Curious Cats - Five Ways to Keep Them Entertained and Pampered

Articles on Cats | Topics: cats, cat, kitten, kitty

by Hadil McKay

There are five ways cat owners have learned to keep their cats entertained.

1-Catnip-Catnip is an all-natural herb. You can buy it at any pet store, herbal store, or even a plant store. It belongs to the mint plant family. Cats react to this herb through their olfactory glands. When a cat smells catnip, they go absolutely nuts!! They start sniffing things, trying to chew the plant or stuffed toy, jumping around, sliding across the floor, and just start acting like a fool. They love the feeling that comes with the catnip and you will get a kick out of watching them make a fool of themselves. It will truly be an entertaining experience. Now comes some scientific bad news. Catnip does not work on all cats. It has to do with cat genetics. Some cats are genetically immune to the effects of catnip. Some cats are genetically not immune. On average about seventy to eighty percent of cats will entertain themselves and you when they are exposed to catnip. Also cats younger than 3 months or older than 8 years usually do not react to catnip. Kittens' olfactory glands have not yet developed enough to be affected, and senior cats' olfactory glands have ceased to function after a certain point. They can still smell, but the chemical reaction that causes them to get "high" no longer affects them.

2-Laser pointers-Laser pointers are an inexpensive way to keep you and your cat entertained for hours. You can buy a laser pointer at just about any toy store or electronics store. Just bring it home and let the fun begin. She will chase that laser across the floor, into other rooms, up the wall, outside, into the dryer, around the corner, under the bed, and just about anywhere you point it. Try not to point it at other people (unless you really don't like that person), on furniture, or anything you don't want your feline companion to accidentally scratch or knock over. This can keep you and your cat entertained for hours, not to mention it is good exercise for your cat and good laughs for you.

Bit of History

When cats run home and light is come,
And dew is cold upon the ground,
And the far-off stream is dumb,
And the whirring sail goes round,
And the whirring sail goes round;
Alone and warming his five wits,
The white owl in the belfry sits.

—Alfred Tennyson (1809–1892)

3-Pet grass-This is one of the most overlooked options that pet owners completely miss. Pet grass is just a patch of specially designed grass for your pet to play in. Most people don't realize that grass is a natural part of most animals' diets. It aids in digestion, constipation, nausea, and other digestive problems. You cat (or dog) instinctively knows this and eats it when necessary. Aside from being a good health supplement, it can also be a fun thing for your cat. Cats can tend to have an over active imagination. Their little patch of pet grass can be anything they want. To them, it can be a jungle or a green toy that moves when she runs her paws through it. Occasionally your pet grass will get a bug or two in it. This is perfectly ok. It's grass. Grass gets bugs. Bugs can be hours of entertainment. You cat loves chasing and tormenting them, and you enjoy watching them chase and torment the poor bugs.

4-Homeade toys-You can go to the store and buy your cat a fifty-dollar pet toy. You can fork out the money and buy the top of the line pet toys. Your cat will then ironically have a cruel since of humor. She may annoy you by ignoring the expensive gift because she is more interested in the packaging it came in. It makes crinkling noises and slides on the floor. She will entertain herself for a good while with, not the toys, but the package it came in. After doing this a few times, you will probably stop buying the expensive toys and get creative at home making stuff. Two things that cats go nuts over will give you a solid example: throw a balled up piece of aluminum foil at your cat. She will chase it all over. Fill a sock up with a few pieces of catnip and tie it off. Throw it to your cat and watch her go nuts!

5-Give into their demands-If all else fails, give into the purring and meowing and pet your cat. Sounds simple, but she can be content for hours just sitting in your lap. When she has had enough of you, she will politely excuse herself.

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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Curious Cats - Five Ways to Keep Them Entertained and Pampered" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by DogsPetsCats.com.

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