Cats Need for Play and Vertical Space are Often Overlooked
Cats and dogs differ quite a bit, and one thing that most people think of when they think about cats, is their low maintenance benefit. They are not as needy as dogs, and for people who cannot take on a high maintenance pet, a cat can be one of the best ones to have, however, that being said, people often overlook a cat’s needs for space to play, which includes vertical space. Yes, cats have a love all places high-up, and they need these spaces in order to truly happy. Fulfilling all their needs includes giving them plenty of space to play and fulfil their need for being able to get up high, which is an instinctual need for them.
Meet your cat’s playtime needs
One way cats are low maintenance, is that they can typically have the majority of their needs met in inexpensive ways. For instance, cats are crazy about some of the simplest toys. You can get a cat to chase a piece of string with an object tied to the end. Here’s an idea: With some basic kitchen twine, tie a plastic ring from a milk jug to the end of the string. Now, slowly drag this toward your cat and tease him a little to create an interest and help him gain the desire to chase after it and pounce.
Ping pong balls or crinkled up paper in the shape of balls are another favorite for cats. Gently roll the balls past your cat to spark a desire to chase. You may need to be a little bit persistent in order to get his attention, but typically, eventually you will win him over.
Most people don’t realize this, but playtime is what stimulates a cat into their heritage of hunting. It brings out their natural instincts and behavior pattern of: hunt, eat, groom, sleep. If you were to allow for only a 15-minute playtime session, then offer a snack just before bedtime, you might help to create a better night’s sleep pattern for your kitty, which can mean a better night’s sleep for you, too.
Let your cat get vertical
Another favorite of all cats, is boxes. You can stack boxes up and cut holes in them to make secure connections between them by using zip ties to interlock them. This doesn’t cost anything to make and you can always rearrange them and reconfigure them to keep it fun and interesting for your feline. Try putting the tower near a window to give your cat and even more interesting view while she is playing. If there happens to be a bird feeder just outside the window, now you’ve created the ultimate playground for your kitty. Place some soft beds in the boxes, decorate them or have little toys hanging from specific ones that they can bat at while in their box. If your cat likes catnip, maybe placing a little throughout the layer of boxes will entice your cat to want to get in and play.
Now that you have some ideas, you can create this kitty playground with very little expense, as opposed to store bought towers or playgrounds. If you just don’t have the time or interest in putting one together yourself, you can always buy store bought, but you will want to be sure that safety is always the most important, no matter how you get the playground for your cat. Make sure it is sturdy and secure.
Other tips to consider are to be sure not to leave any string or elastic where your cat might ingest these items, and use a variety of different toys to always keep your cat intrigued, and interested in playing. Whatever you do, spend quality time trying to get your cat to play. Your cat will love the bonding time with his human, too. It’s quality time well spent.
