Content
- Importance of playing with the cat
- How long should I play with my cat?
- cat toys
- How old do cats play?
- If two cats play together, is it enough?
Cats are social animals, active and curious. For this reason, their daily routine can never be lacking in games. In addition to being a very beneficial activity for them, as it helps to foster the bond with the owner, lowers levels of anxiety and stress and can even help fight depression.
Despite this, not all people know how much time a day they should play with the cat, which makes them often forget about this very positive activity. Find out in this article by PeritoAnimal what is the ideal time for playing with the cat. You will be surprised!
Importance of playing with the cat
cats are social animals and, although it may seem, they don't have that much fun playing alone. You've probably already given your cat a toy, which he played with for hours. However, over time, it ended up being forgotten somewhere! This is because cats need to be stimulated to enhance your play behaviors. For that reason, your presence is very important!
Play is a primordial activity to favor typical feline behaviors, such as the hunting instinct. For this reason, they feel especially attracted to toys such as "fishing rods" or those that emit different sounds.
It is important to note that the behavior of a 3-month-old cat facing a game or a joke will not be the same as an adult or elderly cat. Therefore, we must always adapt play sessions to the specific physical and mental capacities of each cat.
But, how do cats play with humans? There are many types of games that you can play with your gelino and if your cat can participate positively in these games, it is a clear indicator of happiness and well being.
How long should I play with my cat?
There is no set and exact time period for playing with the cat, as each animal has its own needs. Despite this, it is ideal that your feline can play daily with you or your family, at least half an hour.
Some cats with a high energy level may require longer play sessions, while others may become annoyed or even frustrated by very long play sessions. The best way to know how much time you should play with your cat is to take the time to get to know him better and analyze his specific needs.
cat toys
On the market we find numerous toys designed exclusively for our cats and it is not always easy to choose one. In addition to the cat toys available on the market, which include intelligence games and food dispensers, you can make toys for your cat yourself. Sometimes, cats' favorite toys are those made of cardboard.
As we mentioned earlier, the toys that motivate cats more easily, are those that include sounds or the classic "fishing rods". Another interesting game is hide and seek: you can hide prizes so the cat can find them. There are many possibilities, the best way is to get to know your cat well and find out what he likes the most. If you would like to know more activities, see our article with 10 cat games.
One good play session it shouldn't be too long. It should include short breaks and it is important that it be relatively calm, so as not to favor the feline's lack of control, which on occasions can end with a scratch or a strong bite. These details are especially important and should be taken into account when knowing how to play with a kitten that is still learning to play properly.
How old do cats play?
Most cats continue to maintain a active or moderate gaming behavior until reaching adulthood. Others continue into old age, but it depends on each specific case, so it is impossible to define exactly how old a cat will play.
It is important to note that if the cat suffers from any disease, it can resist play stimuli, as it can have pain. A very clear example is arthritis in older cats.
If two cats play together, is it enough?
It is likely that the company of another cat help your feline to cover some of your social needs if you spend a lot of time alone. Despite this, he still needs your company. It is important that before adopting another feline read our article on how to introduce two cats correctly.
If your cat has never socialized with other cats and, in addition, it was separated too early from its mother and siblings (before 3 weeks of age)... it will probably have a lot of difficulties in relating to other cats, since the socialization stage it was very poor.
In these cases, it is very common for tutors to ask "how to know if my cat is fighting or playing". The problem is that cats are not socialized correctly. do not know the rules of games or they don't control bites and scratches as they should. If your cat has not been socialized, it is best to bet on the correct environmental enrichment of the house, in order to provide entertainment when you are not.
On the other hand, if your cat was adopted around 3 months old and has had the opportunity to socialize with other cats throughout its life, adopting a cat can be an excellent option.