The moment in the post above — Mine brudder does be muchly scared and worried today because da hoomin and hers brudder doez be doing muchly strange tings wit da furnitures in da palace family room. He doez be hiding out in our play tunnel watching tings. — is one of those small everyday scenes that says a lot about life with cats.
Cat play is rehearsal for the hunt — but somewhere along the way it also became one of the most entertaining things a domestic animal does. Whether your cat is sprinting laps around the living room, sneak-attacking your ankle from behind a couch, or staring down a bottle cap like it is the most dangerous prey on earth, every move is the residue of an instinct that kept cats alive for thousands of years.
Indoor cats need at least two short play sessions a day to stay mentally and physically healthy. Without that outlet, they will find their own — and unfortunately their idea of “play” sometimes involves your laptop, your favorite plant, or a pile of laundry you just folded. The cat in the post above clearly has the right energy and the right enthusiasm; the only real question is who actually wins.
Wand toys, paper bags, and crumpled balls of paper outperform almost any plastic toy you can buy. Movement matters more than expense. As long as something darts, twitches, or skitters across the floor, most cats are convinced — and the resulting display, like the one above, is its own reward.
Mine brudder does be muchly scared and worried today because da hoomin and hers brudder doez be doing muchly strange tings wit da furnitures in da palace family room. He doez be hiding out in our play tunnel watching tings.