Cats Need to Play

The amount of playtime a cat needs varies based on their age and personality. Most cats choose certain games because they appeal to natural feline characteristics. Our task as good cat companions is to teach our kitties what is and is not appropriate — and provide them with adequate playtime, activities and toys to keep them both healthy and happy. (For more information on appropriate play, check out our YouTube playlist: Sociability, Reactivity, Leash Skills & Play.

Most cat games are of the stalk-and-pounce variety. Such games are instinctual and begin as early as kittens are able to wobble about and play with one another. These games serve as important practice for catching food in the wild. Never mind that our pampered pets receive daily helpings of specially prepared meals — such games are a part of feline genetics and are here to stay.

If your cat displays stalking behaviors, like pouncing on your feet, they are telling you they need lots of challenging activity and mental enrichment (For more information, see the "Mental Enrichment" section below and watch this video: What is enrichment and why is it important?). Your cat is not trying to hurt you, make you crazy or ruin your household items. They are merely doing what their inner wiring tells them to do (For more information on why cats do what they do, check out: Behavioral Challenges, How Behavior Works: Learning Theory & Training Methods, How Cats Learn and Why Animals Do What They Do.)

The Cat Activity Cycle 

The cat activity cycle — hunt or play, catch, eat, groom, sleep, repeat — is a cat's instinctive routine driven by their internal clock. Similar to how humans' circadian rhythm, or internal biological clock, influences our sleeping and eating patterns, cats have a natural pattern of activities. This activity cycle — also referred to as energy cycle or play cycle — can be used to your advantage to create a routine that benefits you and your cat. If you take notice of your cat's patterns, you can predict when your cat will want playtime, mealtime and quiet time and plan your routine around this cycle. For example, if you have an important phone call to make, you could play with and feed your cat before your phone call. That way, your cat will be quietly grooming and then sleeping during your phone call, rather than trying to play or bugging you for food. Once your cat wakes up, you can expect them to be ready for more playtime!

The Cat Prey Sequence

In the wild, cats are natural predators, meaning they must catch and eat prey, or smaller animals, to survive. Similar to the cat activity cycle, cats’ predatory behavior consists of a pattern or sequence of activities. The cat prey sequence — staring, stalking or chasing, pouncing or grabbing, biting and eating — refers to the order of behaviors cats perform when they catch prey. Most cats are trying to complete this sequence when they play, however not all types of play allow for this. Play or enrichment activities that allow a cat to complete the entire prey sequence are ideal because they are the most rewarding and fulfilling for the cat. Keep this prey sequence in mind when playing with your overexcited and energetic cat. By fulfilling their instinctual desires and natural behaviors through play, we are helping to reduce their stress, frustration and overstimulation. For more information on utilizing the cat prey sequence, check out: How to Socialize an Overstimulated Cat.

Tantalizing Toys

Many people love having cats as pets because they’re fairly low-maintenance — well, compared to dogs, anyway! While it’s true that some cats will be perfectly content to chase that same little ball around the house day after day, the majority of cats need more variety and excitement in their lives. Without enough of the right toys, cats start seeking out their own fun, and this fun often does not mesh with human ideas of appropriate cat play.

Some of you may say, “But I have tons of toys scattered all over my house and my cat never plays with any of them!” While the toys you have for your cat are probably wonderful, they may just be bored with seeing them all the time — they have lost their initial interest and become part of the surrounding furniture to your cat. Here are the top tips for promoting play with toys:

• Rotate your toys. Put all of the toys away except for a select few, and regularly rotate the toys out for your cat. They will be excited every time you bring out an old favorite.
• Introduce catnip. Some cats can’t resist anything with catnip. There are toys that have catnip inside or a pouch to hold catnip. You can even rub other toys in catnip before rotating in a new selection from your stash. However, even with catnip and rotation, the type of toys that cats bat around the floor will only hold their attraction for a short while. Please note: Different cats react to catnip in different ways. For some easily overexcited cats, catnip can cause them to become overstimulated and even more energetic. When introducing your cat to catnip, observe how they react to it and notice whether it is having a positive effect on them or not. 
• Buy interactive toys. Interactive toys are a great way to provide your cat with exciting play, attention and exercise rather than having your cat play alone. Examples include the Cat Dancer (a wire with cardboard bits on the end) or wand toys (a stick with a string and a toy tied to the end). Most cats love these because you can make these toys "behave" like prey by making them fly through the air like birds or zip across the floor like mice. With interactive toys, you don't have to run around to toss the toy for your cat. Please note: Remember to put toys with string or cord parts away when not in use to prevent cats from becoming injured or seriously harmed.
• Get toys that play. These keep your cat busy when you’re not home or are unable to play with them. Try a toy with a ball on a track with a cardboard scratcher in the middle. Many cats love these, and the dual nature of the toy makes it even more interesting and versatile. If your cat likes to stalk furry toys or is very active, try a scratching post with toys on an elastic cord, which can self-entertain for hours. While these products are designed for cat play without human involvement, your cat should not be left alone with any string toys for long periods of time, and they should be put away when you’re not home.
• Encourage fun, avoid frustration: Avoid play that can frustrate or discourage your cat. Allow your cat to "catch" and succeed during play, so they feel satisfied rather than defeated. Remember the cat activity cycle — hunt or play, catch, eat, groom, sleep — and the cat prey sequence, which ends with pouncing and eating. Finish a play session by giving your cat a treat to signify the end of play time. Avoid laser pointers because your cat cannot "catch" the laser. Not only is this frustrating for cats, but it can create obsession and unhealthy fixation. Some cats will keep searching for the laser long after the laser pointer has been put away. Instead, use toys that your cat can chase AND physically interact with — bat at, grab, bite, etc.

