Cats love to play and their favourite games usually draw on their natural hunting instincts. Learn your cat’s favourite games and have hours of fun together.
Why cats like to play
Playing with your cat isn’t just about having fun. It can help your pet express her natural hunting instincts as well as provide healthy exercise.
Your cat will begin to play from about four weeks old, for example, wrestling with other kittens. By the time she is seven to eight weeks old, your cat will turn her attention from social play to predatory play with inanimate objects.
Play with a variety of games and toys to find out your pet’s favourite:
- Bells and wind-up toys are often fascinating to cats.
- A bucket filled with crumpled paper or ping-pong balls can make a useful distraction.
- When your kitten attempts to stalk you, throw a ball to chase.
- Leave a large cardboard box on the floor for diving into and scratching at.
- Glue several boxes together, linked by peepholes, for kitten hide-and-seek.
- Make a sack of fabric stuffed with dried catnip.
- Dangle a 'fishing pole' toy with feathers or bells at the end of a string.
- Some cats enjoy chasing and jumping at the light beams from a small flashlight.
- Keep toys out of sight between play sessions: this stops your cat getting too familiar with the objects, so their reappearance is met with enthusiasm.
- Never use fingers as toys!