Cat Play and the Benefit of Toys
No matter how domesticated, your cat sees itself as a wild animal—an intelligent, majestic, ruler of the land ready to pounce on unsuspecting prey. In a cat’s life, “play” is extremely beneficial to their health, well-being, and disposition—both satisfying and curbing its natural instincts. Without quality play, the beast is unleashed.
You may have seen television shows where people have problem cats that have taken over the household with their poor behaviors, such as shredding furniture, and attacking people. There is even one show where a family actually had to call 911 when their cat had them trapped in their bedroom! That may be an extreme example, but when cats display aggressive or destructive behaviors it may very well be that Fluffy needs a bit more (positive) action.
In the wild, a cat would spend most of its waking hours on the prowl, stalking pray and owning their territory. This not only provides exercise and burns energy; it also stimulates their mind and satisfies their natural instincts.
It has been said that if a cat doesn’t own something, it owns everything. When a cat is bored or under-stimulated, owning everything may mean spraying walls, shredding furniture, attacking owners or other undesirable behaviors. Giving your cat something to own, such as toys, gives them the same satisfaction as owning their own territory and dominating prey. This is of course, much better than owning the home and dominating you!
Playtime Provides:
- Exercise
- Mental Stimulation
- Mock Hunting
- Stress Relief
- Bonding Time
Tips for Choosing Toys
Even though there are hundreds of choices, finding the right cat toys is easy when you know a few basic tips.
- Put away the laser pen and opt for a toy that provides the ultimate reward of a physical capture.
- Test out a few options to see what kind of toy your cat prefers.
- Provide toys that simulate different types of prey.
- Try a puzzle toy that provides a challenge.
- Introduce interactive and automated toys.
- Consider cat caves and tunnels.
- Address specific problems with appropriate toys such as scratching posts for cats that like to shred things.
To keep your cat interested, be sure to rotate which toys are available, only providing one or two at a time. Having too many around removes the urgency of the hunt and makes all of them equally uninteresting. For more tips on cat play and to schedule your next mobile grooming experience, contact us at Awesome Doggies and we will be happy to help!