Tips for Playing With Your Cat

Cats are very fun little pets. They’re also highly entertaining! It’s hard not to laugh when watching Fluffy furiously attacking a catnip mouse, or trying to chase that little red dot. Playing is actually very beneficial to kitties. However, there are some things you’ll want to keep in mind. Read on as a Burlington, ON vet offers tips on playing with your feline friend.

We don’t have to tell you that cats are collectively very tired. Unfortunately, catching Z’s won’t burn anywhere near as many calories as catching mice. Playing is a great way to help your drowsy pet stay active. It’s also good for her mind. Fluffy has to focus to land those tricky pounces just right. This is great mental stimulation!

Our feline pals are definitely creatures of habit. If you pay attention, you may notice that Fluffy pretty much sticks to a set schedule for her three breakfasts, 19 daily naps, four grooming sessions, and two dinners. Make kitty playtime part of your daily routine!

Kitties take their hunting skills quite seriously. Fluffy may get discouraged if she never gets her prey. Let your furball ‘catch’ that red dot or catnip mouse sometimes.

Dogs will really push themselves in order to please their owners. Cats? Not so much. Don’t worry about overexertion. Fluffy will just quit when she gets tired.

Do you have more than one kitty? Play with them both at the same time. Otherwise, your feline buddies may start getting quite jealous of one another!

As the saying says, variety is the spice of life. Keep playtime fun and interesting by changing out the toys you are using. Hold a laser pointer for Fluffy one day, and then use a remote-controlled mouse the next.

One of Fluffy’s many odd-but-adorable quirks is the fact that she is pretty much the only pet that will bite and scratch her humans playfully, or even as a way of showing affection. However, don’t let your furry buddy practice her hunting skills on you. This is bad petiquette, and can lead to behavioral problems down the line. Those tiny claws are sharp!

Please contact us, your Burlington, ON vet clinic, for all of your pet’s veterinary care needs. We’re here to help!