Suara Foundation shows how to play with cats the right way. Proper play reduces stress, improves their quality of life, and the video demonstrates which toys work best and what feline behavior tells you about what cats actually want.
Play is a fundamental activity for cats and their healthy physical constitution and positive emotional state depend on it. Indoor domestic cats often have limited hunting behavior that is innate in their species, which often causes frustration or redirection of behavior that is shown as a direct attack on the owner's hands or ankles. In this new video from Animal Expert, we will show you everything you need to know about playing with cats, recommending toys, explaining in detail feline behaviors related to play and hunting, and also giving you ideas and advice to improve their quality of life. In today's video, all the cats featured are from the Suara Foundation. Don't miss the video in which we explain what this project consists of. Lifestyle significantly influences a feline's behavior and well being While it is true that cats sleep many hours a day between 12 and 18, it is also important to note that when they are awake their activity level is very intense, something that is often diminished when we are dealing with domestic cats that live in a home without access to the outdoors. In these cases, felines cannot carry out hunting behavior, which in the wild would require up to six hours of daily physical activity to cover their nutritional needs. This translates into bored cats, overweight cats, or cats that can only hunt small insects or toys. In addition, this problem is aggravated when the owner is unable to correctly interpret feline language and believes that the cat may be asking for food when in reality it is looking for social interaction and play. By playing with cats, we improve their quality of life, well being, relationship with the owner and prevent various problems already mentioned such as excessive weight and stress. That is why it is so important to play with a cat. Cats are curious animals that need to experience new things to feel stimulated and it is important to emphasize that they do not always use pre designed toys exclusively as entertainment. A cat can play with plants, boxes, catnip and even with any new object in the home that arouses its curiosity and challenges its senses. However, when it comes to wanting to play with a cat, it may be advisable to use toys to avoid possible scratches and bites since play behavior is closely related to hunting. So what toys should we choose to know how to play with a cat and motivate it in a positive and successful way. Hunting toys are usually the most recommended and we can highlight the fishing rod or toy rod whether it has feathers or stuffed animals at the end. It is usually the most appreciated toy by felines, although each one has its own preferences. Also included in this category are stuffed mice or interactive toys that move on their own, such as the butterfly toy for cats, many of them also emit a noise. We can also use intelligence toys such as Ball circuits for cats, the cat toy, and other similar toys that act as food dispensers. Typically, these types of toys combine physical and mental stimulation, but do not include the owner as a participant in the game. Many people confuse home enrichment with leaving all the toys available to the feline. This is a serious mistake. You should know that cats show great interest in new objects, substances and smells. Therefore, after a single play session and without the stimulation that you can provide them, a static object does not arouse any curiosity in them so they stop playing on their own. Even when we talk about interactive toys or those that move by themselves, it can be very interesting to have a box with our cat's toys and remove only one or two each day so that it shows interest in them. If the intention is for it to play with us, we will dedicate time to surprising it with these toys and to socialize it. But if, on the contrary, the goal is for it to have fun while we are away, we can rub the toys with catnip to awaken its senses. A study published by the University Federation for animals welfare on 165 shelter cats shows a significant improvement in well being and reduction in stress in those individuals that were in an enriched environment with management based on positive reinforcement and where consistency, the opportunity to socialize and promoting natural play behaviors in felines prevailed in 69 and 76% of cases. So how much time should you play with a cat per day? It is important to note that needs vary according to each individual and although it is a fact that play can improve stress and anxiety levels in felines, a study in the book Animal Behavior highlights the negative effects of excessive stimulation which would significantly increase stressful situations and which would not always be an indicator of well being in the case of cats that have been deprived of stimulation for a long time. Therefore, play should always be encouraged progressively and adapted to the individual and their specific needs for play, fun and stress reduction. But on average this could last approximately 30 minutes per day. And that's it for our tips on playing with cats. What would you add to this list? Comment to leave us your suggestions and don't forget to give us a like and subscribe to our channel if you enjoyed the video and want to continue learning more about cats and other animals. Until next time, experts oh.
