Don't take away her victory: how to play with a cat correctly

Play is the best way to communicate with a cat. However, many owners believe that such entertainment is only interesting to kittens, and adult pets no longer need them. But that's not true. Kids play with pleasure in order to learn how to interact with the objects and people around them. In other words, with the help of games they learn about the world faster. Adult animals no longer need this, they just need to move more.

Because if a cat is completely deprived of physical activity, then this has a bad effect on its health. Fortunately, almost every owner can devote some time to their pet to play with it. There are a variety of games that your cat may enjoy.

Tennis ball game

If you don't have a tennis ball, you can use any other one. The main thing is that it is small and light. Since such a ball will not be able to hit the cat too much, even if it hits him, and it will not cause damage to your furniture. Any smooth surface is best for playing with it. Therefore, it is unlikely that you will be able to play on the carpet with such a ball. A corridor or a spacious room with clean floors is the best place for such cat entertainment. The ball can either be rolled or hit on the floor. As soon as the cat notices that the toy is moving away from him, he will immediately rush to catch it.

Peculiarities

Short of illness, there aren't many reasons why a cat won't play. She may be too old, or she may simply be bored with the toys you have.

If your pet is bored with a toy, try hiding it for a while: the pet will quickly forget about its whims and after a couple of weeks it will happily “pounce” on the bear cub it knows. Or maybe you just need to buy a new, albeit exactly the same toy.

Also consider your pet's interests: if your cat likes battery-powered toy mice that roll around on the floor, offering her to play with a regular ball may not be the best solution.

Good luck in love for those born in the year of the Tiger: feng shui forecast for March 2021

What offense did Alexandra Ursulyak not forgive her first husband and filed for divorce?

What does the third wife of the star of the series “Ivanov-Ivanov” look like: new photos of Louise

With age, your cat becomes calmer: to continue to have fun together, try a reward system. Perhaps this will encourage her to be more active and playful.

Package game

A paper bag is best for this game. It can be purchased at any large supermarket. Open the bag and place it on the floor, and then begin to lightly tap it with your hand or stick. The pet will certainly want to climb into it. Once this happens, continue tapping the bag. This will warm up the cat's interest in the game. To make it more interesting, you can put a candy wrapper or a ball in the bag.

What games are suitable for a cat's age?

Depending on the age of your pet, he needs to be offered different types of entertainment. Month-old kittens will be happy to play any game, because they are just learning about the world, everything is interesting to them. But older kittens, at the age of 5-6 months, need to try to interest them in order to divert their attention from such fun as stripping furniture and wallpaper.

Well, an adult pet needs not only to play, but also to express itself, so as to feel its victory over the “victim”. In principle, the same games are quite suitable for both adults and children, but they need to be complicated as the cat grows up.

Laser pointer game

All cats love to catch sunbeams. But if it’s cloudy outside, you can entertain your four-legged friend with a laser pointer. Dim the lights in the room, close the curtains and start moving the laser along the wall or floor. The cat will happily start hunting for an incomprehensible glowing red dot. Just don’t shine a laser pointer into an animal’s eyes, as this can seriously damage its vision. By the way, the most ordinary flashlight will be suitable for such a game.

We also recommend reading:

The largest dog breeds What is domestication in animal husbandry Why you should get a cat: reasons voiced by scientists Euthanasia of animals

Pet safety during play

Before you entertain your cat, you need to take care of the safety of your tired pet. This is especially true if you have to play in a tight space. From birth, cats are very agile, their instinct of self-preservation is developed at the highest level. But the animal may simply get carried away and not notice the danger, especially if we are talking about a small kitten.

Care must be taken to ensure that the play area is free of sharp corners, small toys scattered on the floor, and sharp objects.

In addition, there is a psychological danger during the game. Without meaning to, we can frighten or upset our pet. For example, if you attack a cat in a game, the animal may perceive this as a real threat. This often happens if the cat likes to control the situation. If your pet clings painfully to your hand, freeze so that he understands that you are his prey and loosens his grip. Be demonstratively offended by your cat and don’t talk to him for a while so that he realizes his wrongdoing.

