Every cat needs to play. Playing helps satisfy instinctual behavior like hunting, mentally and physically stimulates a cat, and helps expend excess energy that could otherwise turn destructive. It helps with brain development, helps them learn how to respond to novel things, builds social skills, and builds confidence.
If you’re like a lot of cat guardians that I talk to, you’re probably thinking that all sounds great, but your cat seems to have a problem with play. Let’s take a look at the most common barriers to cat play and see how we can solve them.
“My cat has dozens of toys and he doesn’t play with any of them.”
Toys on the floor are stationary and boring. They are essentially “dead.” Cats are not big on scavenging dead animals – they like hunting live prey. They like movement! Any type of interactive play, where you are manipulating a toy, will be more engaging for your cat.
Also remember that your indoor cat doesn’t get out much. He’s probably tired of seeing the same stuff every day. Try putting toys away when you are not using them. The toys will be much more interesting when they do come out.
“My cat will play with a toy for a while, but then loses interest.”
Stop buying endless new toys! Rotate which toys are left out or used for interactive play sessions to keep things exciting. When an old toy comes out again, it will seem like a whole new toy to your cat. You can even “marinate” toys in a plastic baggie full of catnip while they’re not in use to make them even more enticing.
“My cat won’t engage in any interactive play with me.”
There could be a lot of reasons for this one. To start, schedule play sessions around the same time every day. Make it part of your normal routine. Morning and evening work best because that’s when cats are naturally most active. Cats love routine and predictability. Just like they tend to get hungry at certain times of the day, they will start to anticipate play and be ready for it at your routine times.
Then take a look at the toys you are using. While some cats are generalists and will play with anything, some cats are specialists. Maybe they don’t want to hunt a bird-like toy, and they’d rather hunt bugs, mice, or snake-like toys.
How are you using the toy? Are you waving it in their face? That’s not much fun for the cat. Think like a prey animal: have the toy run away from the cat, behind a box, or into the air like a bird. Vary the speed from a run to a crawl to a freeze. Engage other senses by using toys with bells or crinkly sounds. Recognize that cats have different play styles. Your cat might not be a big runner – they might prefer to stalk and watch. Any engagement is still play!
If your cat still isn’t playing, check if there are other cats around. Cats are solitary hunters and may need separate play sessions to be comfortable. Also consider your cat’s health. Is he overweight? A senior? Not feeling well? Check with your vet for treatments and adjust how you play to account for your cat’s mobility, pain, or sensory decline.
“My cat only wants to play for five minutes.”
That’s great. Cats are sprinters. Their bodies are not designed to move for long periods of time. He may need a break and you can try again later.
“My cat won’t stop playing. He could play for hours.”
That’s not cool. Nobody has time for that! It can also create problems by getting them so wound up that they don’t know how to calm themselves down. You don’t want to accidentally create a super-cat with unattainably high needs. If you’re spending hours playing or getting your cat to the point of panting, you’re playing too much.
Play sessions should last 5-20 minutes. No longer. Spend the first few minutes allowing for high speed chases and jumps. But toward the end of the session, wind down play by moving slower and encouraging more stalking and butt-wiggling. Let them catch it. Let the prey die. If your cat is still amped after that, try giving treats or food in a puzzle feeder or do a clicker training session so they can engage their mental energy.
If you need additional help getting your cat to play, contact us at Pawsitive Vibes Cat Behavior and Training!