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01
"Feline Behavior Post- one of the best ways to play with your cat"
"Hi Imgur, I'm your friendly neighborhood feline behaviorist. Cats are often misunderstood creatures- I can't tell you how much misinformation I see out there about them. Part of this is because cats have NOT been studied scientifically nearly as much as some other species, such as dogs!
I want to help cats by making sure that humans have a better understanding of them, and thus don't have unrealistic expectations for their behavior. I figured why not share some info on Imgur :) Even if you don't want to read it, you can at least enjoy a few pictures of some shelter kitties!
Today's post is a slightly edited version of a post I wrote a little over a year ago.
Every feline, regardless of their age, should be engaged with play and other enrichment every single day. If you have just adopted a cat, keep in mind that they may need to settle into your home and gain their confidence before they are willing to engage in play.
While there are many great things you can give to your cat to play with independently, there is no replacement for interactions with you, their human! There is one kind of toy that shines above all others when it comes to spending time playing with your cat- a wand toy.
Many cats have a preference about exactly what kind of wand toy they want to play with, so you may need to try out a few before you find their favorite. Lots of cats like ones that have string-style elements to them, or dangly tassels/strips at the tip. Get a few different styles, and read through the following tips to get them playing."
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02
"Have the right expectations"
"If you have a kitten, then your play session could look like how you might imagine- them bouncing off the walls and doing flips to grab the wand. Most cats will lose this intense playfulness as they get older- so maybe your 5 year old cat will only chase the wand toy if you keep the play area small and make it easy for them to catch, and your 18 year old will only follow the wand toy with his eyes and maybe lazily bat at it every once in a while. These are still forms of playing, and if you get your cat to engage in this, you are doing a good job."
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03
"Keep it new and exciting"
"When not in use, keep the wand toy tucked away behind a closed closet door or somewhere else your kitty can't find it. Not only does this eliminate the risk of them getting tangled up in it or chewing on it, it also ensures that the toy will be of interest to your cat every time you bring it out, rather than just being another part of the scenery. Switching between styles of wand toys, if your cat will play with more than one kind, is another way to keep things fresh."
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04
"Make the ‘hunt’ fun"
"If you just stand over your cat and wave the toy back and forth, you might find that they seem bored. Kittens and particularly playful adult cats might find this entertaining enough, but most cats will want a little something more. Remember that in the wild, cats will hunt things both on the ground and things flying up in the air. Try dragging the toy along the ground for them to chase, or flicking it to imitate a bird flying back and forth across the room. Maybe your cat likes to sit on the top level of their cat tree and have you flick the wand toy up towards them, or maybe they'll hide under a chair until just the right moment and then pounce. Try having the wand toy disappear around the other side of the couch so they have to go look for it. Remember, your cat is a hunter, so make the toy imitate what live prey would do, which most of the time is moving away from the cat. Your cat is going to have more fun this way- and so will you because cats are really cute when they play!"
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05
"Let them catch it"
"If your cat doesn't get the satisfaction of catching their 'prey', it could lead to frustration or redirected aggression- or could simply be unsatisfying for them. Make sure you let your kitty catch and 'kill' the toy after a few minutes- and then repeat the playing process a few times, ending on a successful 'catch and kill' of the toy. If they don't seem to find satisfaction in catching the wand toy, you can always switch them over to a different style of toy at the end of the play session, like a kicker or something else that they like to grab onto."
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06
"Feed them after"
"To fully satisfy their hunting instincts, give your cat food after the play session is over. It's often great to schedule playtime right before mealtime, but you can always just give your cat a couple of treats or a small snack as long as you're not going overboard with excess food."
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07
"This is one of my cats, Dominic. He says he doesn't want to play like a normal cat and wants to play this board game with me instead."
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08
"Feline Behavior Post- Toy Suggestions for your Cat"
"Today's post is an edited version of a post I wrote a little over a year ago.
Last week, I made a post about one of the best way to play with your cat- with a wand toy!…
However, there are plenty of other great toy options out there that can benefit your cat (especially if you have one who wants to play ALL the time), so today I'm going to talk about some of those."
