Your beautiful cat is often a victim of the misconception that cats and kittens are not interested in your attention. That is definitely not the case for every single cat. A bored cat can certainly produce nearly as much damage in and around the house as an unsupervised child – possibly a whole lot more.
Often, unusual behavior from your cat is frequently a warning sign that he could be wanting to have you participating more in his life. Just how do you amuse a cat? To begin with you just spend some time together with him and discover precisely what sorts of things amuse him and the games he likes to play. You need to learn how to entertain your cat instead of just having one around the house.
Entertaining your cat is simply not only being at home doing some housework, checking emails or talking on the phone. Your cat isn’t entertained simply by looking at you and may even try various ways to get your attention. My kitten digs her claws into my legs when she wants attention, and believe me it works. However she is being trained out of this behavior as she only gets the required response when she gently puts her paws on my legs.
Different cats will choose different methods of getting your attention. Some will start sharpening their claws on your good carpet, others might just sit the and meow piteously.
How to Entertain Your Cat
I suggest choosing a couple of cat toys and take out just one at a time for the play time. Why don’t you begin by using a small moving toy or a toy mouse on a rod and dangle it for the cat to swat. Does he continue actively playing right up until you stop or does he wander off on his own? If he doesn’t want to play with that toy, you need to try something different .
Take care to select only toys suitable for cats. Kid’s toys usually are not pet toys, regardless of how adorable you consider them. So ignore the wind-up truck your child was given for his last birthday.
Have a look at pet stores on the internet or in nearby pet shops for movable toys if your cat loves to chase down and catch things. Catching things is how your cat will become good at catching any mice in your house.
As soon as you find out what kind of toy your cat loves to play with, start collecting similar ones each time you see them. Remember cats can be like small children and their attention span is not long. Having a variety of toys to choose from will help hold his interest. Differentiate between toys he plays with on his own and the ones you use when playing with him.
If it is necessary for you to be away from home shopping or working, make sure you leave enough toys around the house for him to play with.
Different Types of Cat Entertainment
My kitten just loves the environmental shopping bags. She will happily climb in one and go to sleep. She also loves it when I pick the bag up and carry her around. It gives her a different perspective on life. Sometimes when she is lying on one I’ll put a foot through the handle and just drag her around the house. This will keep her entertained for as long as I can keep going. Sometimes the simplest toys are the best – a ball of string or wool danging from a door handle, some scrunched up paper or even a box full of old soft toys or paper.
Liz Barton has a section in her ebook *Cat Secrets Revealed called The Power Of Play – How to play with your cat the right way. She also includes some ideas on how to ensure your cat’s toys are safe. I love this ebook and refer to it often.
Remember this time you spend entertaining your cat will pay off big time in the love and companionship you will have in the coming years. Your cat will love you, and love playing with his much loved family.
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Watching the world from the safety of indoors.
Domestic cats that are kept inside are normally healthier than outdoor cats. While inside, there is little risk of catching diseases from other cats and no risk of being caught in a fight or run over by a car. This means that indoor cats should live nearly twice as long as outdoor cats. You therefore need to keep him happy about staying and playing inside and not playing with the cars outside.
Spend as much time as you can playing with your cat. Not only will it make him feel loved, it will be fun for you both and a great bonding experience. It will give you both some exercise and help work off any extra energy he may have. Try to make it a regular occurrence and aim for the same time each day to give your cat a routine.
Cats like to eat green things. Because your lawn and garden are probably treated with pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers, you need to make sure your cat doesn’t eat any of them as they will be poisonous and if they don’t kill him, they could certainly make him very sick. As more and more pet owners are becoming converts to keeping their cats indoors and therefore healthier, they have found it beneficial to bring some of the outdoors in and have some cat grass growing in pots around the house. Growing cat grass indoors is a great way to give your pet something green to eat and should also save your more expensive indoor plants. An excellent mixture can include wheat grass, rye, oats, and barley seeds, all of which are quick growing. Check your local pet store to see if they carry pots or packets of cat grass.
Why not leave a window (with a secure screen) open. This will allow your indoor cat to have fresh air and a constantly changing view. If you place a bird bath nearby, your cat will stay entertained and happy for hours as he watches the birds come and go.
If your cat is leash trained, you can leave him outside on the patio with enough leash length to enable him to walk around on the grass, dig in some dirt or move into the shade. The leash will keep him from roaming too far and minimizes the risk of him getting lost or hurt. Being outside in the fresh air will also be beneficial and will help build up his immunity to various germs.
Your cat is like a member of your family. These suggestions will help ensure your indoor cat stays happy, healthy and lives a long and loving life. Those lucky enough to own a cat will agree that a happy cat makes for a happy home.
For those of you who wish to learn more about cats and how to keep them happy and content, I recommend *Cat Secrets Revealed and *Complete Cat Training as excellent resources. Another excellent book written recently is *How to Make Your Cat Adore You. Remember, the more love you show your cat, the more love it will give in return.
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