How often do you play with your cat?
by Michael
Photo by slightlywinded (Flickr)
I am bad at playing with my cats. I always have been and I feel guilty about it. Am I alone? Do we have an obligation to play with our cat and if so for how long every day? What percentage of a cat's time should be taken up in play?
Cat play is meant to be a substitute for hunting. We look after our cats in such a way that it can be unhealthy for them. They have no challenges left. All they can do is eat and sleep. Most domestic cat lives are pretty much made up of those two activities particularly full-time indoor cats. Am being too harsh or too honest? Outdoor/indoor cats can at least explore some area of the garden but there are safety and health issues.
How important is playing with our cat? It seems to me that it is important (we are told it is). It should stimulate our cat and help maintain a decent weight. I am a concerned cat caretaker. So why don't I play with my cat more?
The reason for me is that I get bored. My cat also gets bored quite quickly. I sense that my experiences are not untypical.
The point is that the "experts" constantly remind us that we should play with our cat and there are piles of cat toys on the market. But I don't see anything on the internet about how successful we are in playing with our cats or how effective the toys are. I suspect cats get tired of cat toys quite quickly.
Perhaps one answer is keeping two cats so they can play together. Once again, though, how often do adult cats in a multi-cat household play with each other?
One possibility is some sort of cat exercise machine such as a treadmill. I don't know how successful these are either.
Phew..I don't know if I am being a bit too negative or just realistic and honest.
How good are you at playing with your cat or ensuring that he or she plays or exercises? Sorry if this is a bit if a ramble.