by Diana Waldhuber

While most cats are happy to indulge in play, sometimes we, their humans, need to help things along a bit.

Often this is because cats prefer to have interaction during play, but sometimes it’s because your cat is getting older and may think kittenish ways are beneath her.

Play is important because it keeps kitty fit and healthy and it also keeps her young and spry, which is always a good thing.

If you’ve bought toys for your cat but she never really plays with them, we have some tips to get the ball rolling, so to speak.

• Catnip – not every cat loves catnip. Some simply don’t react to it, but certainly try it out. There are different potencies available and you can also try fresh nip. If it works, try storing toys like small mice and crinkly balls in it for added stimulation.
• Laser Lights – that little red dot is almost guaranteed to drive your cat crazy. Tease your cat with it. Waver it on the wall, just out of reach, or on the floor, then make it disappear. Sometimes you can turn the lights low and get your cat to chase that light down the hallways!
• String – is cheap and a great source of play, especially if you tie a big, bright feather to the end. Mimic the way prey might move in real life, let it suddenly go out of sight. Or you can get the feather fishing lines, which cats seem to go crazy for!
• Mice & Balls – Little mice stuffed with catnip, or mice without…if you move the mouse along on the floor, or toss it just past your cat, she’s likely to pounce on it. If she can hook her claw into it, she’ll toss it about, just like with real prey. Sometimes, I will tie string around the mouse and play with my cat that way – he loves it! Cats like shiny things, too. You can buy little crinkly balls or wad up pieces of foil. Just make sure you use them as if they were prey, skitter past kitty on the floor, and see what happens.

Of course, boxes and paper bags are things many cats can’t resist, so leave them out for your feline friend.

The most important thing is to remember interactive with you is much more fun than play time on her own. And if you wiggle toys, slide them past, tease your kitty from just the other side of the door (experiment and find what drives your kitty crazy!), you’ll find your cat playing like a kitten once again.

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