This month Dr. Jacqui writes about Providing Purrfect Play

In my opinion, keeping your cat indoors can help your cat live a longer, healthier life. But it also means that you will have to provide some outlets for your cats' playful spirit.

How to play with your cat

Pouncing, leaping, darting and dashing…watching your cat at play is a lot of fun and encouraging play is a great way to enrich the life of your indoor cat.

If you observe a cat playing with an object, you will appreciate that cats incorporate a lot of hunting (predatory) behavior patterns into their play sequences. These sequences include stalking, pouncing, tossing, batting, biting and chasing the toy. One of the most effective ways to initiate a play bout with your cat is to trigger that predatory instinct by moving the toy out of your cat's sight by pulling it around a corner or behind furniture. Once the cat is on the chase, you can move the toy quickly to try to avoid its capture by your cat!

If you are tossing a toy, it can help to engage the cat with the toy first by batting the toy around a bit before tossing it for your cat. A cat may lose interest in the tossed toy if it remains still for too long so you may need to toss it again to sustain a play bout.

Types of toys

Toys to Toss: Toys that can be tossed such as light small balls, small stuffed toys, plastic rings etc. can trigger a chase followed by the cat batting or tossing the toy.

Toys on a stick/string: Toys designed with the target object on the end of a string/stick (like a fishing pole) are a great option as they allow you to make quick and erratic toy movements. These toys often have feathers or little stuffed toys on the end of the string.

Laser lights: Laser light toys have you project the red dot/ image on the floor/walls and move it around the room for your cat to chase. (See Safety section below.)

Treat toys: These toys often have a hollow area that can be filled with treats such as kibble or catnip scented items to stimulate interest in the toy. With manipulation, the treats are released, keeping the cat engaged with the toy if they want to acquire additional treats.

Automatic toys: For those people that just don't have the time to play with their cat there are some battery powered toys that engage the cat with quick and erratic movements.

Homemade toys: Often homemade toys such as crumpled pieces of paper, strings or feathers are preferred by cats. (See Safety section below.)

How much play do they need?

The cat's age, environment, physical health and temperament are all factors in how much play an individual cat will need. But, in general, cats prefer several short play bouts instead of one prolonged play event. A good general starting recommendation is to provide your cat with three 5-10 minute play bouts per day and then tailor to their specific needs/preferences.

When should I play with my cat?

You should play with your cat every day. Since a cat's natural daily cycle has peak activity at dawn and dusk, you may find your cat more likely to engage in play at those times.

Safety

Since cats are quick and their nails can be sharp, you should keep your body parts away from the actual toy/play or else you may find yourself inadvertently injured.

All toys may pose some level of hazard especially if your cat likes to chew/eat items. Make sure all toys are large enough not to pose a choking hazard and supervise play so that your cat doesn't consume parts of the toy. Store any potentially hazardous toys away from your cat's access between play bouts.

If you use a laser light, avoid shining the light directly in your cat's eyes.