How to Play with Cats of All Ages: Motivation Tips and Tricks
- Rachel
- Apr 6, 2024
- 10 min read
Updated: 22 hours ago
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.
In this article:
Why Is Play Important for Cats?
Quite simply, play is an extension of a cat's natural hunting instincts and contributes to their overall health and wellbeing. Cats are known for their curious nature, which means they love to explore and learn about their environment.
It's therefore beneficial for mental and emotional health, physical exercise, mobility and even brain function. For indoor cats, play is doubly important for stimulation and to prevent boredom. They only become lazy because humans make them so - which says a lot about humans, too!
We talk a lot about aggression on this site, and playtime has a huge role in managing problem behaviours by releasing excess energy; reducing stress and offering a distraction from other target cats. It's also important for socialising kittens and teaching them valuable life skills.
If you have a cat with fussy eating habits then a good play session helps to build up an appetite; after all, it needs to replenish energy for the next hunt. The best part of all, playtime can be a fun bonding session between cats and humans.
My Cat Won't Play, Is It lazy?
My cat won't play. My cat is lazy. My cat isn't interested in the £30 interactive toy I bought off Amazon.
It's easy to blame the cat (or toy) but guess what? You made the decision to house an animal that's programmed to hunt, chase, stalk, climb and explore in the wild - and would continue to do so if humans hadn’t tried to domesticate them.
Cats were originally used as a form of vermin control within human settlements, where they were attracted to the abundance of prey and waste that could be easily scavenged. It was only through thousands of years of evolution and the introduction of tinned food, litter and other resources that allowed us to keep them indoors. Experts believe that cats domesticated themselves but, either way, the basic instincts, behaviours and biology of a cat haven't changed.
Why the history lesson? Unlike dogs who have evolved to become man's best friend, cats take a lot more effort. It's your responsibility to bring enrichment to a cat's life and stimulate those predatory instincts. No matter how pampered your fur baby is (I have a couple of princes, too!) there's no taking the hunter or huntress out of the cat.
How to Play with Cats
Let's start with how NOT to play with cats....
I can see you now, waving that feather wand from side to side with one eye on the TV - or more accurately, scrolling through social media. To you it's a piece of plastic, but to your cat it's their prey. Have you ever seen a bird flapping aimlessly from left to right and right to left? Boring!
Maybe it's more of a mouse guy (or girl) which doesn't mean you can get away with tossing a mouse onto the floor and expecting a reaction. A stationary mouse is a dead mouse - more yawns.
These repetitive and predictable motions provide no challenge for a kitty's killer instincts. Cats observe their prey for some time before leaping into action, as in the wild they might only get one chance to catch a meal before the next serving comes along. The most they'll gain from the above example is a crick in the neck.
Of course, if your kitty happens to be enthused by a flapping wand then by all means, keep on flapping! For the most part, it's less about the toy and more about what the toy represents.
You should also bear in mind that cats are unable to see objects too close to their faces - anything within 25-30cm is likely to be blurred or completely out of their range of vision. Their eyes are designed to track movement at a distance, so it helps to incorporate this into your play technique.
Stimulate Hunting Instincts
Playtime should mimic hunting in a natural way. Think: jumping, pouncing, stalking, chasing, batting or swatting.
If your cat likes birds then do some research: sit in your garden or local park and observe the wildlife. Watch how they flutter in the trees, soar through the air and swoop down to land. This is how you should be using a feather wand - no manic side to side actions! Once a cat gets worked up then all it cares about is killing that target, but you have to get it there first.
Keep the wand just out of reach and play with different heights, bring it down to ground level and really tease your kitty as it stalks its prey. Wait for it to pounce and, at the last second, off flies birdie back into the trees. We want to keep cats coming back for more but not to the point of frustration where they lose interest - those leaps consume a lot of energy.
You might have seen cats twisting and flipping in the air, which is a testament to how athletic they are. Let it get a taste of its prey with a few catches until it's all worn out.
