Kittens are so much fun! They have all this energy and run around playing and most of the time we don’t even know what they are playing with! Kittens are just entertaining themselves by pouncing and dancing around. They hunch their back and do what I like to call “scary kitty” and how fun is it when they have zoomies? But did you know that studies show after about 21 weeks of age, kittens start to lose interest in things that don’t move?
Playing with your cat on a regular basis, for most of us, just doesn’t happen. Once they are growing out of that kitten phase, we look at it as they are maturing and just not as playful; but that is not what is happening! There is the misconception that cats make great pets because they are lazy, sleep all day and need very little attention. Did you know that a cat that sleeps all the time is a cat that may be stressed or bored. They rely on us to mix it up and make it fun. Spend time with them. Playing is great exercise and it can also build your cats confidence, not to mention it’s such a great bonding experience.
I get it, when you get home you are tired, you just want to eat something, feed your cat and veg on the couch – playing with your cat is the last thing you want to do. Keep in mind your cat has been doing that ALL day! They are relying on you to provide some entertainment. One of the hardest things as cat parents is setting aside time to play with our cats regularly.
Playing With Your Cat
We often buy a bunch of toys and leave them on the floor – hoping they will play on their own. While some kitties will play with a spring or catnip pillow on their own, the majority of cats prefer toys that look, feel and move like prey. Cats are predators and want to hunt! Cats like to stalk and hunt mice or bugs but also love jumping and chasing birds. When you are playing with your cat, be sure to mimic these moves. The action of hunting prey is instinctive to their nature and stimulates their mental health.
Just 20 to 30 minutes a day playing with your cats is so amazing for their mental and physical health. Be sure to set some time aside daily for your cats so enrich their lives.
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