Usually, the cats require to play as much as a dog has to walk. Although you may find the majority of cats to be low maintenance and quite relaxed, it never means that they don’t require any exercise or activity. As cats are natural hunters, therefore, it becomes your duty to satisfy their hunting needs and offer them some exercise by properly playing with them.
If you are wondering about how often should you play with your cat, the answer is simple, a kitten requires around 20 minutes of play sessions in a day, whereas an adult cat needs 20-30 minutes play session or even two sessions to release all of their access energy.
Why does a cat need to play?
The most crucial thing a cat owner needs to understand is that cats retain their wild nature and need to hunt, even though they are domesticated. An outdoor can hunt for anything that may be around, but they don’t live as much as the indoor cats. On the other hand, an indoor cat requires as much exercise or stimulation as the outdoor one.
When you play with your cat, you let it go through the entire hunting process, catching it as prey and then eating it. But if you are thinking about, can you play with your cat too much, you should keep in mind that it should be moderate, and there are multiple benefits of playing with your furry friend outside of just an exercise. A good time of playing means your cat is stimulated physically and mentally.
How often should one be playing with a cat?
Many people complain about their cats going crazy at night and start chasing each other, while sometimes they are pretty lazy and don’t like to play. An optimal cat playtime can be beneficial for the cat owner for the correction of the circadian rhythm of the cat.
Play-session before a mealtime
The mealtime of the cats must be scheduled, as it is a bonding time and can be helpful for you to guide the behavior of the cat. It also helps them to play and interact with you and other cats and participate in any interactive activity.
Many people prefer to have their cat’s mealtime in the morning before going to work and then before going to bed. As mealtime comes at the end of the hunt, it can be great to complete its energy cycle. This way, the cats also manage their weight and keep themselves relaxed.
Play-session before the bedtime
When you play with your cat right before the night sleep, it expands their energy, and they get ready for a good sleep. If you are wondering ‘how long should I play with my kitten before bed?’, it is recommended that you play for around half an hour and reward it with some food and snacks.
When you give your cat some time before sleep, it helps the cat through the process of grooming itself and sleep for the most part of the night. After that, you can do whatever you have in your nighttime routine. At the start, you will notice that your cat wants to play constantly, but after a couple of weeks, you will notice that it has much lower energy, especially during the middle of the night. Therefore, it will not be waking you up quite often.
Is it possible to skip the playtime with your cat?
There are times when you have stuff going on in life, and you are not able to play with your cats. Therefore, you can get worried about what happens if you don’t play with your cat? It is possible to skip your cat’s playtime, but you should never be making it a habit of skipping it quite a lot, as this can take your cat to its regular old habits.
It can be much easier for you to skip the playtime if you have more than one cat, but if you are not able to play with your cats for two weeks, your furry friends will start to anticipate the playtime. So, your cats can initiate some play activities with each other. If you think that you have to skip for a few days, it is better to give them some toys so that they can play when you don’t have time for them.
Conclusion
As a cat owner, you will notice that the more you play with your cat, the happier it will be. You must realize that cat cannot be some fixture you may pay attention to. You have to fulfill its instinctual needs, and some unusual behaviors may start to emerge if you don’t do it. Therefore, in order to understand how often should you play with your cat, it is recommended that you should make them learn when they must play and try to be consistent with their playing routines.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it necessary to entertain the cat all the time?
When you play with your cat for around 10-15 minutes a few times a day, it will keep the cat healthy and happy. The best part is that these small sessions of entertainment will strengthen the relationship between you and your furry friend.
- Is it possible for the cats to get bored?
Cats are surely cuddly and cute, but it can be a challenge to take care of them, especially if they stay all the time indoors. These are natural hunters and can quickly get bored; therefore, they tend to be a little curious.
- How much attention does a cat need?
It would help if you gave attention to your furry friend for at least half an hour a day. Basically, a cat requires pockets of attention throughout the day, as the young cats can benefit from playing and are pretty social. If you don’t give enough attention to a cat, it can exhibit antisocial and destructive behavior.
- What do most of the cats like to play?
Every cat loves to play with a ball, but if any other toy gives a feeling, smell, and moves like prey, then the cat will certainly like it. Anything that can resemble different kinds of prey like mice, snakes, and bugs can do the job for a cat.