Catit Treat Puzzle Slow Feeder has six fun activities that stimulate cats to work for their food. Place treats or kibble in the different sections to encourage natural hunting instincts and foraging.
Rodents, on the other hand, will creep and scuttle; disappear into holes, dig for food and nesting materials - all of which you can mimic with toys. A basic length of cord could be a snake slithering around your carpets. You can mix it up even more by attaching balls or mice to a piece of string to get that prey moving.
For less energetic or senior cats, burying a mouse or other soft toy in a box of screwed up paper provides enrichment, as well as stimulating the senses. Treat puzzles and wildlife videos on YouTube will help to keep an ageing kitty's brain engaged.
Suhaco 21 Pack of Cat Toys offers a range of different toys: an interactive ball and track toy, feather wand, balls, mice, springs and catnip options. Purrfect for new kittens and stimulating less playful cats.
Realism
To elaborate on the above, can you imagine the disappointment on your kid's face if you bought them a remote-controlled car and forgot to add the batteries? If the most they can do is look at it then you might have saved a few quid and bought a poster.
Where's the interaction? Where's the excitement, the fun, the get-go? That car needs to be as realistic as it can be. It needs all the gadgets, lights, sounds and motions that come from racing a car.
Get involved. Act like the bird. BE the mouse.
Yes, I am telling you to child-talk your cat. We already know they pick up on emotional cues and that goes for excitement, too. Unlike humans, they don't care how stupid you look or how high-pitched your voice gets. Prey is prey.
Okay, you get my enthusiasm. Clearly I LOVE entertaining my cats, probably more so than they do.
PawHut Cat Stand with a large polyester bed, jute scratching posts and two hanging pompoms. Stands at 42cm and made from sturdy particle board with a wide base to prevent toppling.
Utilise Space
Play doesn't have to be limited to a single room, either. If you have hallways and stairs then use them (also furniture if you don't mind it being scratched to pieces). An unmotivated cat might be enticed with stalking, a good low-energy form of play that can build up with excitement. Laser pointers are perfect for getting that momentum going.
I should point out that my cats aren't particularly active, it's a case of encouraging them at the right time - that is, when they show rare spurts of energy. That being said, some of these tactics have seen them transform from lazy dumplings into torpedoes charging about the place - yes, there is such a thing as overexcitement!
Concealment
Cats love concealment such as poking things through gaps under doors or anything with a spyhole. Include plenty of objects to hide behind - a simple blanket draped over a couple of chairs makes an exciting kitty den. Get creative and use your environment.
Another reason why cats might not play is timidness, particularly in multi-cat households. Drax would often disappear or watch from a hiding place while Simba went crazy with his toys. Some one-on-one playtime will help to build up confidence until it's ready to integrate with its housemates. Cats that are reluctant to enter the middle of a room may feel shy or vulnerable, so offer lots of hiding places such as boxes and tunnels to coax them out.
3-Way Foldable Cat Tunnel has three channels, a peephole and hanging ball toy for stalking and hiding. The tunnel folds down and pops up for easy storage.
Choose the Right Toy
The right toy for your cat is based on all of the points discussed, for which you're the best judge. What gets kitty's pulse racing? Is she a stalker? Does she love to run and chase? Do you see her gnawing on soft toys, whizzing up cat trees or hanging off teasers like a fish on a hook?
Toys are merely accessories, and while they're a great substitute for prey, some cats will need more motivation than others depending on factors such as age and breed. Naturally, a senior cat will be less active than a kitten and might prefer rolling around in boxes or tunnels with toys that are soft on their teeth, rather than chasing the end of a teaser. Mental stimulation can be very valuable for an old or infirm cat.
For a more in-depth look at different types of cat toys, recommendations and age suitability, check out these 12 types of cat toys and games.
3-in-1 Catnip Balls include catnip, silvervine, gall fruit and cat sugar. Natural plant fibres help to stimulate appetite, promote digestion and improve dental health. Sticks to a smooth wall or surface and available in multiple colours to match your decor.
