How to Play with Your Cats

play with your cats

Curious Cat

Do You Know How to Play with Your Cats?

Who doesn’t love to play?!?  That goes for your cats too. Did you know that cats enjoy playing fetch?  It’s a little different than playing fetch with a dog but just as engaging. Cats enjoy hunting for “prey” so you can put their natural instincts to work. When you play with your cats, be sure to let your cats “catch” the prey or it’s much too frustrating for them.

Choose toys that are sized right for your cat to bring to you in her mouth. It’s much more pleasant to have her bring a stuffed “mouse” than the real thing! Try to mimic actions that mice might make when getting your cat’s attention. Or use a feather on a wand and mimic a bird.  It’s really cool to see the cats we take care of engage with their toys and play time will bring you both a lot of pleasure.

Jonasek the kitten gives us a lively demonstration about the joy of playing with cats on this You Tube clip.

D – I – Y Toys

how to play with your cats

Cat cave by Jess

Toys can be expensive motorized ones, inexpensive stuffed mice or totally free paper bags and boxes. One cool idea is to make a cat cave from a box covered with an old t-shirt. Jess from the blog Practically Functional  writes about how easy it is to make this cat cave. Her step by step written instructions with photos demonstrates how she used objects that otherwise would have gone in the trash.

 

 

Ali Andrews provides a You Tube clip to demonstrate another method of fashioning a cat cave from a t shirt and box.

how to play with your cats

Stella in her blanket cave

Our friend Stella saves her humans the trouble and creates her own cave under the blankets. In the photo you can see me trying to entice Stella out from under her cave with a toy. Stella also enjoys playing with her very own oatmeal box!

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The folks over at World’s Best Cat Litter Blog show a whole bunch more!  Enjoy.

The Playful Kitty Blog provides more ideas.

Inexpensive Cat Toys

play with your cat

cat toys

To help build your bond with your cats it’s a great idea to play with your cats in an interactive manner.  After you play you can put the interactive toys away until the next play session. Your cats will also enjoy the toys more if you rotate them in an out of use just as you might rotate toys in and out of use with your children.

If you are supplying plenty of enrichment via cat caves, elevated surfaces, cat scratchers, cat TV (views of bird feeders outdoors) and indoor kitty gardens your cats will enjoy their day and still get plenty of exercise.

 

You can find these cat toys in most any pet supply store.

Play-time Etiquette 

It’s best to supervise your cat during play time and to inspect the toys  for safety after each play session.  Remember you play with your cats to give them the necessary exercise, build your bond and to teach them how to play gently. With catnip it’s best to see how your cat responds and remember not to over stimulate your cat.

Mimic the action of their natural prey by dragging the toy away from your cat so he has to chase it.  Let your cat catch the toy and “kill it.”  Keep your hands away so your cat does not learn to scratch or bite you instead of the toy.  The “kill” is the natural reward but a treat or two as a reward from you can signal the end of the play session and your cat will associate the reward with you.

After the play session your cat will be ready to curl up in her comfy cat bed or lounge in a sunny windowsill.

play with your cat

Cat lounging in window sill. All he needs is a view of a bird feeder!

 

 

 

 

Catification

What is Catification?

Jackson Galaxy says, “The catification process starts by understanding how your cat sees the world.”

What are your most difficult “cat problems?”  Does you cat poop just outside the litter box? Does your cat launch into attack mode when a guest enters the home?  Do you find the look and style of cat trees unattractive? Or maybe you just want to make your home more pleasant for you and your cats. Take a look at Jackson Galaxy’s book Catification.

The book is chock full of innovative suggestions.  Galaxy is the host of “My Cat From Hell” on Animal Planet.  He co authored the book with Kate Benjamin, a cat style expert.

The authors discuss the “why” behind cat behaviors and recommend positive methods to work with your cat’s nature, instead of against his nature. We particularly like the superhighway design that Dan and Jenne Johnson, a Wilmington, NC couple, developed after getting the idea from Galaxy’s show.

As professional pet sitters we visit a lot of homes with cats.  We love to visit homes where the humans have put out cat scratching boxes, cardboard boxes and toys.  Most of the ideas in this book could easily be implemented.  Have fun!

