Cat Games: 10 Game Ideas For Cats

Exercise and play are important to cat well-being. They train their skills and keep themselves healthy. You can encourage this with varied cat games.

Why do cats play? Probably for the same reason that we humans do. It’s just fun! But there is more to it than that.

Why Are Games Important For Cats?

Playing with your cat regularly is an essential part of cat ownership. There are several reasons for this:

• Young cats play to learn. The coordination of eye and paw is trained, as well as dexterity, movement sequences, and communication.
• The game replaces hunting and catching. Cat games are therefore necessary when the cat is provided with food and there is no need to hunt. Cats then burn off their hunting motivation and energy through play. If this does not happen, human feet or hands may be attacked.
• Joking and frolicking are therefore part of everyday cat life, especially for indoor cats.
• Playing keeps cats busy and prevents boredom.
• Playing challenges the cat’s mental health.
• Regular play keeps cats physically fit.
• Playing games together promotes the bond between cats and humans.

10 Fun Cat Games

There are numerous play opportunities for your cat. You can teach her tricks or play with your cat with toys. It is not always necessary to buy this in specialist shops. Objects and materials that you use in everyday life also arouse the cat’s play instinct. Anything that rolls and rustles serve as a den, or flies through the air attracts cats’ interest. Just test what your cat reacts to and what she enjoys the most. Change the toys, too. That makes a change! We have put together ten cat games that will bring joy to your cat.

Ball Games For Cats

Unlike toy mice, balls like the Karlie* foam balls have the advantage of moving and rolling far. The cat’s hunting instinct will be awakened and the cat will chase after the ball. The exact ball you choose will depend on your cat’s preferences. You have many different options:

• Some cats prefer softballs that they can proudly carry around the house in their mouths after a successful hunt. You can get balls like this in pet shops. But it doesn’t have to be the ball from the trade. There are also suitable balls in the home or in nature.
• Table tennis balls are very light and roll away with a little nudge. So you become a big challenge for the little hunter.
• Bouncy balls bounce across the floor and are particularly interesting for cats that like to catch prey in the air.
• There are also great alternatives to balls made of plastic, rubber, and foam in nature. Roll a walnut across the floor or try chestnuts.

But make sure that the balls are not too small and cannot be swallowed.

The Cat Angel

The pet trade offers cat rods in different versions made of plastic or wood with feathers, plush toys, or cords. The catfishing set from eco works is not only beautiful but also sustainable. It consists of three wooden sticks and three different pendants in fish, mouse, and bird optics and comes without any plastic packaging.

Cat rods can also be designed with household materials:

• Simply tie a few feathers, leaves, small twigs, or ribbons to the end of a flexible stick and the cat rod is ready.
• If you attach the bundle to a long cord or string and pull the cat rod through the apartment behind you, chasing after is even more fun.

Tip: Run the fishing rod behind larger objects or drag it behind the door. The cat’s curiosity is aroused and it will try to track down the “prey” that has been hiding.

Cardboard Boxes For Cats

Cats find nothing as interesting as cardboard boxes. You can hide in it, it’s filled with exciting things to discover and sometimes you can even find a treat inside. Fill the box with a newspaper that crackles and rustles and hides treats in between.

Boxes are also a great alternative to expensive intelligence toys: cut different-sized holes in a shoebox and fill it with your cat’s favorite treats. The cat will try to get the treats. But she has to find the right hole through which her paw fits. Once she is successful, her ambition is aroused!

Water Games For Cats

The perfect cat game for summer – if your cat is not afraid of water. Many cats like to fish for floating objects from small pools. This provides a lot of fun and refreshment. How it works:

• Fill a shallow bowl with water. Coasters for flower pots, disused litter boxes, or laundry baskets are suitable.
• Throw in ping-pong balls or other objects that may float on the surface. Now the cat can splash around in it.
• Special fun: Fill empty tea lights or bottle caps with a treat and carefully place them in the water tub. The cat will try to fish for it to get the treat.

Fetch

Dogs are not the only ones who like to bring back objects that their master or mistress throws back. Lots of cats like it too. It is usually the cat that discovers this type of communal play for itself. So it is not necessary to teach her how to fetch. Make sure the object you throw fits snugly in the cat’s mouth so it’s easy for the cat to carry around but not swallow. Small play mice from pet shops are particularly suitable.

Catnip Pillow

Not all cats respond to catnip. But those who cannot resist the beguiling scent like to occupy themselves with a small Catnip pillow* for a long time. They lick it off, cuddle it and rub it over their face.

Catnip pillows are easy to make yourself: Fill a small cloth bag or a short-legged sock with a filling material. The following are suitable as filling materials:

• cotton
• scraps of fabric
• newspaper
• other soft and/or sizzling fabrics.

Add some dried catnip or valerian and the homemade catnip pillow is ready. If your cat doesn’t respond to Catnip, there are great alternatives that can stimulate the cat.

Play Tunnel For Cats

They dart through it, hide in it, and sometimes drag their prey inside to get them to safety: A play tunnel is quite versatile and many cats enjoy using it. It is usually made of a rustling or crackling upper material, which encourages the cat, even more, to play with this toy. Cat tunnels are available from many different manufacturers. For example, the Trixie tunnel is additionally equipped with sisal for scratching and the Oana tunnel has the advantage that it is foldable and so easy to store.

Search And Fumble Games For Cats

In addition to hunting games, search games are also an important pastime for cats. Search and fumble games promote the cat’s cognitive abilities and sharpen the senses. You can distribute dry food for your cat using fiddling boards like the one from Trixie*. The cat then has to fumble it out of the obstacles with its paws.

A simple do-it-yourself variant:

• Place a few treats over a small area for the cat to see.
• Throw a tea towel over it and let the cat search for the treats and free them from the tea towel.

If you enjoy crafting a lot, you can make a sniffing carpet yourself for this type of cat game.

Board Games For Cats

Cats love dice games – but unfortunately, they are never allowed to play. What appeals to the cat so much – namely sweeping the game pieces and dice off the board – annoys humans immensely. Set up the board game just for your cat:

• Place the pieces and drag them across the board. The house tiger comes jumping to kick the figures off the game board and through the apartment.
• Also, try using several cubes that you drop into a container (e.g. Kniffel). The cat will surely get them out of the container. Or roll several dice at once. Which cube is the cat chasing?

Funny fun for humans and cats. But be careful: never leave the cat unsupervised with the small play figures! She could swallow them.

Light Games For Cats

Let the beam of a flashlight dart through the apartment – back and forth, up and down. And make him disappear behind an object. The cat is particularly animated to chase after the point of light if you start the play of light right in front of its nose and slowly move the point of light away from it.

The disadvantage of the game: Because the cat never really gets to grips with the beam of light, it doesn’t get the satisfaction it gets from catching a real toy. Therefore, you should use this cat game very carefully and alternate it with other cat games. Laser pointers are available in pet shops, with which you can also carry out the light show. But you have to be particularly careful here: Never shine it directly in the cat’s eyes. There is a significant risk of injury.

Make A Change When Playing With The Cat

There are no limits to your imagination when it comes to cat games. Variety in play keeps each toy interesting. Little by little you will see which of the numerous cat games your cat prefers. Some like to chase cords, others react better to objects that twirl through the air, and others quickly give up on fumbling games.

Make sure you have enough time to play together. This keeps your cat fit and strengthens the bond. But even when playing, there are limits. Therefore, read about which mistakes you should avoid when playing with cats.