Ouch! Dealing With Feisty Felines

Many of us have experienced a cat who just doesn’t seem to know how to play gently. Perhaps the cat plays nicely then suddenly grabs onto a human hand and “bunny kicks” and bites. Maybe the cat seems addicted to stalking and pouncing on human fingers and toes. Here are ways we can teach our cats how to channel this very natural drive appropriately:

• Know the signs, prevent the bite: Before cats bite or scratch, they display subtle signs of overstimulation. If you know what body language to look for, you will be able to stop interacting and playing with your cat before things escalate. Signs your cat is becoming overstimulated and may bite or scratch include: wide eyes with dilated (large) pupils, purring, loud meowing, growling or other vocalizations, rippling fur or skin on the back, excessive rubbing on you or weaving through your legs in figure 8s, high and stiff vibrating tail or twitching tail tip, large side-to-side swooping tail and puffed up fur or tail (piloerection). If your cat displays these signs during play or interactions, stop. Calmly and slowly move away from your cat. End the play session and give them some time to cool down. If they are determined to continue playing with you, redirect them using a wand toy or treat. You can also encourage them to enjoy some solo play by tossing a toy away from you or offering them mental enrichment such as a licky mat or treat ball. For an example of what overstimulation can look like and how to manage it, check out this video: Working with Overstimulated Cats.
• Teach kittens and cats to play with toys only. It’s common to encourage kittens to play by “wrestling” with our hands. Then they grow up and want to play the same fun games, but don’t understand that they now have adult teeth and claws that hurt humans. All they know is that they had fun before, and their humans rewarded them with attention and play. By using toys, any game you played with your cat as a kitten can continue to be safely played as an adult.
• Do not play rough with your cat, ever. Don’t play “wiggle the toes under the blanket” — you will end up with a cat who wants to attack your feet at night. Don’t play “bat the fingers” — you will end up with a cat who will try to grab and wrestle with your hands if you try to pet them while they are feeling feisty. If you never teach your cat that these games are appropriate, you won’t have to retrain them to play differently later in life. Instead, play the same entertaining wrestling and stalking games with a toy. (For information about scratching, check out: Declawing Cats, Scratching: Why Cats Do It and Impulse Control with Kitty: Decreasing Swatting Behaviors.)
• Freeze to retrain. If your cat is already playing rough, unwanted games, all is not lost — you can train a cat to play more gently! First, immediately stop responding. Any response from you is rewarding the cat with attention. If your cat grabs your hand, arm or leg, freeze and don’t move until they let go. You want to become as uninteresting as possible, so they lose interest. Don’t struggle to get away — this will only intensify their desire to hang on. Don't yell at them — this will reward your cat with attention, even though it's negative attention, and could excite your cat even more. When they let go, immediately praise them, give them attention (or perhaps a small treat) and begin playing with them with an appropriate toy instead of your hands or feet. If you are consistent, they will realize that they have far more fun playing with other things (toys) than attacking you. We want to teach them that rough, inappropriate play results in the end of playtime.  
• Please Note: If you are bitten by a cat, immediately clean the wound and seek medical care. If someone around you is bitten by a cat, strongly encourage them to do the same. If untreated, cat bites can lead to serious health complications, as cat mouths contain harmful bacteria and cat teeth can puncture very deep. For more information, see this article: Cat Bite Injuries To Humans.
• Additional information on overstimulation: Check out our YouTube playlist: Impulse Control, Overstimulation, DSCC & Choice.

Mental Enrichment 

Mental enrichment is important for all animals, but especially those who are energetic and easily overexcited. Mental enrichment is anything that works your pet's brain and fulfills their natural species-specific needs. Think: puzzles, brain games, sniffing, foraging, digging, licking, hunting and even training!

• Give your cat a job! Dig into our YouTube playlist: Enrichment Resources. Check out our article, Enrichment: Indoor Activities.
• Consider Feline Nosework: Feline Nosework (petsradar.com) and Feline Nosework class (Hannah Fushihara)
• Additional enrichment ideas: Feline Enrichment (Facebook)

Midnight Marauders

Many people wonder why their cat, normally so calm during the day, can suddenly become hyperactive as soon as the lights go off. The most basic answer: Cats are nocturnal. Since housecats no longer need to stalk their nightly meals, they find other ways to amuse themselves and fulfill the instincts telling them to roam about in the dark.

