10 games to entertain my cat

Playing with your cat It is just as important to keep it well fed and offer a comfortable bed to sleep, since without fun the animal will end up suffering from stress, anxiety or depression. For this, it is advisable to set a schedule of games per day, and always follow the same routine to establish a pattern.

If you do not know how to play with your hairy partner or what games you can practice with him, in this article we show you 10 games to entertain your cat at home, easy and very funny.

The importance of the game in cats

Cats are curious animals by nature and, therefore, offer elements that keep your mind stimulated is practically mandatory for us if we want to enjoy healthy and happy animals. A good way to achieve this is through the game, since through it we will be able to cover your need for fun and your hunter’s instinct. La lack of game generates boredom in the cat, which in turn can develop stress and problems derived as the destruction of furniture.

As you may have noticed if you live with a feline, chasing potential prey to hunt them is one of their favorite activities. If this instinct covers it with objects, nothing happens as long as it does not involve the destruction of things relevant to us, such as underwear, slippers, etc., and does not cause any harm to the animal, such as cables. The problem resides when for him the prey is us or other animals, trying to attack our hands and feet or bringing home dead animals. As we say, it is part of their instinct and it is not a problem of behavior, but a wrong education on our part. When we decide to play with our puppy constantly moving his hands, without realizing we are indicating that this is the toy that should bite, resulting in constant attacks during adulthood. In this way, we see how the game is essential for the cat, but the way to play and educate correctly for it is also relevant.

The most advisable thing is to offer toys that guarantee the safety of the cat, fleeing from those with small pieces that can detach easily and get stuck in their throat, and avoid those that can produce frustration in the animal What causes frustration in cats? The games they can not win or the toys they can not catch. A clear example of this is the laser. Although it may seem to us of the most fun to see our cat pursue a light that will never catch, to him that same fact produces frustration, stress and anxiety, disorders that can generate serious health consequences.

We will opt for toys that allow us to entertain the cat and let him play alone, and for those that also involve our interaction in order to strengthen the bond between them and improve communication. In general, cats are selective animals, so that by not getting the most expensive toy we guarantee that our furry companion will love it. Therefore, knowing our feline, their tastes and preferences is crucial to provide just what you need.

Games for my cat to be entertained alone

Some cats are more independent than others, and prefer to have fun alone or do not want to devote their leisure time to playing only with their human companion. Therefore, the ideal is to mix both types of games and allocate hours of the day to entertain the cat alone and others to play with it. For the first option, we must be clear that felines are animals that tend to tire easily of things. This means that probably a few weeks, some even days, the cat will stop playing with that new toy that he loved so much, because it has stopped appearing new and curious. Remember what we said at the beginning of the previous section: they are curious by nature and need to discover new smells, textures, etc., constantly. To help you with this, we advise you to have a box with several toys and games, and offer them alternately. In this way, in a while that toy that bored him will look interesting again.

A cardboard box, many possibilities!

Something as simple as an empty cardboard box can be the best game to entertain your cat at home, and is that for him hides endless possibilities! You have the option to leave it at your fingertips so that he decides when to enter and play, or to introduce other stimulating elements inside, such as toys, sweets, etc. This way, you will not only get your attention to start the game, but you will also be able to associate it with positive stimuli.

And if you want to make the game to entertain your cat even more fun, get yourself three or four boxes and create a maze with them, joining them together and creating different openings so you can go in and out. Do not forget to distribute several treats and toys to guide you! Especially if you plan to go out for a couple of hours and the cat should stay alone, this game will keep you entertained for a while.

Scraper with several floors and toys

For no one is a secret that cats love to file their nails, and what better way to do it than in a scraper that also offers fun. We can offer you the traditional scraper that only has a blade to file the nails, or get one that has more than one floor, even have a small booth, feathers as prey and other toys that keep the cat entertained. For this, do not miss the following article in which we teach you how to make a homemade scraper, easy and economical: “Homemade scraper for cats step by step”.

Paper bag with surprise

Saying so does not seem like a game to entertain your cat very stimulating but, knowing that felines love to hide and enter any gap they see empty, do not you start earning a little more interest? A paper bag can be a very fun game for the animal if we know how to motivate it. So, we propose you introduce several goodies or dispose one of your favorite toys inside, quickly go in your search and start entertaining with the bag. And if you leave the paper bag with surprise inside a cardboard box. The fun is more than guaranteed!

