How to keep your cat active with play

Hiding treats around the house for your huntress is a great way to get your cat moving. She will enjoy looking for surprises, and you will enjoy watching her hunt. An activity like hunting for food will strengthen her mental and physical health.

Rules of the game:

1. Her purpose.

Choose what you will hunt. You can divide the serving into three or four bowls and place them around the house. Another way to play food hunting is to hide individual pellets in different places.

2. Start with the simplest.

Hunting for food can awaken all the natural instincts in your cat, but not immediately. Start with the simplest: put the treats in easy-to-see areas so your cat can match the smell to the tidbit he sees. So the pet will understand what needs to be done.

3. Challenge accepted.

As soon as you see that the pet has understood the meaning of the game, start complicating the rules. While she watches you, place a treat or a small bowl of food in a secret place. So, she no longer sees her, but she understands that you are up to something.

4. Make it harder.

Once your cat has enjoyed playing, move her to another room while you hide food or treats, and then let her in. The real hunt has begun!

5. Hide smartly.

Try to be creative and be careful while doing so. The best places to hide are near (or inside) her toys, a top shelf, an empty box, or a cat play set. Remember that you should not hide treats or food in places where the presence of the animal is undesirable. For example, you should avoid a kitchen table or a bookshelf full of fragile knick-knacks. Never use plastic bags to play with because it is dangerous.

6. At the right time in the right place.

Schedule your hunt around the usual lunch time or when you know your cat is hungry. Always be in your pet’s field of vision while hunting. This is necessary not only because it is very funny to watch how the cat plays and sniffs for his dinner, but also in case he gets confused, distracted or accidentally finds the wrong target.

It would be nice to write down where you hid part of her lunch or a treat. If the cat gets tired, a few pieces will be left for later. Without remembering all the hiding places where you hid the food, you run the risk of finding it yourself during the spring spring cleaning, or, even worse, your cat may accidentally find it when it is past its expiration date.

7. What to hunt?

What feed to use? Not all types of food can be used for this fun fun. You can use regular cat food, such as Hill’s Science Plan, for play, but if the cat has a special diet, you can not break the feeding regimen. If you decide to hide treats, use small portions so as not to spoil your pet and prevent her from gaining extra pounds.

Don’t underestimate the power of a cat

Worried that your cat won’t be able to find your treat? Not worth it. According to PAWS Chicago, a cat’s nose contains about 200 million nerve cells, which make it fourteen times stronger than a human’s sense of smell.

Hunting for food is another way to strengthen your friendship with your pet. But more importantly, this game helps the cat stay active, smart and curious.