How To Play With Siamese Cats?
Whether they’re chasing, pouncing, climbing or jumping, let’s face it, your Siamese cat enjoys playing. Although, we associate playtime with the synonymous for “fun time,” it actually has its roots in your cat’s predatory instincts. Plus, learning new ways to play will not only help your cat with exercise but also help them learn the important social behaviors.
The Toy Chase
As Siamese cats are hunters at heart, they love to chase after moving toys. You could choose a toy that’s attached to a string and drag it along the ground mimicking the movements of a prey animal. Then, watch your cat stalk, pounce and run after the toy just as they would in the wild. Allow your cat to catch the prey toy every so often so they don’t get frustrated or overstimulated. And remember to be careful, as you don’t want to allow your cat to play with toys on a string without supervision. Ingesting the string could potentially cause an intestinal blockage.
Up To Bat
When your Siamese cat is on their own, they’ll still have the urge to play and will happily play with any small objects they can get their paws on. You can try to prevent your cat from getting bored when you aren’t around with some toys your cat can bat around.
As toys come in all many sizes and shapes, pick a few to see which ones your cat prefers. When choosing a toy, try picking one around the size of a ping pong ball – small enough for your cat to grab with their mouth, while large enough that they can’t swallow the toy. You could even consider cat toys with bells inside them. Noise-making toys will help keep your cat’s attention as they bat it around, hopefully encouraging further play.
Wrestling Match
Siamese cats enjoy wrestling with their toys, just as they would if they were playing with another or catching prey. Rather than allowing your cat to grab at your hands or feet, offer them something acceptable, i.e., a stuffed cat toy for them to grab and kick at with their back feet. You could try finding a toy that’s almost as big as your cat so they can use it as their wrestling “partner.” Try looking for toys that have catnip in them, or spray toys with catnip oils, to help encourage your cat to lick and kick at the toy.
The Kitty Climb
Cats have a natural instinct to climb up vertical surfaces, so why not install some carpeted shelves for your cat to climb upon. Or, you could place a tall cat condo in areas next to windows so your cat can watch birds or simply enjoy the view.
You can also create an obstacle course for your cat to run through, using things like cat paper bags, tunnels, boxes and other small items for them to jump over or go through. Lead them through the course with a laser pointer so that they can get an idea of what to do.
The Treat Hunt
Why not bring out your cat’s inner predator by making hunting for their food part of their daily play. You can purchase a puzzle feeder that’s specially made for cats, that you can fill with your cat’s favorite treats.
You can even try to make a low-cost version of a puzzle feeder from a toilet paper roll. Start by folding in one end of the roll, fill it with kibble, and fold in the other end, cutting a hole in the bottom for the treats to fall out of when your cat rolls the toy around. Then, hide the feeder in one of your cat’s favorite spots so they can also hunt for them.
Playing With Your Older Cat
Cats are considered senior when they reach the age of around the age of seven. And, thankfully, due to advances in nutrition, veterinary medicine, and an indoor lifestyle, they can often live well into their teens, and sometimes even their twenties. Playing with your older cat for a 15-minute interval each day with their favourite toy gives you a relaxing break from your busy day while keeping your senior cat happy and fit. It’s also an excellent opportunity to keep an eye on their physical, mental, and emotional condition as they age.
DIY Cat Toys To Keep Your Cat Occupied
As hunting is in your cat’s DNA, toys that help to keep your cat engaged mimicking prey, like a mouse look-a-like or using a feather wand toy, for example. But if you are actively playing with your Siamese cat every day, then commercial cat toys could wear out quickly or disappear altogether, often needing to be replaced. If you want to work within a budget, then do-it-yourself cat toys could be the answer.
Your Siamese cat won’t be able to resist the magical lure of some catnip. Making your own catnip toys is a good way to recycle old socks, clothing, or bedding. Once you’ve washed and dried the items you want to use. Cut the fabric into squares or cut the toe end out of a sock, fill the center/bottom with some dried catnip, pull the corners/top together, and tie the neck of the catnip purse tightly using string.
How Much Play Does Your Siamese Cat Need?
Whether you entertain your cat with a laser pointer, ping pong balls or rolled-up balls of paper, you should play with your cat each day ideally in two 15-minute play sessions — young cats will enjoy even more play sessions. This daily half-hour of fun can be a rewarding bonding experience and essential for your cat’s physical and emotional health.
