Cuddling and caressing is not everything. Cats also enjoy time spent together playing a game and moreover, this activity leads to strengthening your relationship. Your furry friend will let off some steam and will be definitely grateful that you spent time with it.
Cats are independent animals, some more, some less. However, almost any cat will be grateful if you play a little game together during the day. Most of them are very social animals and enjoy your company. Therefore, spending time another way than on your lap will be great distraction. It will also burn its energy it could otherwise use for some mischief-making.
You’ll play it safe with any cat if you choose hunting and catching. After all, it still has hunting instincts. You’ll do great with a stick and a feather or a toy, or you can find various twigs or rods on the market. A simple twig with common feathers always worked the best for me, but there are also variants with stuffed swishing or rattling toy or a catnip toy.
It doesn’t matter if your cat has too much energy or you wish to make it really tired, you can opt for a laser pointer instead of a rod. That gives you much more space for hunting as it can be easily moved. The prey is simply faster, nimbler and the game can take place all over the room. You only have to pay attention to the spot you point to as you could easily lose a vase on a shelf, spiceboxes or a TV. However, this is not for everyone. Some cat hunters may be frustrated that they never manage to catch the red light. And a game with shadows works on the same principle, sometimes even unconsciously. It is one of our favourite games in the evening on a sofa when a cat catches the shadows projected on the sofa.
Another game we like is “surprises from hidden shelters”. Cats love getting into small space such as paper boxes or bags and similar things. Whenever an empty box happens to be in our house, we will use it for games and damage it a lot before we throw it away. I usually cut out several small holes we call “spying holes” and then it only takes putting it on the floor and it is almost immediately occupied by a furry tanker. Then, it’s enough to move something around the box and paws are everywhere. As our cat usually has its claws out I don’t use my hands but a twig.
Some cats also learn to fetch quite easily. It’s perfect to use crumpled paper for this. I can’t give you advice about the technique as all my attempts ended up with a disgusted “are you kidding me?!” look and kicking the ball under the sofa. However, you can find the instructions in this video.
Another simple and very efficient game is a shell game. Cats practice their concentration and attention with it. But beware – this game can be strongly addictive for cats as well as people. The advantage is that they won’t lose all their dry food :).
In summer, a pot or a washtub with water and straws will be enough for a refreshing game. Cats will not only enjoy hunting them on the surface and also dip their noses and paws into pleasantly cold water.
What’s your favourite game together?
It's no secret that dogs like to visit the vet about as much as we like to visit the dentist. For most dogs, it causes stress that lasts for several hours. Thanks to their instincts, they sense it before you even leave for the vet's clinic. How can you...
When we let nature work and we don't interfere with it, it can do wonders. Letting the wolves into Yellowstone National Park and leaving them to their our own fate shows us what a complex system nature is and how dozens of wild beasts can transform...
58-year-old Chris found a new life purpose in rescuing and caring for cats after his son died. It helps him cope with his grief, and it gives him something to do.
Many of us love essential oils, whether it's because of their smell or their curative effects. Every other home has an aroma lamp or diffuser. But did you know what effects these fragrances have on your cats, and that they can seriously harm them?...
You've surely seen the viral videos where cats jump away in fright and are in complete shock because of a cucumber. Would you like to know the reason for this? Are cats afraid of this harmless vegetable, or is there another reason?
This little dog is very dependent on its owner. It is boundlessly dedicated to its owner and will do anything to cheer him up. It's not surprising that it's also referred to as an antidepressant dog. After all, just looking at this dog will put...
Although their appearance and nature is somewhat similar to that of the Norwegian Forest cat and Maine Coon cats, Siberian cats are not as popular. Outside of Russia and the former Eastern Bloc, they are not well known and are not seen very often. In...
Dogs are an inseparable part of our lives. But how to do it when your dream is to travel around the world on a sailboat or any other adventure? Take your furry friend with you. What shouldn’t you forget when preparing for a long journey wherever it...
The second day of Hindi festival called Tihar is devoted to dogs. Their loyalty and devotion is celebrated, they are honoured as companions, guardians and friends. A holiday which is full of lights and colours doesn’t forget about stray dogs and it is...
Brown rats are very cleanly animals. You can see them licking themselves several times a day and thus keeping their fur in a perfect condition. They suffer if their environment is not suitable, even though they can survive it. Many people think they...
For us, devoted dog parents, changes in our lives often include our dog companions. Moreover, the stuff we do to keep our furry friends happy and healthy also commonly influence us as well. We owe them for better life and they deserve to get the same...
It is sometimes fine to disrupt dogs’ routine by an interesting activity and what might be better than to teach your dog some tricks. Dogs hate boredom, even the greatest lazybones welcome some distraction. Here you have a couple of tips for tricks you...
