Everyone loves to play, and this includes your cat or kitten. Regular play time is crucial for keeping your feline friend entertained (away from scratching up your curtains!), and help you become bonded besties and get to know your cat better. If you’ve been following my cat exploration through these blog posts, one overall lesson we’ve learned so far is that cats are clever and fussy creatures. So fussy. Our little princes and princesses have preferences in everything; their type of bed, litter, human (I hope you are your cat’s type of human), food and toys! In today’s blog post, I will share some ideas for toys and games you can try when playing with your cat… so you can become your cat’s favourite kind of person.
Why do I need to play with my cat?
As we all know, our cats are our little babies. As much as we need to talk to them in baby voices, we also need to play with them. Regular short sessions are best; it is recommended that two 10-minute sessions per day is optimal. Playtime comes with many benefits; socialisation, bonding, health and connecting with their primal hunting needs. If you have a kitten, playtime is especially important because it helps with their physical and social development. Particularly if you have an indoor cat, playtime is the cure for boredom while also helping your cat avoid future weight-related health issues.
1. Scratching
Not scratching you! If anything, I would suggest never include your own fingers or hands in playtime as it may show your cat it’s okay to bite and claw at you. Ouch. It’s perfectly normal for cats to scratch; but we can give them better outlets such as scratch towers or a simpler cardboard scratch board for an effective and cost-friendly option. Or if you want a longer lasting option, get a tower so they can keep an eye over their domain at all times while having a good scratch!
Image by Pixabay.
2. Toys
Letting cats unleash their primal instincts is a great way to engage them for fun and exercise. Whether that is a feather attached to a string, balls, laser toys or even swimming fish toys (I see them trending on TikTok!), each one is a great option that can mimic prey for them to hunt and chase. There are so many options and some experimenting is necessary to figure out each cat’s preferences. However, most of these options are best with supervision, as they may chew and try to eat the toy.
3. Food games
Effective playtime is all centred around letting your cats connect to their instincts, and food is no exception. Giving your cat too-easy access to food can cause health issues, whether it be weight or bloating problems. According to the ASPCA, bloating can be a result of too much food, an intolerance to a certain kind of food, or in this case, your cat eating too quickly. Puzzle food bowls can be a great way to prevent health issues while also engaging them in some fun and natural behaviours like foraging.
Image by Hanna.
4. Fetch
Fetch isn’t just for dogs! Have some treats in hand and throw them a light object of interest–whether it’s a ball or soft mouse toy, something easy for them to carry. Make sure you have their attention, and really play into it so their instincts kick in! Make the game challenging enough so it’s stimulating and interesting, but not too hard that they lose interest. If they bring it back, reinforce this behaviour with a treat and go from there!
5. Cat Furniture
Add a perch or cat hammock to your home to stimulate the outside world and give them safe spaces to explore while keeping them active, fit and agile. Additionally, being territorial creatures, cat furniture grants them exclusive spots to hang out and relax. This can help them reduce stress and more importantly, help them embody the royalty that they are as they stare at you from above.
Image by Duy Dinh.
6. Go for a walk
Once again, the dogs don’t have to have all the fun! Not every cat will dig going out for walks as there are endless stimulants and potential hazards outside–and not every cat will enjoy wearing a harness. But with training and gentle, regular exposure (some treats won’t hurt, of course), we can help our scaredy cats become comfortable with walking. Giving your cat supervision while outside prevents any birds or other wildlife being hunted, makes sure your cat is safe while giving them a chance to explore and get some steps in.
7. Catnip toys
In small doses, most cats love catnip and are highly reactive to it! Playtime with toys holding a bit of catnip can stimulate your cat even more, leading to an even more active play. You can use a toy where you can insert some catnip in, such as our CatPak Orbit! (wink wink, nudge nudge) Small doses are best as too much can cause your cat to get sick with symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhoea–it is not deadly. Like all playtime, keeping your cat supervised is always recommended.
Image by Arina Krasnikova.
8. The good ol’ cardboard box
Cardboard, cardboard, cardboard. All the cats seem to love cardboard, as we’ve explored in our previous blog post. We have fun innovations made from sturdy cardboard, but sometimes a simple cardboard box which once held your online delivery works the best. A cardboard box which sometimes seems too small (but they still insist on squeezing in) provides a private and protected space for them, allowing them to relax. Many cats also love to chew and scratch cardboard–I’m sure some of us know the aftermath of a cardboard massacre too well.
9. Tablet cat games
I know we are raising enough iPad kids, but a little bit of screen time doesn’t hurt anybody! There are a variety of games which allow your cat to tap on the screen to catch something. It can definitely be engaging to play, however there are downsides–as these games don’t actually allow for interactions further than a tap, it doesn’t get your cat as active as a toy mouse might. Also if you decide to give your cat some iPad time, I’d make sure there’s a case and screen protector on there first!
10. DIY games
If you are looking for a craft project and affordable cat toys, the internet is full of fun, quick and easy toy ideas often made of materials that we have laying around the home or are easily accessible. I’ve collected a few and put them in order of difficulty, in hopes to inspire some crafting!
"5 Easy Cat Toys Kids Can Make At Home!" by Kitten Lady
"D.I.Y Cat Activity Center | Cat Enrichment" By Kestrel
"How to make a Amazing Cat Toy from Cardboard | DIY cat toy" by SKM
There are so many ways that we can keep our cats entertained and active, and just as importantly, playtime allows us to create stronger bonds. If you are looking for a new toy, why not give us a try! Our CatPak™ Orbit is our new clever invention made of 100% recycled & recyclable cardboard. Put whatever your cat desires into the orb after assembly and watch your cat chase, pounce and swat at it. Otherwise, I hope this blog post gives you some ideas to help enrich you and your kitty’s day!
Cat-ch ya later!
