Why should you play with your cat? Well for one thing, because it’s so much fun for him! After all, your cat is a member of your family, and you want to have some mutually enjoyable time with him, not just consider him a living part of your home decor. Plus, cats need the mental and physical exercise. Cats were built to spend most of their waking time hunting for food and hiding from predators, but in their modern domesticated lives they mainly sleep a lot and chew and scratch on things they aren’t supposed to. This often includes overgrooming themselves due to stress and boredom or maybe doing some destructive or messy things around the house!
Of course my cats are always in the mood to play just when I’m not. Sally the tortie likes to try to grab my hand when I first get up in the morning. She somehow knows to use very soft gentle paws, not claws, on my hand, but I’m just not feeling very playful at 6 am each day! Likewise Rosie, the tabby, will sometimes pounce on my foot through the covers on Saturday mornings because she’s ready to play and I’m just turning over for a little more sleep. I usually play dead for a minute then so she won’t continue the game, but I always set aside time to play with them later in the day.
On weekdays, the high point of a cat’s whole day is when his person gets home from work. But if you’re like me, you come rushing in, listen to the answering machine, shuffle through the mail, often unhappy with what you find, then you probably feed your cat before turning on the news and starting to cook dinner. Kitty has been waiting for you all day and just wants a minute of your time! So how about after dinner, instead of being stressed out and thinking about the office, carve out just 15 minutes and give him some undivided attention with the kitty fishing pole or other favorite toy? It will most likely help his life to be longer and healthier, and I know for sure it will be happier!