All cats, no matter their age, benefit from consistent interactive play sessions with you. When you play tug or fetch with a dog, playtime is a social activity where you play together. However, for your cat, playtime is less of a social activity and more of a simulated hunting experience. Cats in the wild are ambush predators that spend about 80% of their awake time outdoors hunting for food. Without the opportunity to practice this normal, natural behavior, cats can develop behavior problems.
When Should I Play With My Cat?
If you can, play with your cat twice a day. Morning and evenings are best since that is when cats are naturally more active. If possible, you will want to play before mealtimes so that your cat gets to catch and eat his prey at the end of the play session. Try to play at the same time each day, as predictability helps your cat know when it is time to play and when to rest.
How Long Should Play Sessions Be?
Each play session should be about 10-15 minutes long. Avoid playing with your cat for longer than 15 minutes at a time. Cats are sprinters, not marathon runners. Longer play sessions may result in cats becoming overstimulated or overaroused, and it may be more difficult to wind them down afterward. Think of these play sessions as five 2-minute sessions rather than a straight 10 minutes if you struggle to find time and energy in your day for play.
Tips for Play:
• Alternate speed of movement. Are you going too fast? Too slow?
• Move the toy away from your cat. Prey does not run up to the predator.
• Move the toy under or behind something. Let it go just out of view. They will not be able to resist.
• Appeal to other senses. Try scented toys, toys that make noise, or toys with different textures.
• Recognize that cats will have different play styles. Play does not have to be running and jumping. It can be stalking, batting, following, watching, etc.
• Your cat is nature’s tiny killing machine. Let them kill the toy.
• Wind the play down. Use the last few minutes of playtime to let your cat wind down. Start to move the toy more slowly so your cat does more watching and stalking than actively chasing. Let the toy gradually “die,” just like real prey.
• Laser Pointers. Laser pointers can be frustrating for some cats since it is a game that your cat can never win. If you use a laser pointer, point it at physical toys that they can sink their claws into, or start playing with the laser and end with a physical toy or food.
• Rotate Toys. Toys that sit out all the time start to look like “dead prey” and are not very interesting to a cat. Rotate toys by putting some away and swapping them out regularly. This makes toys seem like new and keeps cats interested longer.
Understanding and promoting play in cats ensures their happiness, overall health, and well-being. Play nurtures the human-animal bond and allows cats to express their innate behaviors in a safe, stimulating environment. It is never too late to introduce play into a cat’s routine, and even older cats can benefit from regularly scheduled playtime.
