Tips For Playing With Your Kitty

Cats are very playful, which is one reason they make such fun pets. Fluffy is highly entertaining when she is pouncing on a catnip mouse or chasing that little red dot around! As it turns out, regular play sessions are both fun and beneficial for our feline friends. Running and jumping are great kitty workouts, while timing those tricky pounces offers excellent mental stimulation. Read on as a local Lakewood Ranch, FL vet offers advice for playing with your cat.

Cats are very much creatures of habit. If you pay attention, you may notice that Fluffy sticks to her own kitty schedule for her 34 daily naps, 8 meals, and 2 grooming sessions. Try to make play sessions part of your routine.

Do you have more than one kitty? Fluffy and Mittens can become very close, but they also sometimes get jealous of each other. Make sure that both of your kitties get equal playtime. Otherwise, you may find yourself with bickering furballs!

Playing lets your pet tap into her inner predator. Cats are hunters by nature, so they are instinctively driven to pounce on things. However, if Fluffy never actually catches her prey, she could get sad and depressed. Make sure to let your feline friend ‘win’ sometimes!

As mentioned above, kitties are more or less hard-wired to, well, attack things. Your feisty little pet may try to practice her skills on you. This can be cute, but at the end of the day, it’s bad petiquette. It can also lead to dangerous behavior down the line. Those little claws and teeth are sharp! When Fluffy tries to bite you, say ‘No’ or ‘Don’t bite’ or ‘Put your claws away’ in a firm, disapproving voice. It doesn’t really matter what you say, as long as you are consistent. Then, immediately walk away and ignore your furball until she’s ready to play nice.

Wand toys are great fun for cats. However, be sure to put them away when you are done playing. Your feline pal could get tangled up if she tries to use the toy by herself. This can be dangerous!