Fun Fall Activities to Do With Your Cat

Last Updated on December 30, 2025 by Holly Anne Dustin

Fall is my favorite season. I live in New England and I think you get the best of autumn here. Pumpkin spice, fresh cider, and pick your own apples . Cooler days and brightly colored leaves. I just love it. I tend to stay inside in the AC in the summer and it is great to get back out in the nice “sweater weather.” My cats get more active too. I’m more comfortable taking my adventure and traveling cats out once the heat of summer passes.  Here are my top fun fall activities to do with your cat.

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Take a Hike and Enjoy the Fall Foliage

The heat of summer has left and snow has not yet fallen, it is perfect for fun fall activities with your cat. Kitty will like the crunchy leaves and new smells. Take a hike. Explore somewhere new or hit a favorite spot and see the changes the new season brings.

Keep it to a short walk if Kitty is new to harness and leash exploring. Bring her backpack if you want to go at human speed instead of Kitty speed.

Tips for a Safe Fall Hike with your Cat

Fall isn’t the time to let your guard down when it comes to bugs. Fleas reach their zenith in the fall. Adult deer ticks are active in the fall. Keep kitty treated for fleas and ticks. Be prepared for all kinds of weather. Pack your rain gear, sunscreen, and water.

Keep safe while you’re out in the wild. Snakes are active during the fall as they prepare for hibernation. Other wildlife is likely to be out there gathering up food for the winter. Kitty will love seeing the squirrels and chipmunks. Hopefully she will not come too close to a skunk or a porcupine. Plan your adventures accordingly.

Don’t let Kitty eat any mushrooms unless you are an experienced forager. There’s always a risk of Kitty eating something bad if you have a plant eater. Treeno wants to eat all the plants so I always have to watch him and try to limit him to grass. He’s never tried to go after mushrooms though.

Hunters might be a concern in your area. Make sure you and Kitty both wear safety gear. Make sure your harness or backpack has reflective tape on it as the day gets darker earlier.

Wild adventures not your thing? Look for a charity walk and take Kitty along. Bring your pet stroller so you don’t have to do it all at her speed. She can walk some, ride some, and make some new friends.

Playing in the Leaves

A pile of leaves can create a lot of fun fall activities to do with your cat. Rake up some leaves and toss some in the air. Kitty can chase them as if they are bugs or birds. The crunchy noises will remind him of little critters.

He can jump, stalk, tunnel, and pounce in the leaves for a fun play time. Our Banshee loves to stir up the leaves and go after all the little bugs that fly out. You can try building a maze with piles of leaves and work on his recall.

Bring the Outside In

Don’t force Kitty on an outside adventure if she’s resistant to the idea. Enrich her indoor space by bringing the outside to her. Bring her some leaves and sticks to play with.

Try making Kitty a sensory box. Throw the leaves and sticks in with some treats to encourage her to forage. She’ll get to enjoy the scents and sounds of fall without going outside. The same idea can apply if you have a catio. Redecorate by bringing in fall leaves and logs to scratch.

Put up a bird feeder and feed the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks. Kitty will enjoy watching the wildlife. Just make sure that if wildlife is sneaking in your house that none of your neighbors puts out poison. Remember, putting out a bird feeder is a commitment. The birds won’t fly south if they’ve got a resource there in your backyard.

Go to the Beach

I know, that seems like it should be on a summer list. But many places close the beaches to pets during day hours during the summer. We can go early morning or after dinner, but we find the beach is a dog playground during the limited hours available.

We go mid-day after Labor Day to celebrate the fact that restrictive hours are over until next spring. You can collect some shells or beach glass and add those to Kitty’s sensory play box.

Visit a Festival or Fair

Check out your area for local festivals or fairs you and Kitty can visit together. Use your judgement on whether the crowds and activity will stress your cat out. We want to keep the experiences enriching and fun for Kitty, not a stressful experience.

A backpack or stroller can really make this type of experience more pleasant for both you and Kitty. It makes it easier to get through crowds without having to worry about Kitty getting bumped, stepped on, or pushed past her tolerance for public handling. You’ll probably be able to stay out longer, and certainly get around faster, with her in a backpack or stroller.

Play Some Sports

When my kids were young I’m pretty sure we spent the majority of every weekend at the soccer field – for months on end. Don’t let the crazy schedule leave your Adventure Kitty out. Take her out to share the fun at a football or soccer game.

