Is your cat sleeping all day and showing no interest in playing with you whatsoever? Cats can be like that. Cats, unlike dogs, don’t want to play or interact with humans all the time. They often need their alone time and are more than happy to snuggle under your bed and sleep away the day.
However, this lifestyle can prove to be very unhealthy for your cat, and it falls on you to make them more physically active and mentally challenged. Cats aren’t inherently lazy; you just have to work twice as hard to keep them excited.
Toys are one great way to keep your cat entertained and on her toes. While a variety of different toys are available in the market, some of the most enticing cat toys for your cats are:
Wands
A wand is one of the most inexpensive toys you can find. It is essentially just a piece of stick with a small toy, feather, ribbon, or catnip tip that you can wave or flap around to make for an exciting toy for your cat. If you wave this wand around enough (or if the treat is tempting enough), it might encourage her to get off her butt and run around a bit. Cats love chasing things; you might have noticed this when they chase around a trailing piece of cloth or your charging cables. It appeals to their natural instinct of chasing their prey; thus, a waving wand makes them go insane.
Balls
Your dog isn’t the only animal who loves to play ball. Cats are equally excited when they’re chasing after balls, and can even be taught to fetch, though not as easily as dogs. Cats are also enticed by unusual sounds, so a paper ball that makes crinkly noises is enough to make your cat’s day. There are other ball toys you can present to your cat; for example, ping pong balls and Mylar balls.
A ball rolling along the floor also mimics the quick movements of mice and insects running away from them, working the cat up further to get ready for a hot pursuit. You can also add catnip to the ball to make it even more appealing to your precious pet.
Dispenser Toys
Is your cat becoming a couch potato, eating, and sleeping all day? Does she refuse to play with you and has put on weight as a result of sitting at home all day? You can’t make a cat diet, but you can make her work for her food. Free feeding is very convenient for cat parents, but it can lead to your cat becoming overweight if she does not get any other sort of exercise during the day. A dispenser toy won’t require any additional effort from you, but it will ensure that your cat works to get her food. This might involve solving a small puzzle or pawing specific buttons to get the food out. Not only will this help the cat move around a bit and eat less frequently, but it will also challenge her mind and force her to think and make associations.
Moreover, you can include catnip with your cat’s toys. Cats love catnip, and most cats get super excited when they smell or ingest catnip, and while they’re amusing to watch running around in that state, try keeping some distance because they might bite you in their overexcitement.
If you’re out of town or at work, and you feel that your cat isn’t getting enough quality playtime, you can hire a pet sitter from Little Friends Pet Sitting and Dog Walking who can drop by your house and check on your pet and can play with her for a while. Let your pet sitter know what toys are your cat’s favorites.