Some owners still forget how important a role in the life of every cat is fun. Meanwhile, it is almost as important as proper nutrition or general care of your pet. By playing, the cat satisfies her natural needs, discharges excess energy and negative emotions, and moreover takes the necessary dose of movement. Here are some ideas on how to play with your cat to make it happy.
Playing with your cat – why is it so important?
Playing together is, contrary to appearances, one of the most important elements of caring for your cat. It should be remembered that even the laziest couch cat is a real predator deep inside the heart, and despite hundreds of years of domestication it still has a strong hunting instinct. Most cats living in safe four corners don’t have to hunt to get food, but that doesn’t diminish their instinctive hunting instinct. A cat living in a monotonous, limited environment, in which the lack of opportunity to play a game imitating a hunt quickly becomes boring. This, in turn, leads to a number of behavioral problems, such as hyperactivity, aggression, destruction of furniture, or regular out-of-bedroom arrangements.
It is also worth knowing that a cat living in the wild can hunt even several times a day. Of course, hunting is not always successful, but it keeps the animal in motion and in good condition. At home, especially in the case of cats that do not go outdoors, it is the game that is the only way to give your pet the right dose of movement during the day.
What kind of fun do cats like?
First of all, those that imitate and preserve the full hunting chain. What is it? As already mentioned, every cat is a predator and, as such, it has to realize its instinctive need to hunt. This activity, in turn, is connected with a whole sequence of specific behaviors, that is, with a kind of hunting ritual. Each of its elements is equally important for the cat because everyone can determine whether the hunt will be successful. All the behaviors that make up the hunt are called the hunting chain. Its pattern starts with looking for and approaching the prey, then chasing it, then catching it, killing it, tearing it apart, and eating it. Playing with a cat, we should therefore break up the game into individual stages so that the whole thing resembles a real hunt as best as possible.
What can you play with your cat?
playing cats
To play with your cat you will need something that will replace its potential prey. It can be for example a rod ended with a plush mouse or feathers. Let’s try to manage at least 20-30 minutes during the day, in which we will devote all our attention to the cat. It is not about watching TV and waving the rod one way or the other, hoping that the cat will organize the game for itself. The movements of the toy will quickly become predictable for him and probably after a while, he will lose interest in it.
While playing with the cat, let’s try to make it look like a real game. Let’s operate the toy so that the cat has to sneak into it and then catch up and catch it. Every aspect of the hunting chain is important because everyone equally gives cat satisfaction and joy. Every such game should end with giving your pet his favorite treat. A small snack is the culmination of the hunt, which should end with eating prey.
What toy should I buy my cat?
It is best to choose something that the cat will be able to chase and thus stimulate its natural hunting instincts. You can choose between plush and squeaky mice, rolling balls and rods finished with various types of toys, such as feathers, tassels, or plush balls. Many cats directly love to play with something that makes a sound. Ideal will be toys with pipes or bells, the sound of which stimulates the cat to activity.
Lasers are also very popular, but the pursuit of their light is difficult to consider as a game similar to hunting. After all, a cat will never catch up with a point on the wall, he will never be able to catch or jerk it. But hunting should give the animal satisfaction, not a disappointment. Therefore, it is better to invest in a toy that will resemble a living prey and the interaction with it will fulfill every stage of the hunting chain.
