What are good ways to play with your cat?

1️⃣ **Play = Hunt**: This is how you build your cat's confidence and enhance its spirit. The primal cat's desire for hunting is satisfied through interactive games. Playing with your cat is a must; it keeps them happy and healthy.

2️⃣ **Stages of a Cat's Play (Hunting Phases):** Stalking, attacking, capturing, and killing. When holding a cat teaser or toy, think like prey—pretend to be a bird, fly for a bit, land on the floor, and watch your cat lower its body and wiggle its butt with dilated pupils to determine its killing range. At this moment, slightly move the toy to one side as if it's trying to hide. The cat will pounce, and the bird (toy) should play dead, then suddenly struggle, fly away, or get caught again. Repeat this process.

3️⃣ **Don't Just Wave the Toy Around Randomly:** Or give the cat no chance to catch or chew it, especially with laser pointers. They should only be used to stimulate the desire to play, not to be the sole game or played for too long. It’s an incomplete game because it doesn’t provide the cat with real biting, front paw hugging, and hind leg kicking—only endless chasing. Cats can lose confidence and spirit if they go too long without successfully hunting.

4️⃣ **Playing Continuously for Ten Minutes is Unrealistic (Unless With Kittens or Young Cats):** Engage in intense play for short periods, then take a brief rest, and play again. As their energy diminishes, increase their chances of catching the prey, allowing them to truly bite or catch it. (I occasionally reward them with food at the end to simulate a real hunting environment. This makes cats love playtime even more and boosts their confidence.)

5️⃣ **Every Cat Plays Games:** There's no such thing as a cat that doesn’t play. Adjust your play style or use this as an observation to check for any issues with the cat's health. Cats are more interested in new toys than old ones. One reason they might not want to play is boredom with old toys. Rotate different toys and reintroduce them after some time.

6️⃣ **Catnip:** Reduces a cat's behavioral inhibition, so you need to predict what kind of behavior you might see when their inhibition decreases. If a cat has violent tendencies, this might amplify and be uncontrollable. In a multi-cat household or while trying to integrate a new cat, keep catnip and catnip toys out of the house. The effect of catnip diminishes with frequent exposure, so save it for special moments for the best experience.

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