Depending on the cat, this behavior is expressed in different ways. Some cats will pounce on human fingers or toes hanging over the side of a bed. Others will run laps around the house. Some will very delicately knock items off shelves, one at a time, enjoying the racket each item makes when it hits the floor. Many simply wander the perimeter of the home, yowling periodically.

Fortunately, there are some measures you can take to help lessen your kitty’s energy levels overnight:

• Tire your cat out by keeping them up during the day. Make sure your cat gets lots of playtime during waking hours with plenty of different toys. If your cat has toys they can stalk alone during the day, they probably will do so. Then, if you have some interactive toys to play with them when you come home, you can tire them out with a good play session shortly before you go to bed. If they aren't able to sleep the day away, they’ll be ready for shut eye when nighttime comes.
• Increase mental activity to make your cat sleepy. There are some ways you can keep your cat entertained at home, even when you are not there to be a part of the action. Increase the quantity and quality of mental stimulation by implementing more challenging enrichment to work your kitty's brain during the day. Install a bird feeder outside a window where your cat sits or get a small fish tank (with a secure cover!). One word of warning with these tactics is to watch your cat to make sure they are not overly frustrated by seeing birds or fish while unable to “get” to them. Most cats are content to simply watch, yet some will become frustrated and confused, or even more excited. If your cat doesn’t like or benefit from this “kitty television,” it’s best to remove the distraction completely. Speaking of "kitty television," have you heard of Cat TV? It is, quite literally, television for your cat! There are many Cat TV YouTube channels dedicated to videos of birds and critters for cat entertainment. 
• Utilize the cat activity cycle. In addition to tiring out your cat during the day, you can also try to sync their activity cycle with yours. Before bedtime, play with your cat and then encourage them to begin winding down by giving them a meal or snack in the form of calming, long-lasting mental enrichment, like a Kong or licky mat. This way, your cat will be enjoying their independent enrichment activity while you are getting ready for bed and falling asleep. In theory, your cat should begin grooming and then fall asleep once they have finished their enrichment, allowing you to enjoy a good night's sleep. Pro tip: Prepare the enrichment ahead of time and pop it in the freezer until it's time to give it to your cat. Freezing enrichment makes it last longer and be more challenging for your cat. 
• Take your cat for walks on a leash and harness. While you must go slowly when introducing your cat to a harness and walking on a leash outside with you, many cats enjoy this option. In addition to providing them with some physical activity, the many sights and smells provide for lots of mental activity as well. It is a safe way to allow your cat to enjoy the great outdoors without the risk of them wandering too far from you or home. Before taking your cat outdoors, make sure they are up to date on all vaccinations and flea and tick preventatives. You will also want to make sure your cat has a microchip and breakaway collar with a current ID tag. Of course, always keep a vigilant watch for dogs or other threats coming your way. (For information on desensitizing and socializing your cat to new experiences, check out our YouTube playlist: Well-Socialized Pet Resources.)
• Consider getting another cat. If you have a single cat who is overexcited and easily bored, sometimes the best solution is to get a second cat. Not only will your cat have another kitty to play with at night, but they will also have a playmate during the day. Instead of seeking entertainment, play and attention from you, they can get it from each other. This means your cat will likely not be sleeping all day when you’re away. Many cats are social and with a proper, slow introduction, most greatly appreciate feline companionship (For information on how to introduce cats, check out: Introducing Cats and B&T Lecture: Introducing New Pets). When looking for a cat companion for your energetic cat, consider one that has similar energy levels and personality to your resident cat. It's best for them to be equally matched to avoid one of them getting annoyed or frustrated by the other cat. (For more information on how to pick the right pet for you, check out: B&T Lecture: Adopting/Transitioning Shelter Pets and Adopting A Cat: Things To Consider.) Please note: Not all cats would want or benefit from a second cat in the home. Some overstimulated cats may seem like they need a playmate but instead they just need solo enrichment and mental stimulation. 
• Try these night-time solutions. If daytime tactics don’t work, there are a few other options you can try. If your cat can stand to be separated from you, try shutting the bedroom door and leaving the cat with the rest of the house at night. You may also consider sleeping with earplugs — some of the foam varieties are comfortable and block out most kitty noise.

Avoid Punishment

When a cat acts in inappropriate or undesired ways, people often don’t know what to do in response. The key is to use positive reinforcement to teach your cat what you want them to do instead (For more information, check out: Positive Reinforcement: Does It Work?). Always remember that punishing a cat will never properly stop the behavior. Punishment will only confuse your cat and potentially make your cat afraid of you. Punishment is not effective at changing a behavior —  it can only suppress the "symptoms" of a behavior, rather than addressing the underlying cause of it (For more information, check out: Positive Punishment). Instead, try to fulfill their needs and manage the environment, so your cat's undesired behavior is no longer necessary for your cat. For example, if your cat is running around and playing all night, they are expressing a need for play, physical exercise and mental stimulation. If you can fulfill that need in other ways, using the many tips above, your cat will no longer feel the urge to play all through the night. Find a way to channel your cat’s play interests and instincts into activities that keep them healthy, happy and regarded as a wonderful member of the family.