This is a sponsored post*
Playtime isn’t just fun for cats (and for you!) It’s vital to your cat’s mental and physical health, and it’s especially important for indoor cats. Whether you share your life with a kitten full of energy or a senior cat who prefers gentler games, daily play is one of the best ways to improve your cat’s quality of life.
Even though cats may sleep up to 16 hours a day, when they’re awake, they need stimulation. In the wild, when lions, tigers and other wild cats aren’t sleeping, they’re either hunting, or teaching their young to hunt. And play is nothing more than channeling your domestic tiger’s hunting instinct into play.
Benefits of Play
- Weight management: Obesity is the number one health problem in cats. Statistics show that 60% of America’s cats are overweight or obese. In addition to feeding a species-appropriate diet, active play is one of the best ways to keep your feline charges fit and trim.
- Strong muscles and joints: Chasing toys, climbing and pouncing keeps your cat fit.
- Mental stimulation: Cats who don’t get challenged or entertained get bored, which can lead to depression or to behavioral problems. Play challenges your cat’s brain and provides needed enrichment.
- Stress relief: Feline stressors range from being part of a multicat household, changes in their environment, and even picking up on stress from their humans. One of the best ways to counteract stress in cats is through regular playtime.
- Increase the bond between cat and human: Playing with your cat, especially using interactive toys, is a wonderful way to increase the bond.
Creative playtime for cats
Toys that simulate play and satisfy a cat’s innate hunting drive will be most effective for creating a fun play experience for your cat that also helps her burn off excess energy.
Interactive, fishing pole type toys are usually the best way to get your cat playing with you, and to satisfy her hunt/prey instinct.
How you play with your cat also matters. While there are lots of cute little catnip filled toys on the market, simply placing one in front of your cat and hoping that she’ll play with it doesn’t work with most cats. Think about how a cat would hunt. Move the toy like prey, alternating between fast and slow motions so it gives your cat time to plan her next move. Don’t just dangle the toy in her face.
Interactive puzzle toys can be a great way to keep your cats entertained and mentally stimulated when you can’t play with them. The toys are designed to be filled with treats, and they challenge kitty to retrieve the treats through varied openings in the toys.
Rotate toys in and out. Don’t keep the same toys out in the same spot all the time – this will almost guarantee that your cats will get bored with them. Put some toys away for a week or two, and then bring them out again. Your cats will think they got a brand new toy.
Cat toys don’t need to be expensive. To a cat, almost everything can become a toy: grocery bags with the handles cut off, boxes, toilet paper rolls, milk carton tops, tissue paper – in a cat’s mind, these were all just made to be played with. Some cats enjoy chasing bubbles, or batting Q-tips around the bathtub.
Think like a cat, and you may be surprised at the things you already have in your home that make the purr-fect cat toy.
How much playtime does your cat need?
Kittens will need multiple play sessions throughout the day. For adult cats, make time for at least one or two play sessions, 10-15 minutes in length, each day. Senior cats may prefer shorter play sessions, tailored to their energy level and mobility.
Playtime isn’t optional – it’s a key part of keeping your cats happy and healthy. And it’s good for you, too, because it forces you to focus on your cat without any distractions of screens and all the other demands of daily life. Best of all, it’s fun!
This post is sponsored by Darwin’s Natural Pet Products
About Darwin’s Natural Pet Food
Darwin’s is doing everything right, both in terms of what’s in the food and what’s not:
Darwin’s statement on H5N1
Darwin’s is very selective in choosing which suppliers we work with. We have been in contact with our poultry suppliers who all have testing protocols in place for a range of viruses, including H5N1, and will not ship products from flocks in which even one bird tested positive. In addition, as part of Darwin’s normal production process, all our meals are treated with an organic Peracetic Acid solution, which is effective against multiple pathogens, including H5N1.
If you are concerned about feeding raw, cooking poultry to a temperature of 165° Fahrenheit will destroy H5N1. Sous viding is the gentlest option that retains the most nutrients. Since sous viding is not always accessible for all pet parents, we also recommend very gently sauteing Darwin’s. This should be low and slow, and all liquid rendered from the cooking process should be served with the food. The food should be completely cooled before serving.
Special offer: Get 50% off your first 10 pounds
Darwin’s has an introductory offer that can’t be beat so you can try this for your own cats: get 75% off your first 10 pounds of raw food (up to $100.) You can customize the proteins depending on your cat’s taste preferences.
Use code PURRSOFWISDOM to take advantage of this special offer.
For more information and to order, please visit DarwinsPet.com.
*This post is sponsored by Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. Purrs of Wisdom is an affiliate partner of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. This means that if you decide to purchase through any of our links, we get a small commission. We only spread the word about products and services we’ve either used or would use ourselves.
Image Adobe Stockphoto
Yes, playtime is important to us as well. It makes me smile and laugh watching my cats having fun while playing. Miss Lu is the most fun to watch.