Benefits of Cat Toys

Playing with your kitten is a valuable part of your relationship with them. Daily play helps both of you stay physically and emotionally healthy –what more excuse does one need?  Cats are naturally curious, they love interacting with each other and you, so the fun they need when playing can be a reward in itself! Playing with your cat has many advantages for both you and your cat which include exercise, strengthening your bond and sharpening their natural hunting instincts.

Most importantly, kitten play is entertaining for both you and your cat! We've put together this handy guide packed with helpful information to inform you everything from what toys they like best to the explanations behind why cats wish to play. Keep reading this article to educate yourself in the ways of cats.

Diet is not the only factor for your cat's health - cat play is essential to keeping your kitten or cat happy and content. If you cannot participate and play together with your cat every day and all day, then most vets and scientific studies recommend two sessions of playing and working together around 15-20 minutes of playtime for cats. The more time to interact obviously is the best, but attempt to reach these minimums if you're pretty busy. If you are looking for brand spanking new cat toys or activities, check out the cat toys guide for a bit of help. 

Different cats prefer different types and designs of play which will likely change as they age. Kittens have more energy, and you'll see their play behavior if you play with them like your older cats. Your feline will likely have a definite personality, which can determine what type of  cat play you ought to choose. Possibly one cat likes to chase one gadget while another cat prefers to kick something, so use the trial and error process to help out what works for your pet.

Why is cat play so important? Inactivity is one of the most causes of feline obesity, which may cause other physical health problems. You'll read more about these in our vet's guide to healthy weight loss for cats. Stuffing is the other - and cats tend to eat more once they are fatigued and unstimulated, so you'll solve both problems with regular play. There are other benefits too, which we'll detail below.

1. Promotes exercise

Cats spend about 67% of their adult lives sleeping, and many humans attach the false stereotype of the lazy cat, which is rather damaging! Cats who lead inactive lifestyles double their danger of diabetes, heart condition, and obesity down the road.

By stimulating cats to jump for toys and trinkets, cat parents can minimize many risks to cat's health and give their kittens excellent exercise!

Teaser toys andwand toys are excellent at enticing cats to jump and hunt.  The movement of these items tease their senses and their play mode turns on.  

2. Eliminates boredom

Cats are naturally curious and need attention, at the very least, a point of venture in their surroundings. Despair and lethargy can destroy a cat's mood and functioning with no stimuli to satisfy that craving. Puzzle toys where cats have to “hunt” for their food simulate how a cat would need to find food in the wild to exercise their problem solving skills.  

If your cat needs needs an extra push,kicker toys with catnip help to stimulate a cat’s sense and puts them in wrestle mode.  

A great trick to battle weariness in cats is changing the cat toys you use to play with them. Subscribing to a monthly cat subscription box may be an excellent solution for this. Subscription boxes for cats provide cat families with a spread of the latest toys. By doing this, cats (and their parents) always have something enjoyable to look ahead to.

3. Relieves stress and anxiety

Stress and anxiety are even as bad for cats as they're for humans! Cats can experience these emotions when handling a spread of unfamiliar situations, like being introduced to a fur sibling or moving from one home to a different one. Playtime can distract cats from this sort of discomfort and help them feel more confident in their shifting environment.

A  cat tunnel helps them to hide and “hunt” their fur pal or even you!  It gives them a place to hide when they feel stressed but gives them a place to observe others in their “secret” hiding place where they can ready themselves for the next “pounce”.

4. Promotes bonding

As mentioned earlier, some cats can feel uneasy when meeting a new feline friend. Sometimes, the strain can cause hissing and even scratching! To alleviate this, try swapping around cat toys for both parties to play. Playing not only helps them overcome their suspicions about the "new guys," but it also begins to forge a bond between the cats before cohabitating. By getting them used to one another's smell via the toys, the cats will feel more conversant with one another.

Cats love movement and if their wand toy is a little “old”, this teaser set allows you to swap out different teasers to help entice kitty to play.  Alternatively, there are electronic versions of cat toys such as an  interactive wand toy  and alaser light toy.

5. Build confidence

Some cats, especially new foster cats or kitties that were just adopted, are often timid. Sadly, this characteristic can hold them back from socializing with their parents and (if they have them) fur siblings. Experts recommend that cat parents play with their shy kitty in a quiet room for about fifteen minutes a day to counteract this. Of course, you should not force cats to play with their toys. The cat will eventually let its natural inner curiosity shine instead. Over time, the instinct to play will begin and therefore the cat's sense of "yes, I can totally get that fishy toy!" will take over.­­­­­­­­­­

Conclusion

Cats are natural sprinters. So, it is preferable to start with sessions involving fast movements over long distances and continually decreasing their intensity before ending the game. When a cat usually shows signs of fatigue, it is an indication that playtime is almost over. A cat which lays down on its belly, in a crouching position on its front elbows, with back legs very stretched out to the side or on its bottom, is tired. It would be best if you thought about wrapping up playtime.

You have to be more attentive to kittens and overly active cats. If your cat is out of breath and panting, that means the game was probably too intense or too long. Please don't wait until they are out of breath.

There are many stimulating ways by which you can play with your cat. Training your cat or setting up interactive bowls and 3-D living spaces with access to windows and high places. Catnip is also effective for about 70% of cats.  The best part of playing with your kitties is it’s so much fun playing!