The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [78]
Please keep safety in mind for whatever enclosure you choose. Make sure that it is attached to your home or within easy sight. The enclosure should offer both sunny and shady spots, contain fresh water, and meet any zoning laws of your municipality.
Power of Play
Q My two dogs enjoy playing together and with us. But my cat, Mandy, is content to just watch. Once they grow out of kittenhood, do cats really want to play? Do they need to play? Mandy seems happy grooming herself, sitting on my lap, eating, and sleeping. Should I be concerned?
A Adult cats are not hairy, dust-collecting pieces of furniture. Like their canine counterparts, felines do want — and need — to play. All grooming, napping, and eating can make Mandy a dull cat. I am a big promoter of play with a purpose. Teaching your cat to play effectively can improve her social skills and her level of fitness. Play helps keep feline hearts healthy, joints limber, and muscles strong. It also allows cats to practice hunting and play-fighting skills and strengthens their connection with you. Keeping your cat active will prevent her from becoming obese. And regular exercise will keep her mentally alert as well.
FELINE FACT
The record for killing the most mice by a feline belongs to Towser, a Scottish tabby who killed 28,899 mice over the span of 21 years. That’s an average of about four mice per day. Towser died in 1987.
Kittens learn how to behave like cats through playtime supervised by their moms. The basis of play for cats falls into two areas: social and object-oriented. Social play involves other cats, family pets — like your two dogs — and people. Object play involves manipulating a toy or other item that hones a cat’s dexterity.
Although some cats are born to play, Mandy appears to need a little encouragement. One way to motivate her is with the right toy. My brother, Kevin, has a toy chest filled with a variety of feline items for his cat, Lager. They include a ping-pong ball, catnip mice on strings, and wads of paper and foil. Like many play-minded cats, Lager will initiate games by rubbing against Kevin’s legs and then dashing away. Other play cues include pawing at your arm and delivering steady eye-to-eye stares.
Enlist the aid of one of your cat-friendly dogs. Try tying a long string on to your dog’s collar. As your dog walks around the house, he’ll drag the string along the floor. That should bring out Mandy’s pouncing proclivities. Remember, with cats, it is all about movement. They like to hunt, stalk, and chase objects that are mobile. Just make sure that the dog is in a playful mood and up for the cat’s antics. For safety reasons, always supervise closely and end the game on a happy note.
Please be persistent and encouraging. It may take some time for Mandy to turn into a playful cat. Be sure to praise her and whoop it up so she knows this is a special time with you. Once Mandy views you as the Queen of Feline Play and comes to feel that she is as valued a pal as your two dogs are, you may discover a wonderful new side to her personality.
MASTERS OF FELINE DESIGN
My friends Bob Walker and Frances Mooney share their San Diego home with a dozen rescue cats. Despite the crowd, these kitties don’t have tiffs or urine-mark in the house, because Bob and Frances have created a feline fantasyland. This talented, cat-happy couple used inexpensive materials to create a jungle gym that satisfies the most curious of cats.
There are cats everywhere, thanks to floor-to-ceiling scratching poles, catwalks, ramps, and cubbyholes. Four hundred feet of sisal is wrapped around a column and a ceiling-high ledge, where the cats snooze contentedly. An “elevated highway” made of painted plywood crisscrosses the rooms. There are even holes cut in the walls to provide