It’s so easy to get wrapped up in our own routines and forget to spend time each day encouraging our furry friends to play. It’s important for your kitty to play. It isn’t just about fun; it’s a crucial part of your cat’s health and well-being. Playing enhances natural instincts and helps keep your kitty healthy and stress-free.
There are obvious benefits. Play and exercise on a regular basis help maintain a healthy weight, reduces the risk of certain health problems, and keeps muscles and joints in good shape. Also, play will provide mental stimulation that can prevent boredom, anxiety, and the development of destructive behaviors.
Mimic Hunting Behaviors With Play
Because your cat is a natural hunter, play will often mimic hunting behaviors. If you understand your cat’s hunting instinct, this awareness can guide you in choosing the right activities and toys. Look for toys that mimic actions taken on a hunt, such as stalking, pouncing, and chasing.
Your cat’s specific needs are in part dependent on a number of factors. Different cat breeds exhibit varying play behaviors. Do a little research and see if you can find specific information for your breed of feline. If you have a younger cat, you’ll find that there’s a greater tendency to be playful and energetic. A more mature cat and especially a senior cat might prefer gentler activities. Knowing where your cat fits in can help you tailor play activities that your kitty needs.
Learn To Recognize The Need For Playtime
If your kitty is not getting enough physical and mental stimulation, learn to recognize the signs early so you can help adjust their activity level. If the cat becomes restless, vocalizes more than usual, or resorts to scratching furniture or other destructive behaviors, these are signs that you need to adjust their activity level.
Mocha’s problems arise when the weather gets nasty and he’s cooped up in the house. On nicer days, he gets to go outside on his own for a couple of hours. The rattle of the treat box will bring him in when he’s been out long enough. He knows his name but will not come when called unless he is offered some incentive. Shaking that box of his favorite munchies does the trick.
Try A Cat Toy Box
He also gets bored with his toys. One of my references suggested subscribing to a cat toy box. It’s not expensive and you will receive a new assortment of toys to interest kitty each month. My first box is on its way — can’t wait to see Mocha’s reaction.
For a long time, he used a puzzle ball, and for whatever reason, he hasn’t played with it lately. Recently have brought it out again, and it is helpful. He can get his own treats by rolling the ball around, giving him some feel that he’s getting his own food. He also gets a bit of exercise by chasing the ball, and it keeps him from gobbling his food too fast.
Creating an Enriching Environment at Home
Cats are used to routine. Scheduling regular playtimes is therefore a good thing to include in their daily activities. Cats are crepuscular, so they are most active at dawn or dusk. Setting up playtimes in the early morning or late afternoon can thus be most successful. You don’t have to play with kitty for long periods of time — 10 or 15 minutes at each session can be sufficient. And, that dusk session can prove especially important because your cat will most likely sleep better if he’s had a play session close to bedtime.
Make sure to introduce new toys. Vary the ones he already has. Bring them out at different intervals, so they will interest him anew. A couple that were suggested by my research that you might like to try are Hepper toys: The plush mouse kicker toy and the furball toy set. I think Mocha would especially like that furball toy. I’ll have to get one to try.
Toys That Keep Kitty Active
Laser puzzles can keep kitty moving. Just don’t overdo it and be careful not to shine the laser in kitty’s eyes. Get a cat tree and/or an exercise wheel. We have a cat tree, but I believe I’ll try an exercise wheel this winter when Mocha has to stay in the house more.
If your kitty cannot go outside, consider leash training. Then you can enjoy the outdoors together. Or do as I did and add a catio. Mine’s built right onto the office wall, and the cat door is in the window. There’s a high shelf built into it that Mocha especially likes. I believe he likes the idea that it’s his space. I can go in if I come outside and go in the door. But, mostly he enters through his window entrance and the place belongs just to him.
Interactive Activities to Encourage Play and Exercise
Interactive toys are a must! Learn to manipulate a little mouse or feather on a wand to simulate the movement a small animal might make. It’s a great game for the two of you and can challenge you to try to create a realistic game that seems like he’s really hunting. Then he has to use his skills to capture that critter! Cats have imagination — Sure, he’ll know it’s you, but if you can create a suggestion of reality, the cat will enjoy the game a great deal.
If you can, provide him plenty of chances to hide or to reach a high spot where he can observe the world. I call Mocha my vulture cat when he gets on top of the kitchen cabinets to sit quietly and watch the action below him. He also likes the top of the freezer and what I call his “penthouse”. It’s the little storage space high up the bathroom wall. He’s the only one in the family who can get up there, and when he’s napping, you can’t even see him from down below.
Join In The Game
Do be sure to get involved in the playtime with him. The interaction with you will make your time together more meaningful to him, and it will strengthen the bond between you.
Incorporate agility and obstacle courses in your home. Using furniture like chairs or tables, you can set up a mini obstacle course that encourages your cat to jump, climb, and navigate through different challenges. This kind of physical activity is excellent for both their muscle tone and mental agility.
In Kodiak, Carlos and the neighbor cat, Tiger, had a racecourse that extended the length of our 70-foot trailer. They’d chase each other from the back bedroom, down the long hallway, OVER the kitchen table, over other furniture in their path, to the master bedroom at the front. Then they would turn around and race the other way. One Christmas, my son, David, made a video of their mad race.
Do-It-Yourself Toys Can Be Rewarding
Making toys for kitty can be quite simple. A cardboard box, perhaps with a window and a soft cushion floor, might be popular. Open a large paper bag for him. When I lived in Kodiak, AK, with Loose Cat, he used to do a very funny thing with a paper bag.
He’d be sprawled on the easy chair. We’d open a large paper bag and set it on the floor at the edge of the chair with the opening at top. He’s stare into that paper bag until it somehow hypnotized him. Then, he’d simply fall into it; the bag would roll over on its side with a cat in it, and all would be quiet. He’d take a catnap right there.
Another fun toy can be a rolled-up pair of socks. Again in Kodiak, for a time a couple lived upstairs over our shop, which was attached to the house. A hole in the upstairs floor allowed heat to flow up there. On the shop side just under the hole was a wide beam. The couple’s cat would steal a pair of socks, carry them in her mouth onto the beam and then to the floor. She’d carry them into our living room and play with them for a long time until she tired of the game. Eventually the sock owner would have to retrieve his clothing.
Play Sessions Will Help Give You A Happier, Healthier Cat
Remember, the goal is to keep your cat active and mentally stimulated. Whether it’s using DIY toys, structured play, or technology, these interactive activities help ensure a happier and healthier life for your feline friend.
References I used for this post:
https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/how-to-make-my-cat-more-active/
https://www.petguide.com/pets/how-to-get-your-cat-to-play-44471620