For an extra buzz, there are so many varieties of catnip or silvervine available to further stimulate the senses. From stuffed toys to edible treats, choosing the best type and brand for your cat may take some trial and error.
Related post: 15 Best Catnip Toys, Blends and Sprays
Rewards
Once kitty is all tired out, this would be an ideal feeding time - especially if you have a fussy eater as cats are more likely to finish a bowl if they're hungry. At the very least, you should offer a tasty snack or treat. Associate play with reward and you'll earn yourself a friend for life!
How Long Should I Play with Cats?
As a general rule, it's recommended to play with cats in short 10-15 minute sessions, up to 3 times a day - which is far less than you might think. Cats have intermittent bursts of energy between naps and tend to lose interest if playtime lasts too long. This is the nature of our feline friends due to being on alert for predators and hunting opportunities in the wild.
Leaving too many toys lying around can lead to boredom as there's nothing new and exciting. Try offering a different toy for each play session, even if it's a different type of toy such as a plastic ball vs a crinkle ball. Store in a box when not in use and, in time, kitty may start to choose its own toys.
Other factors that influence a cat's playtime needs are age, breed and personality. Energy levels naturally decrease as cats get older, but that doesn't mean they don't need to be kept active. Kittens have bundles of energy and require more intense play, which is balanced out by longer naps. If you've ever parented a kitten then the routine is generally the same: eat, play, sleep.
Some cat breeds, such as Bengals, have higher energy levels in comparison to the more laid-back Persian. On a whole, it doesn't take much time out of your day to exercise a cat. As a bare minimum, 30 minutes broken up into sessions can work out as 10 minutes after work, 10 minutes after dinner and 10 minutes before bed.
Of course, cats being cats, they're more likely to choose a time to suit themselves - usually when you're in the middle of something important!
Why You Shouldn't Use Hands to Play with Cats
It may seem like common sense not to let a cat play with hands - or body parts in general - but we've all done it. Drax has a bit of a foot fetish and, gentle as he is, the problem occurs when he decides to make a lunge for them when I'm walking down the stairs.
Totally my fault but that's what happens when cats don't know any different because, hey, we do this all the time! Worse than that is if a cat becomes aggressive or develops behavioural issues, your body parts are going to become live targets.
Xemz Interactive Feather Cat Toy features a rotating feather that randomly pops out of the holes at different time intervals. The toy starts when cats pass the infrared sensor and has an auto shut-off time of 5 minutes.
One last thing: kittens! Letting a cute, harmless kitten play with your fingers is, well, cute and harmless. In a matter of months, that kitten will be a hyperactive terror armed with fangs and claws and, after that, a fully-grown cat.
I don't always follow my own rules and, honestly, there's nothing more adorable than a palm-sized fluffball gumming the end of your finger. At some point we need to replace fingers with toys, just try to do it sooner rather than later!
Summary
With a little bit of time, effort and motivation, keeping cats fit and active can easily become part of their daily routine. Play is so much more than a boredom breaker. It has an important role in giving cats a happy and healthy lifestyle, reducing stress and obesity; and aiding bonding with other cats and humans. Just 30 minutes a day can have a huge impact on their lives.
Lastly, you don't have to spend a fortune on all of the latest cat toys - raiding your granny's wool collection or stealing your dad's shoelaces works just as well. From cardboard boxes to catnip-stuffed socks, check out these simple DIY cat toys.
My boys are partial to a game of peekaboo, which is great if you don't mind getting jabbed in the face. Yes, the "no body parts" rule still applies but it's about knowing your cats, too. If playtime with your kitty looks like you went ten rounds with Edward Scissorhands, then common sense would say to use a toy and not your face – duh!
Mentioned Products
Does your cat have a favourite toy or do you have a resident lazy bones? Let us know if any of these tips helped in the comments.
Comments