Our feline friends are known for being frisky and playful. Fluffy is definitely highly entertaining when she is ‘stalking’ a catnip mouse or trying to catch that elusive red dot from a laser pointer! As it turns out, playing with your cat regularly is one of the best things you can do for her. Here, a Dahlonega, GA vet lists some reasons to go get that laser pointer.
Exercise
As you may have noticed, cats get rather lazy as they age. Fluffy can spend up to 20 hours a day snoozing! Your drowsy pet will still need some exercise to stay healthy. Even a few minutes of running and jumping will help keep your furry pal in shape.
Stimulation
Our feline pals need stimulation and enrichment to thrive. Playing is great for this, as it offers your furball beneficial mental stimulation. Fluffy has to really concentrate to nail those tricky run/jump/meow combinations! This is great for her mind, and can even help ward off cognitive decay as she ages.
Bonding
Cats are always happiest when they feel loved and a bit pampered. When you hold a toy for your furry pal to chase, she’ll know that you’re doing something just for her. This will score you some pretty big points in Fluffy’s book! Playing can also help kitties bond to each other. Dual play sessions can be very helpful if you’ve just adopted a new cat, and your resident furball is less than thrilled about it.
Burn Excess Energy
Kitties are very playful when they are young. Fluffy may wake you up by batting a toy around in the middle of the night, or dash out in front of you as you are walking by. A fun play session will help your frisky pet burn off that zing. Afterwards, she’ll (hopefully) be more interested in naps and cuddles than in pouncing on your shoelaces.
It’s Cute!
You may find that kitty playtime is just as much fun for you as it is for Fluffy. Cats are absolutely adorable when they are feeling playful! It’s almost impossible not to laugh when kitties are acting silly. This is just one way that our feline buddies brighten up our lives and keep us smiling.
Please contact us, your local Dahlonega, GA vet clinic, for all of your cat’s veterinary care needs. We are always here to help!
