How to Play With Your Cat- Part Two

cat_play_toysIn Part One, we learned why play is important for cats and how to keep play time fun and safe. In Part 2, we present some hints on becoming a cat play expert—with one cat or several at a time, if you have the good fortune of living in a multiple feline household.

Techniques for Enhancing the Play Experience for your Cat

The following are general tips for playing. As we all know, there’s no “average” cat. Use this list as a starting point, but gauge your cat’s interest and preferences during play, so that over time you individualize your playing techniques to match your cat’s unique style.

What if Kitty Wants to Play and You’re Not Available?

Before you go to sleep or leave for work, put a few cat-safe toys in locations that are not too obvious but not too hard for your feline sleuth to find. Balls or toy mice infused with catnip or sprayed with honeysuckle work well for this; the catnip or honeysuckle helps hold the kitty’s interest, and the toys are light enough to slide across the floor when kitty gives them a solid whack.

You can also buy a toy that releases kibble when a playful paw bats it around; leave it in a spot where your kitty will find it after a little searching.

As a result of your efforts, your cat will appreciate the amusement while you get to spend some time on pursuits that are not directly cat-related.

Interactive Play with Multiple Cats

You can multiply the fun, and the challenges, of interactive play if you have more than one feline participant. The goal is for all the cats to have a good time during group play sessions.

Typically, some cats in the group are alphas, or quicker than the rest, and will dominate the play opportunities unless you make sure the slower and less gregarious cats get their fair share of playing time. To accomplish this:

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