Playing with your cat can be overlooked and this is a real shame as it serves more than one purpose. It keeps your cat mentally stimulated and helps avoid unwanted behaviours brought about by boredom. It also gives cats a chance to release frustrations and stresses in a safe, acceptable way. It gives your cat a chance to burn up physical energy and keep fit which cuts down on the risk of a whole range of physical problems. It re-enforces the bond between you and your cat as playtime becomes another pleasurable interaction between you. Playing with your cat is especially important for indoor cats and adds variety and stimulation to their days.
Some cats are happy to play with toys by themselves or with other cats and this is great. There are lots of different ways to keep solo games exciting and fresh for your cat but it is still important to engage these playful cats in activity with you. Some cats will rarely bother to play with a toy mouse and yet may love a game with their human family. If you have a cat that is not interested in playing - don't give up! Some cats can take a few months to settle into a new home and feel confident enough to play games, others may ignore toys and games for a good while until one day you find the right kind of appealing toy or twitch the string in the correct fashion! Some cats love feathery toys, some like toys that make a sound, some like mouse shaped toys, it's just a matter of your cat's personal taste. Fishing rod style toys with a plastic rod and an item dangling from a string are the best kind to use in interactive play. Benefits of this kind of toy include the fact that you are at a distance from the cat so you are unlikely to get hit by a leaping cat and a nervous or shy cat may be more willing to play as you are that bit further away from the object capturing their attention. Just keep bringing out the toys and try to catch your cat's attention every so often. Almost all cats will eventually 'catch on' to what is happening and start to enjoy playing with you.
Check the space is suitable and that there isn't a valuable collection of antique vases nearby! Cats can perform the most astonishing acrobatics in pursuit of a toy and may become so focused that they do not take the time to check a particular stunt will end safely. End the game before your cat gets bored - this helps ensure your cat will want to play next time you bring the toy out. If you see your cat panting or getting breathless, end the game also. Lots of short games are better for the cat than a single very long game. It is a good idea to have toys that only come out during your play sessions, this holds the cat's interest better. In fact, it is a good idea to do this with toys that are used in solo play too. Like children cats can get bored of toys that are always available. A toy box with a smaller number of rotated toys tends to be more exciting than a more extensive range of always offered items.
Watch how your cat plays and what excites it. Some cats love toys whipping frantically through the air, others find this intimidating and prefer a toy twitched slowly along the ground. Remember playing is a pseudo hunt for your cat so imitating animal movements (scurrying like a mouse, fluttering like a bird, etc) is usually well received. I noticed some of my cats love it when I 'hide' the toy around corners or partly behind things as this gives them a chance to really prepare a stealthy pounce on the toy. Cardboard boxes and paper bags can be strategically placed or sofas and cat activity centres used to give cats a range of levels to run and jump on. Remember to hit the right balance so the game is not too easy and not so hard as to be unrewarding. And finally, the most important thing to remember is that playing with your cat should be fun for you both. It is a chance to admire your cat's physical and acrobatic abilities, to enjoy their frivolous side and to see them concentrating and stimulated.
I think it is well worth investing in a piece of cat furniture (also known as a cat tree or cat scratcher). These come in a range of sizes and prices. The ones the go from the floor right up to the ceiling are my favourite - these use vertical space which is rarely used in a home and cats love being up high. I think a tall slim floor to ceiling piece of cat furniture is a better investment than a much larger, shorter piece that takes up more floor space than vertical space. It provides the cat with an appropriate item to race up and down, chase each other around, sleep on, scratch their claws on and saves the furniture. The website www.zooplus.ie has a great range, with a slim floor to ceiling tree starting at around €50 with free postage. These items don't have to take up much space and are a really good addition to an indoor cat's lifestyle.