How to play with a cat?

The game is a fundamental activity for the cat And it will depend on a healthy physical constitution, as well as a positive emotional state.If you see your cat cleaning itself excessively, eating compulsively or sleeping more than 18 hours a day, you can consider that there is a problem related to stress , which you can help channel with a positive game and interaction routine.

In addition, it is often common for domestic cats to have limited hunting behavior , innate in their kind, what usually causes frustration or redirection of the behavior, which is shown as a direct attack on the hands or ankles of the owner.

In this article of Animal Expert we will show you everything you need to know about how to play with a cat , recommending toys , they explain Give in detail the feline behaviors related to the game and hunting and also giving you ideas and advice to improve your quality of life.Take note!

Why is playing with a cat so important?

The lifestyle significantly influences the behavior and well-being of the cat.While it is true that cats sleep many hours a day, between 12 and 18, it is also It is important to highlight that when they are awake, their activity level is very intense, something that is often reduced when we are faced with domestic cats that live in a home without access to the outside.

In these cases , the felines cannot carry out the hunting behavior , which in the wild would take up to six hours of daily physical activity to cover their nutritional needs.That translates into boring cats, overweight cats or cats They can only hunt small insects or toys.

In addition, this problem is compounded when the owner is not able to correctly interpret the feline language and considers that the cat may be asking for food, when in fact look for social interaction and game.ar with cats, we improve their quality of life , well-being, relationship with the owner and prevent various problems already mentioned, such as excessive weight and stress.For that reason, it is so important to play with a cat.

What do cats play with?

Cats are curious animals that need to experience new experiences to feel stimulated and it is important to emphasize that they do not always use the pre-designed toys as an exclusive form of entertainment.A cat can play with plants , boxes, catnip or catnip and even with the appearance of any new object in the home that gives you curiosity and poses a challenge to your senses.

However, when you want to play with a cat , it may be advisable to use toys to avoid possible scratches and bites, since the game behavior is closely related to hunting .Then, what toys should we choose to know how to play with a cat and motivate him positively and correctly?

Hunting toys

Hunting toys are usually the most recommended and we can highlight the fishing rod or toy rod , already have feathers or stuffed animals at the end.It is usually the most appreciated toy for cats, although each one has its own preferences.We also find in this category stuffed mice or interactive toys that move alone, such as the butterfly toy for cats, many of them also emit noise.

Intelligence toys

We can also use intelligence toys, such as ball circuits for cats, the kong and other similar toys that act as food retailers .Usually these types of toys combine physical and mental stimulation, but do not include the owner as a participant of the game.

How to make a cat play?-5 fun games

Play behavior is fundamental and necessary for any cat, Regardless of your age, it is advisable to dedicate our best friend quality time to your side that promotes natural game behavior, especially if combined with hunting behavior.As owners, we must strive to know the cat preferences as well as doing activities that promote feline nature .

Here are 5 games for homemade cats:

Motivate with the fishing rod : it is usually the most attractive game for a cat, since the fast movement of the fishing rod captures the attention of the felines, which are much more sensitive to movement.If you do not have this toy , you can use any other you have on hand, moving it constantly. Play hide and seek with the cat : Do you think dogs are the only ones who can play hide and seek with humans? Hide behind a door and call your cat to come find you.Once he finds you, congratulate him effusively and reward him, even with a little piece of food.You can always use the same words to associate them with this activity.For example, " Garfield, where am I ? " Proceptive exercises : you won't need much to do this activity and, in turn, you will get your cat to stimulate his balance, touch and also the sense of sight.They are especially popular in dogs, but they can also be excellent in cats.In addition, they help the cat gain self-confidence.You only need to place different textures and objects in a room, for example, bubble wrap., a square meter of fake grass or a ladder on the ground.Then you must spread prizes for the cat or rub them with catnip.The cat will experiment with new textures and shapes, while discovering. Olfactory exploration : Try to hide in a carton of toilet paper more or less closed different herbs with odors, always paying attention to avoid toxic plants for cats.Some examples can be catnip, valerian or aloe vera.You will have a great time discovering new things. Tunnels and hidden prizes : In any specific pet trade (and even for children) you can find tunnels that your cat will adore.Hide a prize or some plant that can attract him to stimulate his curiosity.If you don't know what use, discover 10 odors that attract cats.

