Mary Allen
Our house cats just have it too easy in life. The result is boredom, mental disorders, and behavioral problems. This is how the British behavioral expert Peter Neville writes in an English specialist journal for veterinarians.
And what he writes makes sense: most house tigers don’t have to hunt to get their fill these days – they are well taken care of by their people. Nevertheless, hunting is a necessity for these beautiful cuddlers, because the hunting program has been genetically embedded in them for 13 million years.
Even In Nature, Cats Experience Disappointments
Every hunt challenges the cat with all its senses and physical strength: locate prey, sneak up on it, wait for the right moment, prepare to pounce, leap, grab and eat. Wolf down? It usually doesn’t happen in nature.
It is estimated that a cat will be unsuccessful about three times when searching for food before catching prey once. That means countless disappointments. But only the possible failure makes the hunt a challenge.
Hunting Games Are Important For The Psyche
This challenge is lacking in most indoor cats, according to Peter Neville, the UK behaviorist. This is why games, especially hunting games, are so important for the mental balance of house tigers.
Neville also recommends letting the cats experience disappointment. In practice, this means that the cat has to earn at least part of the daily food ration, for example by fishing for food from a special toy or by finding the well-hidden treats in the apartment first.