While cats can often be solitary animals, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun. Cats who lack regular play can often become aggressive, retreat away from new people or places, and constantly meow for attention. This means that the more you play with your cat, the less likely you are to be woken at 3am by those delightful cries you know so well.

However, playing with a cat is not like playing with a dog. You’re not going to be able to play fetch and train them to shake hands (or paws) on command. Sometimes playing with a cat is less about interacting with them and more about providing them with stimulation to play on their own.

Toys for cats:

Variety is the spice of life and it’s the same for cats. Depending on their mood, cats and kittens may enjoy many different types of toys. Some cats may like to play with things like feathers and string that can be dangled and wiggled to mimic hunting.

Other cats may enjoy toys that they can hold in their paws and throw around. These might be toy mice or soft toys with bells hidden inside.

You also can’t go past the beam of light trick. Cats will love pouncing and pawing at a small dot of light shone from a torch or laser pointer. It is always important though to avoid flashing the beam directly into your cat’s eyes as this can cause damage.

Curiosity killed the cat:

You’ve probably heard the saying “curiosity killed the cat”, well curiosity is also a great way to kill time. Cats love exploring – from cardboard boxes, paper bags, elaborate scratching posts, to a bit of leftover wrapping paper. By providing your cat with new objects to explore and frequently changing them, you will prevent them from becoming bored and lethargic.

Another great idea is to try simulating hunting by moving your cat’s food bowl around the house. Rather than placing your cat’s food in the same spot everyday, this behavior will encourage your cat to seek out their own food and help avoid over-feeding. There are even some toys that can be used as food-dispensers, similar to KONG toys for dogs.

Walkies!

Believe it or not, you can take your cat for walks, just like a dog. Special leashes and harnesses exist so that you can safely take your cat on a stroll around your neighborhood. We do warn you, you may get some strange looks! It is also important to remember that cats are a lot smaller than most dogs and won’t be able to cover as much ground. They also have a more delicate bone structure, which means that yanking or pulling too hard on the leash can severely injure your cat so make sure you’re not too fierce with your precious feline.