CatClimbingShleves

 

 

How to Turn Your Outdoors Cat into an Indoors Cat

Bringing Your Outdoors Cat Indoors

The weather is getting cold again and that got us thinking about the plight of outdoor cats. Despite what many people think, cats really don’t fare well outside.  If you are cold, so are they. Maybe you have been contemplating bringing your outdoors cat indoors or restricting access to the outdoors for your indoor/outdoor cat.  If so, good for you!!

Hazards for Outdoors Cats

Want to know some of the problems of letting cats roam around outside? They are exposed to many illnesses including feline leukemia, feline AIDS and upper respiratory infections. Cats can pick up parasites including fleas, ticks and worms. They can be hit by cars, killed by other animals or tortured by cruel individuals. and they really can get stuck in a tall tree. The weather is getting cold again and that got us thinking about the plight of outdoor cats. Despite what many people think, cats really don’t fare well outside. http://pets.webmd.com/cats/features/should-you-have-an-indoor-cat-or-an-outdoor-cat

If you are cold, so are they. Maybe you have been contemplating bringing your outdoor cat in or restricting access to the outdoors for your indoor/outdoor cat.  If so, good for you!!

If you are now inclined to consider bringing your outdoors cat indoors you are probably concerned that your cat will destroy your furniture.  Not to worry, you do not have to declaw your cat. In fact we recommend against declawing your cat but that is a topic for another day. It is fairly simple to make your cat’s environment a happy one for her. Provide vertical and horizontal scratching posts, various heights of cat towers, and comfy cat perches to extend the width of the window sills in front of sunny windows. Rotate her toys just as you would a child’s toys. And be sure to interact with your cat in play on a regular basis. Worried about cost?  Many cat friendly items can be made from things you have around home. Be sure to put out cardboard boxes and paper bags because they love those.     CatInBox_250x300

Cat Scratching Post

Cat Scratching Post

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bringing your outdoors cat indoors can more easily be accomplished by utilizing the ultimate in the best of two worlds:  construct a catio.  It does not have to be expensive or elaborate. If you have an existing cat door check to see if you could construct one where the cat gains access to the house.  Take a stroll on Pinterest to find great ideas. You can get a lot of ideas by visiting Jackson Galaxy’s web page too. We hope this gives you a good starting place for your first catio.

http://jacksongalaxy.com/?s=outdoor+enclosure

Catio1 Cat terrace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We wish you the best with bringing your outdoors cat indoors!

How to Transition Your Outdoor Cat to an Indoor Cat

outdorcar_tumblr_mckgddhtL81r8drkso1_500

Outdoor Cat

Are you ready to bring your outdoor cat inside to live? Great because outdoor cats, on average, live to age 5 while indoor cats may live into their late teens or early twenties. While you may not be able to transition a feral or barn cat, most cats can successfully make the adjustments. It will take patience and time but can be successfully done.

 

Indoor Cat

Be sure to provide scratching posts and pads for your kitty. To attract the kitty to the scratching post you may want to sprinkle some fresh catnip on it. Cat furniture that is sturdy and stable and has vertical and horizontal angles will be most appealing. Be sure your kitty has some perches where she can survey the outdoors.

 

 

cat scratching posy

cat scratching posy

Cat gets comfortable in litter box

Cat gets comfortable in litter box

Locate her litter boxes away from her food and water bowls because cats are known for not wanting to eat in or near their own bathroom.  You need a litter box on every floor of your house the cat has access to and at least one more litter box than the number of cats you have.
Cats love to play no matter their age so provide safe and fun toys. Furry little mice toys and ping pong balls are great options. Avoid string though because it’s a choking hazard. When you are available to play with the kitty use laser pointers or feathers on a wand to engage your cat. Be sure to put out some paper bags or boxes because most cats love them. And be prepared to share your sink.

 

 

For more information consult The Cat Behavior Answer Book by Arden Moore Catbehaviorcover

or Indoor Pet Initiative of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Ohio State University.

http://indoorpet.osu.edu/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author:  Beth Leatherman Harwell

www.coddlecreekpetservices.com