In the wild, cats rely on their speed, stealth, cleverness and cunning for our very survival. In your home, we have to be able to express these instincts to stay happy, healthy and well-behaved!
NOTE – This blog post is just a small excerpt adapted from our FREE guide: Keeping Kitty Happy: The Ultimate Guide to Indoor Cat Enrichment
PLAY BEHAVIOR
The best toys mimic cats’ most natural instinctive activity – hunting! Hunting involves two primary behaviors:
1. Stalking & Chasing – when potential prey is spotted, the cat gets low to the ground and creeps toward it trying to remain undetected. Once the cat believes it is within striking distance, or if they prey notices and bolts, the cat will give chase at full speed.
2. Trapping & Catching – if prey is cornered in a shed or under some branches, the cat will diligently root around, scratch, sniff, pounce, reach and retrieve.
HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT CAT TOYS?
1. Stalking & Chasing Toys – There are countless simple toys that get kitty moving. Here are some of our favorites!
Remember, cats rely greatly on our senses of smell and sound, so consider toys that stimulate their nose and ears as well! Toys that squeak, scratch and crinkle, and those with a scent (think catnip!) are sure to be a hit!
Look for durable toys made with organic materials and dyes. Avoid small detachable parts (googly eyes, glued-on strings, etc.) or remove them after purchase.
2. Trapping & Catching toys – There are many options to satisfy this play behavior, and each works in a different way. It's recommended to try a variety of options for your cat.
Puzzle Feeders
Food is a powerful motivator. Puzzle feeders turn snacking into a game – getting their paws moving and their gears spinning! Look for puzzle feeders that offer a variety of challenges and multiple difficulty levels to keep your cat engaged as their skills improve!
Puzzle feeders aren’t just fantastic enrichment – they also slow down eating, making them highly recommended by veterinarians for weight management and digestive health.
Tunnels
Tunnels are a feline favorite – providing mystery and unpredictability as well as an opportunity to pursue “prey” into a “burrow”. It’s also the perfect place to stage an ambush on an unsuspecting passer-by!
Play mats
A playmat is a versatile item where cats can play with abandon – and the king of the playmats is undoubtedly the Ripple Rug by Snugglycat.
Durable, washable (air dry!), made from recycled materials and infinitely reconfigurable into new peaks and valleys for fresh adventure every time. Throw some treats or a catnip toy inside for a foraging frenzy! Outside of our own products, this is the one we recommend most often!
REMEMBER – This blog post is just a small excerpt adapted from our FREE guide: Keeping Kitty Happy: The Ultimate Guide to Indoor Cat Enrichment
Meow, I wanted to let you know I just got two of your mazes. One is for my felines (at this time, there are 6 in my home, the older two were left by their feral mothers for me to find as they both had some health issues at 3 weeks. Yep, 3 weeks! I learned how to treat them, thanks to my daughter the vet tech and bottle fed them. Fast forward to this year when Fiona gave birth to 6 kittens, sadly 3 did not make it. I still have her 3 kittens but am looking for homes for them. Then I have Fiona and her cousin Tripp (he likes to trip people) and my older cat Trouble (he earned that name when I brought him home). So, I got the original maze to share with them and also bought one for my daughter’s three cats. One must share the good things they find. I cannot wait to watch the cats and kittens have fun with my , I mean, their maze. PS saw you on Shark Tank and loved the product and your caring for cats and their humans. Meowerry Christmas!!
Why are cats so amazing?