features a Cybertruck, a spa, a supermarket, garage, bank, cinema, billiards hall, theater…just to name a few amenities.



@xings.world #CatTheater ! Thank you to all the new followers! Please enjoy more of my recent projects. #cutecat #kawaii #xingzhilei #xingsworld #可愛いペット #catsubway ♬ original sound - Xing’s World

This feline-centric passion project all began with creating a cat-size condo that offered his fur babies a taste of “luxury” that he never had. Considering that that initial home boasted an elevator that actually goes up and down, a light-up video doorbell, a sink with actual flowing water, and swanky interior decor, we’d say that mission is certainly accomplished.

A lifelong tinkerer, Zhilei still had to learn many new skills to make this one-man dream a reality, from 3D modeling and printing to carpentry, welding, sewing, and painting, not to mention video editing skills in order to share his journey with all of us.

We all know the importance of pet enrichment, which provides a stimulating environment and activities that fulfill an animal's physical, behavioral, and emotional needs. Without it, our pets often aim to quell their anxiety and boredom with destructive behaviors. It goes without saying that Zhilei’s Cat Town takes it to the next level, and 99.9% don’t have the time, skills, resources, or space to accomplish such an impressive feat.

However (and luckily for us all), animals don’t need miniature subways in order to gain enrichment. There’s a whole wide world out there on the interwebs filled with simple, clever ideas. Adding in some cat-friendly greenery, DIY food puzzles, the whole “cat concrete” thing. It's real.

Still, next time we pet owners are getting a bit lazy and tossing a cat toy in a corner, maybe we’ll use these videos as inspiration to kick it up a notch.

To stay abreast of all the latest Cat Town updates, give Zhilei a follow on TikTok and YouTube.

Aquatics and Exotics gave Jasper a front row seat to fishy theatre.

Some lucky cats really do hit the jackpot when it comes to their entertainment.

Pampered feline and social media star Jasper the Cat was given his own custom aquarium, giving him a 360-degree underwater view of the colorful fish as they swim by. If that’s not prime “cat TV” programming, I don’t know what is.



According to Daily Mail, Jasper’s owner Melissa Krieger was inspired after her fish supplier was cleaning the tank. Hoping to make a “mini SeaWorld” for her beloved Siamese, Krieger spent a whopping $2,500 to fashion a 125-gallon tank with see-through cube shaped indentation at the bottom.

As any cat parent would agree, the money was well worth it.

"It's great to see him so happy because you've got to stimulate their brains. It's definitely been worth the money," Krieger told Daily Mail.

She added, ”You spend that much on a TV and this is like a TV for cats. As soon as we feed the fish, he comes running. He's living the dream.”
@jasperthecatfish

♬ Hello, Goodbye - The Beatles Revival Band

There’s no shortage of visual delights for Jasper. The 4 ft x 2.5 ft saltwater tank is home to several tropical fish, including the parrotfish.

…which looks exactly like you expect them to.

@jasperthecatfish Willow wants a turn…#catsoftiktok #fishtank #jasper #funny ♬ Cute - Tik Tok

The only downside apparently is having to share his next-level aquarium with his sister Willow. Ah, the common sibling conundrum.

@jasperthecatfish #jasperthecatfish #catdaddy#cats #catsoftiktok #fishtank #catmom #cutecat #jasper #catlover #catlovers #catlove ♬ WOW - Zara Larsson

Even cat guru and feline behavior expert Jackson Galaxy was impressed, and reposted Jasper’s video. Galaxy is a well-loved top tier resource for kitty supplements, toys and activity ideas. For dog people, imagine if your pup made it into one of Cesar Millan’s Instagram stories. That’s some pet publicity right there.

cat behavior, cat tvPhoto by Kate Stone Matheson on Unsplash

As Galaxy will tell you, environmental enrichment is key for a cat’s happiness. Part of that enrichment is visual stimulation. A major, yet often overlooked, aspect of the hunting process is stalking prey. All cats have this instinct, and not having an outlet can lead to major (not to mention messy) behavioral problems, like furniture scratching and not using the litter box.

Pretty soon, the viral video had others asking, “where can I purchase this tank?” Aquatics and Exotics, the company that made the innovative aquarium, might have an influx of custom orders on their hands.

As the mother of two cats myself, I can’t help but look for corners in my tiny Los Angeles apartment that might be prime fish tank real estate.

jackson galaxy, cat toysPhoto by Saman Tsang on Unsplash

Luckily, you don’t need to have a state-of-the-art aquarium to keep your cat stimulated. Experts recommend using something as simple as a bird feeder or window perch. There are even YouTube videos with hours upon hours of curated cat content.

Still, seeing the amount of effort that Jasper’s family put in for the sake of his enjoyment is certainly inspiring.

Our pets provide us so much heartwarming bliss, simply by existing most of the time. Finding ways to pay back that kind of unconditional love is a gift unto itself.


This article originally appeared on 2.9.22