Cleaning is fun for your cat

If you don’t have any time to play with your pet, then try to combine business with pleasure. To do this, take a string with rustling paper and tie it to your ankle, and then start doing your usual household chores. If you don't have rope, you can use a bright ribbon instead. The cat will certainly begin to follow you on your heels in order to catch the moving rope. The main thing is to be extremely careful. Be careful not to trip or step on your pet during this game.

What are the benefits of games for cats?

Firstly, the game allows the kitten to acquire useful skills. From the ability to steal something tasty from the owner’s plate to the ability to solve a problem with a real mouse. The animal needs to develop hunting instincts, train the tenacity of its paws, and attentiveness. Cats, just like people, need to learn to communicate and be able to protect themselves at the right time.

Another undoubted advantage of games is activity. Movement is life, it is unreasonable to deny it. And your pet simply needs healthy activity to feel content and happy. If your cat doesn't play games, this is an alarming bell. Most likely there is some kind of illness that prevents him from having fun. Be sure to contact your veterinarian without attributing the problem to the fact that the animal is simply too lazy to play with you. Of course, this rule does not apply to older pets.

Labyrinth of boxes

Take a few boxes and make a real maze out of them. To do this, you just need to fasten them together. First, you need to make holes in each of the boxes that your cat can easily fit into. Your pet will happily explore the boxes, thus traveling through the maze. To make the game more interesting, you can throw another small ball there.

What to treat your cat for New Year

As we remember, food from the common table is not for cats’ stomachs. The most common reason for visiting veterinary hospitals on New Year's weekend is poisoning and overeating. And they arise because of our desire to treat animals with delicacies. Such food is poorly digestible and is contraindicated for cats. Therefore, do not try to treat your furry one with something unusual - it is not nearly as tasty for him as it is for you.

If you still want to please your pet with “pickle pickles,” you can offer your cat chicken or veal boiled in unsalted water. If you want to serve raw meat, you must first freeze it to get rid of parasites. If you decide to pamper your fluffy one, buy him “premium” canned cat food. But you have to be careful here. There is a great chance that the cunning one will refuse the usual food in favor of delicacies. If you seriously intend to share the holiday with your cat and raise your glasses to the chimes, then you can easily find wine for animals on the Internet. According to the manufacturers, it is absolutely harmless to pets and consists of water, catnip and natural dyes.

When preparing for the holidays, we must also remember that we like noisy events, but not our animals. Cats are instinctively frightened by sharp and loud sounds and bright lights. Therefore, avoid sparklers, fireworks, and firecrackers. Remember that now this is not only your holiday, but your pet's. So try to spend the whole day with him. Happy upcoming to you and your cats.

Rug with a secret

For this game you will need a small mat. You need to stretch the ribbon under it, leaving its long end on one edge and the short end on the other. Then just start tugging on the ribbon on your side; on the other side, the long end of the ribbon will begin to gradually disappear, thereby forcing the cat to hunt for it.

Boxes and bags

These things cause indescribable delight in cats. Animals are willing to spend a lot of time studying:

• how the object is structured from the inside, what it smells and tastes like;
• what it is made of and how durable it is;
• why does it rustle and is it suitable as a house or shelter.

Having discovered that an object can be bitten and scratched, cats become so carried away that they can tear the toy to pieces.

Important! Make sure that in the heat of excitement your pet does not eat cardboard and cellophane.

The box was found - life was good!

Treasure Hunt

There are special puzzles for cats; they are sold in pet stores. You need to put a treat inside such a toy, which the cat will certainly try to get. Many animals happily play with these things for hours. You can make this puzzle yourself. To do this, you need to take an old glove and hide the treat in one of its fingers. The cat will have to find the hidden treat.

Can cats get offended and when do they do it?