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09
"Battery powered toys"
"Sometimes, the hardest part about picking out the right toy for your cat is choosing one that is engaging enough that they'll play with it on their own. Battery powered toys often solve this problem because they move, drawing your kitty in! There are lots of different kinds of these toys. I highly recommend one with a 'timer' function built into it- one that you push a button to turn it on, and it will shut itself off 10-20 minutes later. It'll save the batteries, and if a toy is left running all the time it can just fade into the background and become boring to your cat. This is my favorite one to use in the shelter: https://www.chewy.com/smartykat-loco-motion-electronic-cat/dp/130292
but depending on your cat's play style, there are plenty of other options they may find more appealing." -
10
"Rattle mouse toys"
"This style of toy is what I'm talking about: https://amzn.to/3RkGqwD
These are probably one of the most popular toys I've seen. That honorific comes from a survey of those whose opinions matter the most- the cats, of course. You can toss these around for your cat and maybe even get them to play fetch with them. However, many cats who are on the more playful side also have a great time playing with them on their own- I'll often see them batting them back and forth between their paws and picking them up in their mouth and carrying them around. The size, texture, and noise really seem to get their hunter instincts in gear!"
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11
"Ball toys"
"Another great kind of toy is the simple 'ball toy'. I've found that most cats aren't actually the biggest fan of the ones with bells in them, and seem to prefer ping pong style balls or the ones made out of firm foam or other soft material. The problem with these is that it's so easy to lose them- one bat of the paw and suddenly it's under the couch, out of reach. You could buy them in bulk so even when you lose the first 20 you still have 20 left- or you can make it a bit easier for your cat. Put the ball in a large cardboard box, or an empty storage bin, or even your bathtub. You could also set up a larger space using a perimeter of towels or boxes to prevent the ball from rolling away. This way they can bat it around in that space and never worry about it rolling underneath something."
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12
"Catnip/Silver Vine"
"While these aren't technically toys, when used in conjunction with toys, they can certainly help hype your cat up! Some cats may respond to these by getting sleepy, while others may not have a reaction at all- but many, many cats become more hyperactive after rolling around in these. It can be great to try out catnip for your senior kitty and see if it gets them more engaged in play time. While you can get toys with catnip in them, I suggest getting dried or fresh catnip or silver vine (or silver vine sticks) and giving your cat a little just before you want to initiate a play session."
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13
"Kicker toys"
"Especially if your cat is the type to get overstimulated when you play with them, I cannot recommend kicker toys enough. They are great for cats to latch onto with all four paws and their mouth and get out their kicking and biting urges on. There are lots of toys specifically designed for this purpose, but some cats can be just as satisfied with a medium-sized stuffed animal. Check out a thrift store near you, toss whatever good ones you find in a laundry bag and run them through the wash, then sprinkle with catnip and see if your kitty likes it!"
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14
"Bubbles"
"(This is totally a cat. You saw nothing.)
There are catnip bubbles made just for cats, which are a lot of fun but are often very sticky and a bit messy for your hands. However, even just regular bubbles can be fun for some cats. Just be sure to blow them a little distance away from your cat, so they can choose whether or not they want to engage- some cats are afraid of bubbles."
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15
"Crinkly toys"
"Whether it's little bundle toys of shiny mylar, or a mat or cat bed with mylar sewn inside of it, or even just a crinkly paper bag, many cats love toys that make a crinkle sound when they play with them. If you have a cat who enjoys them, it can often be an easy way to get their attention and let them know it's play time- simply pick up a mylar toy and crunch it with your fingers, and your cat may come running! Some cats find the sound a little too spooky for their taste, so if you have one cat who loves crinkle toys and another who is afraid of them, be sure to have separate playtime with each cat with different kinds of toys."
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16
"Variety is the key!"
"If your cat doesn't like one kind of toy, there's always more to try. I've barely scratched the surface with this post; there are so many more kinds to try. If you find your cats get bored of their toys after a week or so, put things on a rotating schedule- one week you keep the rattle mice toys in a closet and use bubbles and ping pong balls, and then switch out the next week. Keeping some toys out of sight for a little while can help them feel fresh and brand new. Of course, if your cat has a favorite toy that they adore or like to carry around a lot, you should leave that one out for them all the time!"
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17
"Thank you all for reading! For a full list of all my feline behavior posts, see here: https://imgur.com/gallery/QWAWDJS
If I've helped you out with a feline behavior issue, please consider donating to me! https://ko-fi.com/friendlyneighborhoodfelinebehaviorist"
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