Considerations for cat fun

Want to offer your house cat more variety? Excellent!

You don’t need to spend an enormous amount on cat toys to achieve this! With just a sprinkle of imagination you can make many things yourself – and with simple things that can be found in almost every home!

To do this, just put yourself in the place of your cat: you are a hunter. What do you like doing the most?

Exactly! Lurking, hunting and, of course, capturing prey! Create stimuli that satisfy their needs.

This might sound challenging, so we’ve devised the next section to provide some help.

Cat toys

Awaken the hunter in your cat!

Keep in mind, however, that not all hunters are the same. Some like quick, rousing games, others like to spy on their prey and then there are those that prefer to just hunt in their head – brain games that involve strategy.

It doesn’t always need to be prey – you can also reward them with food or a treat.

Most games work very well with “substitute prey”.

Here are a few suggestions: 1. Fishing : fill a bowl with water and place a ping-pong ball or cork on the surface – the larger the surface, the more exciting the game! 2. Searching : give them cartons, boxes or large paper bags with holes. Put something inside for them to discover (bits of paper, toys, leaves, pine cones or the like). 3. Spinning : spinning tops made of wood are available in many toy shops at a low price; you can propel them with a string or by hand. Cats love chasing them or pushing them with a little prod of the paw. 4. Poaching: other flatmates might also have a great toy that the cat can borrow, such as a dog toy. 5. Squash: throw balls against the wall and let the cat catch them. 6. Lurking: let the “prey” poke out of a hole and disappear again. At some point you’ll need to offer up the prey, otherwise even the most patient hunter will lose interest. 7. Catching : use a firm leather strap with or without attachments and quickly pull it across the floor. It is the absolute classic – easy to adjust and indestructible. Also try throwing small balls, toy mice, crumpled up paper or (shelled) walnuts. 8. Light play : let the cat chase the torch light in the dark. Start the game close in front of the cat to give it a real chance to “catch” the light.

Important: please do not use laser pointers as they can cause serious retinal damage if shone in the cat’s eyes!



Entertainment for cats

1. The digital world can open up unexpected opportunities for cats! Whether a video game or app for cats, even house cats will get their fill – provided you are open to it. In this case, this is something you should only use every now and again rather than as constant entertainment. Staring at the tablet or screen on end is tiring and not really suited to cats (or humans!).











Cat Games: Catch the fish!



2. The retail market also offers an abundance of automated toys for cats that – once nudged –run, roll or jump on their own. This will certainly be fun for your cat for a while, but at some point it gets boring. Just imagine how predictable it would be for an ambitious hunter to already know beforehand what the “prey” will do next. The only exciting part here is the movement – but this only goes so far. For this kind of activity, you might get the occasional prodding of a paw at some point, but that’s it.

3. Brain games that continuously stimulate the intelligence of the cats are much more interesting. “At what point should I give it a treat?” You can keep coming up with a new task; however, your cat should at some point feel a sense of achievement. Setting the bar too high can be frustrating for your cat. Make sure that they also have a sense of achievement and receive a little treat for special tasks. This helps to motivate them!











DIY: Intelligence Games for your cat



With all the entertainment on offer outside, please don’t forget that your cat is an animal and should stay that way.

This means that no toy, no matter how sophisticated, is a suitable replacement for your company or that of other cats. Simply try to spend as much time as possible with your kitty! You don’t constantly need to organise special events – just be yourself. Let the cat take part in your life and show it that you appreciate it. Stroke its head when it lingers near you, but let it take a nap in peace and accept its areas of retreat.

Pamper your cat. Just like for us humans, affection is vital. Touch, closeness and body contact – your cat needs all these things, but in moderation please! Remember: your kitty will decide when it has been cuddled enough. Do not force your cat to do anything that they don’t really want to do. Stroking areas: back, sides, chest, behind the ears, chin, between the shoulder blades



Do not stroke against the fur!

If you observe your cat’s body language while pampering it, you will find out over time what they love and what should be left out – it is better to leave out the no-go areas...



Treat your cat to a little bit of pampering in the form of a massage (but leave out the oil as it won’t go down well!):

With gentle pressure, start at the head and work your way down to the tail.

Start with your fingertips behind its ears, massage the flanks and shoulders.

Spread out across the back to mark the end of the massage.

Note: you can also massage above the eyes with small circular movements, many cats find this particularly enjoyable!



Scratching furniture for cats

Catching prey, fighting and escaping – the joy of movement is not only what keeps the body fit, but also ensures that the cat is stimulated and has a zest for life. House cats therefore need playtime and plenty to keep them occupied on a daily basis.

If a cat is kept on its own and has no companion to tussle with, it may be the case that your appendages or furniture need to be sacrificed. Offer your cat appealing scratching areas – preferably as many as possible, but at least 1 to 2 per living space.



Cat scratching post: it is best to choose a cat scratching post made out of natural materials, for example, non-toxic wood. Not only is the high-quality workmanship impressive, as they are free of chemicals, they are also good for the cat. They are admittedly more expensive to buy but in the long run it is worth investing in a sturdy post.

Scratching barrel: there are cat scratching barrels with entrances to crawl into and padded areas inside for lying down on. The cat flap allows you to kill two birds with one stone: the robust structural fabric is perfect for clawing and the caves offer cosy retreat areas: a new favourite spot for your house cat!