An animal can become bored for various reasons. For example, older cats, no less than people, can suffer from pressure changes or joint pain. During such periods, the animal is not active and tries to hide away, often in a dark corner. Almost always, when the cause of the blues is illness, other symptoms of malaise are noticeable, the range of which depends on the pathology. These could be, for example:

• digestive disorders - nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. They cause weakness and cause refusal of food;
• frequent urination, with screams and howls while on the tray. You can also guess about problems with the urinary system by looking at the puddles that the cat leaves anywhere. What some owners consider to be revenge against them is, in fact, the results of a search for a place where it would not be painful to go “in a small way”;
• strange behavior of the cat. For example, if he sits for a long time with his muzzle to the wall or resting his forehead against it, this is not a reason for laughter and jokes, but a sign that the animal is suffering from a severe headache.

What ailments can affect your cat, how to recognize and treat them, you can read in the material on our website.

Another group of causes of bad mood is insufficient care:

• Poor quality feed can lead to the formation of tangles. For long-haired breeds this is a real disaster. An unkempt fur coat becomes overgrown with a huge number of mini felt boots. They cause skin itching, which intensifies and becomes permanent after the addition of a fungal infection. Sometimes tangles form if a cat, due to age-related joint problems, is unable to fully care for itself;
• Cat chewing on chicken and other bones can lead to tooth loss and inflammation of the digestive tract. In some cases, this is followed by temporary discomfort, in others there is a real threat to life.

We have already written about what you should not feed cats on our website.

• Ingrown or overgrown claws are both the result of destructive changes in the body and the lack of a normal claw post. The cat first experiences discomfort, and then pain. Due to his natural characteristics, he does not complain about his misfortune, preferring to quietly be sad on his bed. In general, it is impossible not to notice this problem - the animal acquires a clicking gait, which announces its approach long before its appearance. Some owners are sure that the animal must solve such problems itself. It's a delusion.

You can read how to trim a cat’s claws correctly and what tools are needed for this here.

The cat is offended

If the cat's sadness is not accompanied by signs of health problems, but the pet is clearly not in the mood, it may be offended by the owner who:

• was absent for a long time;
• didn’t “say hello” upon returning from work;
• brought strangers into the house;
• forgot to feed or change the water, ignoring the animal’s numerous requests;
• I didn’t wash the “fragrant” tray in the morning, but for a predator to live the whole day in the aura of its natural aromas is extreme stress and inconvenience;
• I didn’t treat you to what was lying on the table and smelled deliciously of meat;
• had the carelessness to pet another cat or (God forbid!) dog;
• drove me from my favorite chair, and even shouted.

On a note! When a furry person defiantly sits with his back to his owner and nervously beats his tail, this is definitely an insult and an expectation of compensation for moral damage.

Mouse Hunt

Hunting mice is one of the most favorite pastimes of cats. For this game you will need to purchase a toy mouse from a pet store. There are edible and groovy mice. Choose any of them and show it to your pet. If he likes the new toy, he will not let it out of his clutches for a long time.

Why do young cats play?

The second theory states that play serves as an educational exercise that prepares children for adult life. The main content of this game is to imitate the behavior of parents. But in reality, the probability of catching prey is small, so game training is carried out on close relatives.

Kittens hunt each other or a ball of yarn. Play is all the more important because there is a large distance between innate behavior (hunting) and acquired skills (playing with an inanimate object that can be made to move).

Perhaps such a game gives the kitten all the more pleasure because he himself influences the objects around him. He is happy when he makes a ball of wool move, and remains indifferent when the owner offers him a toy mouse bought in a store.

Cat fishing

There are fishing rods for cats, they are sold in pet stores. But if you don’t have such a toy at home, you can make it yourself. To do this, simply take a stick and tie a treat, a candy wrapper, or any other thing your pet likes to play with. You can sit in your favorite chair and start controlling the bait the way you want, forcing your pet to chase it.

Try to play with your cat regularly. Because she needs to move a lot in order to always feel good. We must also remember that games allow you to establish warmer and more trusting relationships with your pet.