Kong, perfect for entertaining the cat

The kong is a food dispenser toy ideal to entertain the cat while we are at home or he alone. In this sense, it is a very effective method to treat separation anxiety, so that getting one is more than recommended. In order for the cat to start its game, it is sufficient to introduce food or sweets inside it, press it lightly to make extraction difficult, and give it the kong. The feline will quickly smell the food and start the game to try to get it out, keeping it entertained and motivated.

Currently there are many brands that bet on the toys dispensers of food, so you do not necessarily have to get the brand of kong. Of course, we recommend that you review the material and opt for a resistant one. On the other hand, you also have the option of making a homemade one by following the instructions in our video: “How to make a homemade kong”.

Find the treat, a game with cardboard tubes

Do you usually throw away the cardboard tubes of the toilet paper? Well, stop doing it! They are perfect for making games for cats fun, easy and cheap. One of them is the one made with tubes and the lid of a cardboard box. To do it, we follow the next steps:

1. We take the lid of a cardboard box of medium-small size, approximately 20 cm long.
2. Cut the tubes in half, since at the end of the game we will introduce sweets inside.
3. Fill the inside of the lid with the tubes placed vertically and stick to the base with a resistant glue.
4. We let the glue dry.
5. We have several candies inside some tubes and we hang the game on some wall, at the height of the cat, so that it follows the smell of the food and tries to remove it.

As you can see, it’s easy, fast and you’ll be able to entertain your cat and keep his mind active. And if you have a little more time, with a box and cardboard tubes you can prepare a game like this: “Circuit with box and cardboard tubes”.

Games to play with my cat

It is good to let the cat play alone, but it is still better that we participate in the game. When playing with our feline we managed to keep it entertained at the same time we strengthen our link, we increase confidence and keep away from it disorders and conditions such as stress, boredom, loneliness or anxiety. Below, we show the most fun, simple and economical games to play with your cat at home:

Hunt the prey!

We said that cats are hunters by nature and, therefore, we must cover this need if we want to avoid prey hunting on their own. A good way to achieve this is through calls “fishing rods for cats” In the market we find them in different colors and shapes, with feathers, toy mice and other animals that act as prey and capture the cat’s attention. Choose the one that your furry partner likes the most, set an hour of play per day and enjoy a good time with him moving the rod and making him chase it.

Remember that not winning can generate frustration in cats, so that let me capture the prey Occasionally to prevent this from happening and not hinder the game excessively.

Find the ball!

Search and bring the ball is not just a game of dogs, cats also enjoy these toys. To teach you this exercise, follow the next steps:

1. Find the ball that your partner likes the most and launch it so that it goes in its search.
2. At the same time, I gave “search” to associate the act of searching with the order and reward it when it reaches it.
3. Once this is accomplished, you can go on to teach him how to bring the toy. To do this, when you have the ball in your mouth, call your cat to come to you, remove the toy gently and give him a treat so he understands that when you give him a prize.
4. Little by little, he introduces the “loose” order when leaving the toy, and practices until he does so by himself.

And if you are one of those who prefer to make homemade toys, you can make yourself a ball with esparto rope that, in addition, will allow your cat to file his nails with it. Do not miss this video and discover the steps to make the homemade ball and the fishing rod: “3 homemade toys for cats”.

The hiding place, a classic that never fails

Do you remember how well you spent it as a child playing hide and seek? You can do it again with your cat! To start this game and entertain your cat alone You must hide, call your partner and let him find you. At that moment, run, hide again and perform the same ritual. And if it is your cat that hides, before starting your search, say “Where is (name of your cat)?”, So that the animal associates those words with the beginning of the game.

Another game to play with your cat in a simple house that reminds us of our childhood is the one called “pilla” You probably should not teach your cat to play, because he will be the one who will demand you to do it. Have you ever seen your cat run like crazy right in front of you? In that moment you run too and start a persecution. When you reach it, it will probably run away again, so that, again, you chase it.

With these two games for cats not only keep them entertained, but also we get them to exercise, something totally necessary to avoid overweight.

Game with old socks

Take a pair of old socks, join them with a very strong knot and make cuts at each end to create a kind of fringe. Once the toy is manufactured, it captures your cat’s attention and starts the game. To do this, move the socks energetically on the ground to chase them and let them capture them from time to time.

In what glass is the prize?

The famous game known as “trile” can not only be practiced among people, we can also carry it out with our animals. It’s as simple as taking three plastic or cardboard cups and a sweet-smelling treat. Place one of the glasses on the candy and the other two on the sides of it, keeping all three in line. Then, with our expectant cat, we began to move the glasses and let the smell of the glass containing the prize through the smell. This game is perfect to entertain our cat, strengthen the bond with us and have a fun time together.

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