Why doesn't my cat play alone?

Many people confuse the enrichment of the home with leaving all available toys available to the cat.This is a serious mistake .You should know that cats show a lot of interest in new objects, substances and odors, therefore, after a single session of games and without the stimulation that you can provide them, a static object does not cause them any curiosity, so they stop playing alone , even when we talk about interactive toys or those that move alone.

It can be very interesting to have a box with our cat's toys and remove one or two daily, with The goal is to show interest in them.If the goal is to play with us, we will take time to surprise you with those toys and socialize , but if instead the goal is to have fun in our absence, we can rub the toys with catnip , p To wake up your senses.

Adapting the game to each stage

The game must always be adapted to each stage of the cat, so we will show you some curiosities that you should know when making your best friend play:

How play with a small cat?

Kittens are especially playful and easy to motivate and, unless they have had a very traumatic experience, they usually enjoy the game with their humans , complying with practically any new object at your fingertips.It is very positive to stimulate them at this stage, although never excessively, since this will favor a more positive behavior and better well-being, in addition to predisposing the animal to be playful at all stages of his life.

How to play with an adult cat?

Not all cats play in adulthood and it may happen that, if they have not learned hunting or game behaviors in their socialization stage, they do not know how to play correctly.Some have not even played in their entire lives, since they were quickly separated from his mother and siblings, in addition to the fact that the humans with whom they live together did not motivate him.That is why, if you have adopted an adult cat and are not able to make him play, you may find yourself facing such cases.

How to play with an adult cat that doesn't know? This is undoubtedly a very complicated case and it takes time, dedication and the use of all possible tools.Combining catnip, toys and movement, we can get our cat to show interest in the game, although in serious cases, as before a sensational deprivation syndrome , it may happen that the cat never comes to play.

How to play with older cats?

Have you Ever asked until how old do cats play ? Most owners do not know that many cats play even in their old age, although obviously not as actively as a puppy or adult cat.In these cases we must adapt the game according to the limitations of the same cat, but trying to motivate him to continue exercising and stimulating his mind.

How long do you have to play with a cat?

A study published by Universities Federation for Animal Welfare in 165 shelter cats [1] shows a significant improvement in well-being and stress reduction in those individuals who were in an environment enriched, with a management based on positive reinforcement and where consistency prevails, the opportunity to interact and favoring natural game behaviors in the feline in 69-76% of cases.

So, Â How long should you play with a cat a day? It is important to highlight that the needs vary according to each individual and, although it is a fact that the game can improve the levels of stress and anxiety in the feline, a study of the book Animal Behavior highlights the negative effects of a Excessive stimulation, which would significantly increase stressful situations and that would not always be an indicator of well-being in the case of cats that have been deprived of stimulation for a long time.

Therefore, the I always play progressively and adapt it to the individual and their specific needs for play, fun and stress reduction.But on average, you could place the daily play time at 30 minutes approximately.

How to know if my cat is playing or fighting?

Especially when we face a problem of aggressiveness in the cat, it can be difficult to differentiate the game's own behaviors and those that are effectively part of an aggression towards us.As we have explained above, aggressiveness can be a consequence of the lack of play , which causes the animal to redirect the hunting behavior towards us, although it may also be due to the accumulated energy that it has not been able to channel properly.

But if our cat is aggressive beyond the game moments , we might suspect that the behavior is due to another reason, for example a lack of socialization, a trauma or a bad experience , due to the feline's own genetics and even for an organic cause, that is, due to pain or due to a hormonal problem among others.

In the case of any of these problems, it is best to perform a veterinary exam qu and discard any pathology and, in the face of serious behavior, consider going to an ethologist or a feline educator .

If you want to read more articles similar to How to play with a cat? , we recommend you enter our Games and Entertainment section.

References

Gourkow, N.; Fraser D.: The effect of housing and handling practices on the welfare, behavior and selection of domestic cats ( Felis sylvestris catus ) by adopters in an animal shelter -Animal Welfare, Volume 15, Number 4, November 2006, pp.371-377 (7) Suzanne DEHeld.; Marek Spinka.: Animal play and animal welfare -Animal Behavior Volume 81, Issue 5, May 2011, Pages 891-899