Kitten toys

Does a kitten need toys? This question can be answered unequivocally: yes, like any baby, a kitten needs objects that will imitate objects of reality for it and with which it can play as it pleases. Pet stores offer a fairly wide range of special toys for kittens, and you can always find something for your pet. But it’s easy to make toys for a kitten yourself. The notorious paper bow on a string is no worse than, say, ready-made feather accessories. Reels, balls, pieces of fur, empty plastic jars and cardboard boxes are great items that can bring a storm of delight to your little one. Just as in the case of children, very often the cheapest and most unpresentable toys turn out to be the most beloved.

You can sew an artificial mouse for your kitten, adding a little catnip to its filling - the adored aroma will give the hunt for this “game” a special spice. It is especially useful to make toys for a kitten together with children - this is both an exciting creative activity, a way to bond with your pet, and an excellent basis for joint games.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES Do not let the kitten independently have fun with toys tied to a thread or rope - the baby can wrap the lace around his neck, which is very dangerous.

Muska recommends

Electronic gaming device for cats GiGwi Pet Droid

It deserves special attention. The toy is compact, has a sound card and several attachments that can be changed. The action is based on the fact that sensors monitor the behavior of the animal. Thanks to this, a tassel made of real feathers jumps out of the body at the right moment, which the hunter will try to grab. Sounds reminiscent of birdsong add excitement. An enthusiastic cat is immersed in the atmosphere of the hunt, forgetting about everything.

Feather game

Treats

Another way to appease your cat and cheer him up, but you shouldn’t overuse treats for a number of reasons:

• firstly, it can lead to refusal to eat. The cat, reasoning logically, will wait for the delicacy, ignoring less tasty but healthier food;
• secondly, for animals whose diet includes ready-made food, frequent consumption of tasty tablets can be at risk of hypervitaminosis;
• thirdly, in cats prone to obesity, such delicacies can provoke weight gain.

There will be no harm if you pamper your cat occasionally, and do not turn “candy” into an obligatory component of the diet.

Vitamin tablets for cats

Manufacturers made sure that the range of delicacies was varied. As an example, we suggest considering several such products.

Table 1. Cat treats that can be purchased at a pet store.

Important! When choosing a treat for an animal, you need to take into account not only its taste preferences, but also the characteristics of its daily diet, as well as its health status.

Games on the tablet

Modern cats are no strangers to intellectual entertainment in the form of programs on gadgets. To make sure, you can download one of the following to your Android tablet.

Cat Toy For Tablets & Phones Program

The application contains games designed exclusively for cats. If you wish, you can hunt for:

• a mouse that is very similar to a living one;
• black;
• teasing laser beam.

At the same time, you are allowed to change the background and choose the soundtrack. The fun is simple, but despite this, it can captivate the cat for a long time, and give the owner a reason to be touched by the pet’s behavior.

Screen with Cat Toy For Tablets & Phones

Cat Alone Program

Its principle is the same: the animal tries to catch objects that move on the monitor. The following can act as bait:

• insects;
• finger;
• strange scribbles.

The program developers are sure that the cat will certainly like the game, and to make sure this happens, they have released options where you can hunt for mice, fluffy feathers and dandelions.

Screen with Cat Alone

Crazy Cat program

This application differs from others in that it allows you to have fun together with the owner. You will need a phone connected to the tablet via Bluetooth. The person controls the activity of the characters whose images the cat will catch on the monitor. For each success, players receive points. At the end of the game, it will become clear which player has a better visual perception speed and reaction: the owner or the pet.

An activity to your liking

Happy Wings Program

Insects and funny birds fly on the tablet screen. The cat will definitely want to catch it. If successful, the entertainment goes to a new level, so your pet will never get bored.

Happy Wings screen

Game for Cats Paw Me program

Universal fun that is interesting to cats, as well as birds, domestic dogs and even iguana lizards. The meaning of the game is the same: you need to catch bows, fish and mice flashing on the screen. Background screensavers change, animation is included, so the process is captivating. Among other things, you can arrange fights like “cat versus cat” or “cat versus owner.” The disadvantage of such toys is that pets have not yet learned to turn on tablets on their own.

Screen saver Game for Cats Paw Me