Feline Fitness: Find the Right Kind of Play for Your Kitty

Does your cat love playing hide and seek? That’s a form of feline fitness! Credit: *Bárbara* Cannnela

Feline Fitness: How to Play

Figure out what kind of play your kitty enjoys. According to an interview with Joan Miller, veteran all-breed cat judge and vice president of Cat Fanciers’ Association on Vetstreet, there are four main types of play cats are instinctually drawn to—bird, pounce, rabbit, and hide-and-seek.

To determine what your cat prefers, start playing!

Cats who like bird play will go after an object flying through the air on a string. You’ll find these types of toys at most pet stores, but one brand that’s been around for quite a while is Neko Flies, which I like because you can attach different types of “critters” to the end of the string to keep it fresh. (And, seriously, watching them play with this toy is SO MUCH FUN.)

Pounce games include what I like to call “bed mice”—wiggle your fingers or toes under the covers and watch Fluffy go after the movement. You can also drag a toy along the ground and wait for your cat to attack.

Rabbit games—Trixie’s favorite—have the cat on the floor on her back or side as she kicks, bites and shakes her prey (or hair tie, as the case may be). You can try a wide variety of toys for this—experiment with soft toys, toys that crinkle, and even with the fishing pole-style toys like the ones used for bird play. You can wave these around your supine feline and let her catch it and pull it to her belly now and again.

If your cat loves hiding under the bed or a chair and jumping out at things (like, perhaps, your feet) as they go by, you’ve got a hide-and-seeker. Engage in play (and keep your tootsies safe) by tossing small toys past her hiding spot so she can go after them.