Cats love to play, so why not join in with the fun and play with them. Playing with you cat can be a great bonding experience and can boost your mood too! Cats have many natural instincts such as hunting, chasing and climbing that can easily be included in playtime. So release the inner tiger in your cat with these fun games. It’s important to ask your parents before training or playing games with your cat.
1. Fetch
You may think that fetch is just for dogs, however cats can enjoy this game as well. Pick a toy that is easy to throw across the room and small enough for them to hold in their mouth, such as a toy mouse or small soft ball. A soft toy with feathers or a bell attached can also help to attract their attention.
Simply throw the toy and watch them chase after and pounce on it. Wait to see if they come back to you. If they don’t, encourage them to bring the toy back to you by calling their name. Offer them a treat and praise if they do. You may get lots of exercise getting the ball while they learn the game. Continue to throw the ball and encourage them to return it.
2. Hide & seek
Hide behind a couch, desk or other piece of furniture. You can place obstacles in the way such as cushions to make it a bit harder. You can also hide in another room or behind a door. Let them try and find you or call their name if they need encouragement. Once they find you praise them or give them a treat.
Some cats like to be the one hiding and tuck themselves away while you search for them. You can help create hiding spots for your cat out of cardboard boxes or by placing a towel over a small table. Just watch out for their paws as they might bat you as you walk past!
3. Chase
Cats love to chase and there are plenty of toys you can use to play this game.
Blow bubbles from a bubble wand and work with your cat to chase and pop them. Wand toys are always a big hit. Dangle the wand in front of you cat to tease them into playing, then quickly move it around and watch them pounce. Cats also love to chase a moving light so laser or torch play can also be fun. A really simple way to play this game is to pull a piece of string along the floor as if it’s alive. Your cat will love chasing after it. Just make sure you put the string away after playtime.
With all chase games make sure play ends with your cat being able to catch their prey (some sort of toy), otherwise they will be left frustrated.
4. Climbing
Climbing is not only fun for your cat but it’s also great for their balance, muscle strength and flexibility. It’s a good idea to offer your cat a number of elevated places in your home to relax, rest and watch over their world from a safe place.
Set up safe climbing places such as a cat tower, climbing pole, shelf or raised box. You can hide treats and place toys on their raised space for your pet to explore and discover. You can also join in using a laser or wand toy encouraging your cat to climb to their high places.
5. New tricks
Yes, cats can be taught tricks too! Fetch, sit and high-five are great tricks to start with. Keep training sessions brief and positive and don’t forget to have fun!
To teach your cat to sit: hold a treat in front of your cat to capture their attention. Move their treat from their nose to above their head to encourage them to sit down to reach the treat. As soon as they sit down, say “sit” and reward them with a treat. Pat and praise them for doing a great job. Repeat this 2-3 times with a treat then continue using your empty hand, still rewarding with praise and pats when they sit.
To teach your cat to high-five: hold a treat in a closed hand and place your hand close to the floor. When you cat touches your hand with their paw say “high five” and reward them with the treat. This can take some time so be patient. Slowly increase the height of your hand until they start lifting their paw to touch your hand. Continue to reward and praise them. Next, offer your open hand with no treat in it. Say “high five” and reward them when they touch your hand. Slowly increase the height of your hand until its above your cat’s head. Repeat this step using treats until they are consistently high fiving you. Then continue using your empty hand, still rewarding with praise and pats when they high-five.
6. Food games
Puzzle feeders are a great way to encourage your cat to hunt and work for their food. There are a range of puzzle toys that allow you to start with something easy and build up to something more challenging. You can also use treat balls that your cat can bat around and get rewarded for their efforts.
You can make your own treat balls out of empty toilet rolls. Simply cut an empty toilet roll into rings and position the rings over each other until they form a ball. Hide treats in the ball and watch your cat push it around as the treats slowly drop out. You can also simply hide a small number of treats in an empty toilet paper roll and fold in both ends, leaving just a small opening. Watch your cat’s delight as treats slowly drop out during play.
Tips for playing with your cat
Rotate toys - cats enjoy variety just like us so continue to rotate their toys to keep them stimulated and prevent boredom
Put cat play in your calendar – try to take some time out each day to play with your cat. Kittens will usually take the initiative to engage you in play, but older cats may need some encouragement. Vary it up and try to find activities that engage your cat’s interest. Most importantly, have fun together!
Limit treats – don’t go overboard with the treats, they should make up less than 10% of your cat’s calorie intake for the day. Other forms of encouragement can include pats, praise or their favourite toy.
Playing games with your cat can be fun for everyone. It can help your cat to learn, develop new skills and promote natural behaviours. It can also help prevent boredom and offer both mental and physical stimulation for everyone. We hope you have fun playing games with your cat.