Be prepared to bail out if the noise or cheering freaks her out. Training might stretch her into tolerating the experience if it is an important part of your lifestyle that you want her to share with you. Some cats just aren’t ever going to appreciate it and that’s okay.

If Kitty isn’t into hanging at the sports field, get her some Kitty sized gear and let her watch your favorite team play on TV instead.

Go Pick Some Apples

Check before you go. A lot of orchards will allow pets on the grounds but not in the orchard itself. Others are fine with pets visiting the apple trees themselves.

Bring Kitty’s backpack or stroller or a partner if you want to get a lot of apples. If Kitty wants to taste the apples, let him.

Visit a Pumpkin Patch or Go for a Hayride

It’s a great fall time adventure to share with Kitty. Your black cats will look especially sharp in the pumpkins. Again, call ahead or check social media to see if Kitty is welcome. In my experience, these are more likely to be cat-friendly than an apple orchard.

Use Your Pumpkin for Some Homemade Treats

Kitty can enjoy the pumpkin puree and ground pumpkin seeds with you and enjoy some health benefits. Most cats love pumpkin puree straight off the spoon as a healthy treat full of vitamins A and C for immune support, and zinc which is great for skin and coat.

You can get creative and make some homemade fall treats for cats. Fall favorites pumpkin, turkey, cranberry, sweet potatoes combined with chicken, tuna and salmon will perk Kitty’s interest. Roast and grind the pumpkin seeds up and add them for a boost of vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium, iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc and copper, essential fatty acids, and antioxidents.

Chewy has a recipe page with several options for homemade pumpkin treats for cats. Check it out here.

Tour a Pet-Friendly Corn Maze

Corn mazes differ in their willingness to allow pets in. But even some mazes that aren’t generally pet friendly have a “dog night.” I am planning on taking Plush to one locally. Note that he is fairly dog friendly, and will be in his backpack for most of the trip or I’d be in the maze for days following him around

Celebrate Oktoberfest

Visit a pet friendly brewery. Check out GoPetFriendly’s article for some options to drink responsibly with your pet.

Breweries – or wineries if that’s more your thing – often have a more relaxed approach to pets because they aren’t restaurants. If they do have to follow the same rules, they typically have an outside space to enjoy your drinks while Kitty enjoys the fresh air.

Take Your Traveling Cat on a Foliage Tour Road Trip

Go leaf peeping. Stay the weekend in a pet friendly hotel. Stay off the highways, explore the byways. Stop at scenic spots and take photos, explore a park, see the local highlights. Then grab dinner at a cat-friendly restaurant and relax in your hotel room.

Go on a Ghost Tour

Small towns and big cities offer ghost tours. They are typically walking tours that take place outside and therefore are typically very pet friendly. If the tour goes inside buildings ask if Kitty is welome before you book your tour.

Take your stroller or backpack. The rest of your group isn’t going to want to walk at Kitty’s speed. Look for a kid-friendly walk if you are looking for more of the history and less of the gory and the paranormal. Wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately. Have fun with Kitty on a unique fall activity.

For tips on getting Kitty to appreciate life on the road, read our road trip guide here.

Do a Fun Fall Photoshoot

Halloween is the obvious opportunity for a photo shoot. You can go for matching costumes or pick a theme. Don’t force Kitty to wear a costume if it upsets her. You can dress up and include her in the picture as a bonus. If your furbaby is anti-costume, just go for a fall theme. Get some great shots in fall foliage or a pumpkin patch.

You don’t have to take your furry friend outside for this one. Buy a few pumpkins, corn stalks, and mini hay bales from your local farm stand and bring in some fall leaves to dress up a photo spot.

Enter a Costume Contest

Online photo contests and virtual cat shows are other ways you can share your Kitty’s fun fall look.

If Kitty will wear a costume, check out local pet stores, rescues, or community groups for one sponsoring pet costume contests. Sometimes it is just for bragging rights, others offer cool prizes. My store used to offer free food for a year for our top winner.

It’s Pumpkin Spice Latte Time!

Head over to your local pet friendly coffee shop and share a latte with Kitty. Plush enjoys his side of whip.

I hope you try some of these fun fall activities with your cat. What sort of activities do you like to do with your kitty in the fall?

Is there something that your cats love to do that we didn’t get on this list? Let us know in the comments or check in on our Facebook page.