Caring for Your Cat
Cat and kitten advice.
All the cat and kitten advice and tips you could wish for all on one website.
All the advice we give is totally free and provided by experts in their field.
All the cat and kitten advice and tips you could wish for all on one website.
All the advice we give is totally free and provided by experts in their field.
Play Time
Cats need stimulation - they are hunters and their instinct is to hunt down and catch their prey. Cats are not big into running - they can only manage short bursts at a time - they will sit for hours watching their prey and will only pounce when they are 100% sure of the kill. Therefore if your cat is ‘watching’ the toy - this is enough - it is stimulating her mind into prey mode - she will only go for the kill when she is certain. Also - don’t put toys right in to her face - prey does not come up and say ‘Hi!’ ‘thought I’d just pop in your mouth! - prey is watched from afar with the cat moving in bit by bit.
Think about what you are playing with and move it in a way that makes the cat react. Watch its body language - is it crouched down low in a pounce position? If it is - then you’ve got it right. If she’s looking at you as if you are some kind of nut case going berserk on the end of a ‘wiggle waggler’ - you are wasting your time! You must interact with
Think about what you are playing with and move it in a way that makes the cat react. Watch its body language - is it crouched down low in a pounce position? If it is - then you’ve got it right. If she’s looking at you as if you are some kind of nut case going berserk on the end of a ‘wiggle waggler’ - you are wasting your time! You must interact with
find what excites your cat. Do not give her all the toys at once - just a couple and then change them every few days. Toys can be made more interesting by rubbing them with catnip leaves. Never leave a cat alone with an interactive toy - anything on a string or elastic must be played with under supervision. Take care they do not get entangled otherwise they will run off with the ‘wand’ chasing them - that will not help your relationship with her! She will tell you when she’s had enough - try not to cut off the game just as she’s getting interested. Ensure that the cat cannot access the toy once the game is over! For an elderly cat, even just pawing at a feather for a few minutes can help to stimulate him.
Timid cats can often be brought out of their shells with play as the instinct overcomes the fear. Persevere - do not think after just one session - oh she’s not bothered - just watching will be making her stimulated and less anxious. My husband goes to football every week - he watches - but he does not play - but he still gets enough excitement by just watching! Most cats, but in particular aggressive cats, should be played with from arms length so there is no danger of you being swiped, instead of the little mouse! This allows the aggressive cat to divert its aggression on to the toy and away from you.
Timid cats can often be brought out of their shells with play as the instinct overcomes the fear. Persevere - do not think after just one session - oh she’s not bothered - just watching will be making her stimulated and less anxious. My husband goes to football every week - he watches - but he does not play - but he still gets enough excitement by just watching! Most cats, but in particular aggressive cats, should be played with from arms length so there is no danger of you being swiped, instead of the little mouse! This allows the aggressive cat to divert its aggression on to the toy and away from you.
If your cat sprays in a certain area - try having your play time in that specific area - or keep a couple of toys in your pocket as a means of distraction. The Cat Dancer is good one for that as it rolls up quite small and if you think the cat is about to spray dangle it towards him to get him interested and then have a small play session. Once the cat starts spraying you’ll have to leave him - its too late then to distract him.
WE CANNOT IMPRESS ON YOU ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAYING WITH YOUR CAT. FROM TINY KITTENS TO ADULTS, TO THE ELDERLY - THEY ALL NEED SOME KIND OF STIMULATION - JUST SEVERAL SHORT SESSIONS A DAY WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE TO YOUR CATS LIFE! PLEASE MAKE THE EFFORT.
WE CANNOT IMPRESS ON YOU ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAYING WITH YOUR CAT. FROM TINY KITTENS TO ADULTS, TO THE ELDERLY - THEY ALL NEED SOME KIND OF STIMULATION - JUST SEVERAL SHORT SESSIONS A DAY WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE TO YOUR CATS LIFE! PLEASE MAKE THE EFFORT.
your cat at least twice a day with play sessions. She might love the little furry mouse you bought her, but that is in effect ‘dead’. She needs something to move to get her ‘excited’. Different cats have different toys - some like mice like toys, others feathers - you need to