We see this in how a cat changes their play, from the unthinking responses of a kitten to the elaborate plotting and planning of a senior cat.
In my post, Cats Playing Games, I describe how James Bond, as he aged, increasingly came up with games of his own devising. His favorite, Carry Me to the Food, is one Olwyn still plays with me.
We might not realize how many opportunities to play with our cats we could be missing out on.
play with their bodies
Most cats love a rousing wand session or us throwing around some sponge balls. As they get older, these intervals might get shorter, but they are never not appreciated. At 18, James Bond would lie on the hassock, and I made sure the wand would flick the toy on the end near his zone. He would show off by not moving or looking; and still snag the toy.
As our kittens get older and pester us less, we shouldn’t give up at least a daily play session. This is important bonding time between us. They might need the energy draining less, but they still need it. We both, always, need the closeness.
Our cats use such stalking and pouncing games to hone their hunting instincts, which drive them to practice each day. We had to resort to battery operated toys to keep up with Tristan’s Alpha energies, while Beta kitten Reverend Jim reveled in his abilities to self-play with his Loofa Dog toy and his Trackball. With Gamma kitten Smokepuff, I had to call a halt to play when I realized Puffy would play himself to exhaustion if I did not.
Whether we test them their targeting skills with a Hog Wild toy or just crumple up a piece of paper, our cats need exercise, and our attention, in equal measure.
play with their minds
We can always mess with their heads. I recommend it!
With kittens, it’s simple, like Hide and Seek, or the gadget inspired Easter Egg Hunt I played until the toy wore out. With Tristan’s communication abilities, it’s fun to play William Shatner or get into discussions with him about almost anything, as he lets me follow him around in a long game of Twenty Questions.
Reverend Jim and Mithrandir love Villain Hands. This is a great start to a petting session for both of them. Olwyn loves to be noticed when she is in one of her fortresses (the space under a chair or stool) with some sweet words and Cat Kisses.
These interactive games provide the intellectual stimulation which cats require as much as they do body activities. The more we feed our cat’s brain with thought-provoking and mind-expanding activities, the greater our cat’s skills in communication, interaction, and cooperation.
Then all of us have more fun.
play with our relationship
Most of the time, I arrive home and Tristan has stationed himself in the hallway area for quick greetings. But some of the time, he is sitting with his back to me, wanting me to make the first joyous connection. His pose is that he just happens to be here, even if he is still blinky from a nap he roused himself from in order to be there.
Whenever I am home, Tristan appears out of nowhere. Because he was thinking of me. If I miss him and he is not around, I get up and seek him. This is part of the incredible love builder I call Fussing.
All of our cats have their special ways of enjoying, and bestowing, fussing. This comes from some of my earliest advice, “Do you fuss over the cat?” In other words, do we make a big deal out of their mere presence? Because cats speak volumes with their Presence.
Cat find “showing up” to be a large part of their showing regard for each other, and it is a great privilege for them to extend this courtesy to us, too. Yet so often such an important part of building a bridge between is neglected because people do not know what it means, or how to use it.
The happiest human/cat relationships are ones which mirror how cats create a network of constant checking-in among their friendships. It can be as simple as a shoulder bump as they pass each other, or a long mutual grooming session, or a period of chasing and wrestling. We can adapt these common cat activities and be a part of them.
Play is how we figure out how our world works, release tension and stress, and exercise our imagination. It’s true for humans and felines.
They are all ways to fuss over the cat. And get more love.
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There’s more ways to understand our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on WHY CATS DO THAT.
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