If you’re not engaging in playtime with cats in your home, it’s time to have some fun! Indoor cats may seem aloof at times, but their instinctive nature is to hunt, catch and play. We can be proactive cat parents and help them exercise these instincts – which helps them get the exercise their bodies and minds need.
So here are a few facts about the importance of playtime with cats
- Exercise reduces anxiety in cats. When your kitty has nothing to do or no one to engage with, she gets bored. Boredom creates stress – and stress is a leading cause of illness and disease in cats. Just as with humans, exercise gets endorphins going and helps keep the anxiety at bay.
- Playtime keeps their weight managed. This is an obvious truth, but many times we forget that our cats need to maintain a healthy weight and strong body. Obesity has lead to an epidemic of diabetes and other diseases in felines – so playing with our kitties also reduces the risk of illness!
- Exercise increases immunity health. Exercise helps builds a strong immune system, which is the ultimate protector for our kitties. This mean less trips to the vet for unpleasant illnesses and infections – which saves us money too!
- Playtime helps your cat’s bones and joints. “A body in motion stays in motion, while a body at rest stays at rest“. Activity is so important for the joints and bones of our kitties because it strengthens them and keeps them in motion. Daily exercise is a wonderful and simple way to reduce risk of arthritis in cats.
- Exercise builds confidence in kitties. Did you know that a few short sessions of playtime with cats, one-on-one in a room by themselves can build their confidence and help reduce aggression, spraying and stress in the home? It’s amazing what this simple practice has done to help our Pooh Bear start getting along with the new kittens. We all want our cats to feel confident and secure, right? Make it a new daily habit to set aside at least 20 minutes per day to engage in playtime with your kitties.
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