Exercise and Playtime

Through play with their siblings, kittens act out the rudiments of the hunt and pick up social skills and self-sufficiency. They refine their stalking and pouncing, as well as the coordination and timing required to make a kill. They learn about their environment through rambling and climbing, finding the best spots to hide and the ideal places to lie in wait for victims. A kitten's development is speedy: At 3 weeks, it will begin to paw at things tentatively; only five weeks later, it is capable of catching and killing a mouse — or doing the equivalent to a toy.

Play stimulates your cat mentally, alleviating boredom, keeping him alert and helping to decrease the likelihood of behavioral problems. If your cat is prone to boisterous nighttime romps or sneak attacks on your hands, or, at the other end of the scale, depression-like lethargy or apprehensiveness, add more play sessions to his schedule. Play also offers an opportunity for adult cats to get needed physical exercise. Indoor cats, in particular, are at risk for obesity, which may lead to more serious problems such as diabetes, liver disease and undue stress on arthritic joints. Play also is a wonderful way for you to enjoy the marvels of feline nature.

Toy Selection
Start your cat with a small collection of simple toys — lightweight balls (Ping-Pong balls are excellent), stuffed toys for sinking teeth and claws into and interactive pole-type toys (enticing objects suspended by elasticized strings from hand-held wands). See how your cat responds to these, and if you notice a preference for a certain type, such as toys that make a crinkly sound, get more along the same lines. Many ordinary household items, ranging from wine corks to paper bags, can provide your cat with hours of delightful amusement. Make sure plastic bags are out of reach, and either cut through or remove completely the twine or plastic handles on any paper shopping bags you let your cat play with. It's easy for cats to end up with the handles around their necks, and frantic attempts to escape can tighten handles more, leading to tragic results.

When you are choosing toys or playing with them with your cat, think about typical feline prey — the sounds they make (squeaks and rustling noises) and how they move (darting and hiding, slithering) — and attempt to make the toys act and move this way. And, most importantly, allow your cat to catch the toy frequently; otherwise, you're just teasing and frustrating him, and he'll quickly lose interest.

Check all toys for safety. A toy should be big enough that your feline can't possibly swallow it and sturdy enough that it won't break into smaller pieces. Avoid toys with small parts that can be bitten or pulled off, such as buttons, beads or rivets, or remove them right away. A ball of wool is about the worst toy possible. Once in your cat's mouth, the wool gets stuck on the backward-facing papillae of the tongue; the cat can't spit it out and just keeps swallowing more and more wool, resulting in serious, sometimes fatal, intestinal problems. Toys with strings, elastics or ribbons are great fun, but pose similar problems and should be used only under supervision. Beware of laser pointing devices; they can cause damage if they hit a cat's eyes. Instead you might use a flashlight in a darkened room to create a moving spot of light for your cat to chase.

Play Guidelines
Try to play with your cat for 10 to 15 minutes at least twice each day. A romp before you leave in the morning can ease your absence during the day. Another in the evening can help minimize sleep-disturbing nocturnal play. In addition, try dangling an interactive toy during television commercials or while you talk on the phone. If your cat spends a lot of time alone, leave out some safe toys, such as balls or toy mice, for him to play with. Rotate your cat's toys to avoid monotony, and hide some in easy-to-find spots so your cat will come across them unexpectedly. A good majority of the toys will end up under the couch or behind the bookcase, but you can make toy searches part of the fun, with your cat waiting expectantly while you use a long stick to dig out his playthings. If you have more than one cat and the more aggressive one always gets the toy, you may have to play with the cats separately so each gets a turn with you.

If your cat is getting on in years, is out of shape or obese, or seems simply to have lost the will to play, reawaken his youthful spirit by encouraging him to exercise. First, visit the vet to make sure that activity will not create or exacerbate any medical problem. Then, using interactive toys with which you can control the intensity of activity, try to hold and build the cat's interest. You may need to change the toy fairly often to hold the cat's attention. But be sure to match the pace of the play with your cat's condition; you don't want to overtax your older or overweight pet.