Just after being born, the baby will sleep a lot. After all, it is in a dream that his body can grow and gain strength without hindrance. But already in the 4th week he will confidently stand on his feet, supporting the weight of his own body. It is now that he will begin to be interested in the surrounding space.
From this moment on, the game will firmly enter his life as a way of understanding the world around him. This type of activity helps to achieve several goals simultaneously. During the game the kittens:
· acquire social skills,
realize the hunting instinct,
release energy
· develop muscles,
· Establish contact with the owner.
But in order for all these goals to be achieved, you need not only to teach the kitten to do it correctly, but also to know what you can and cannot do in the game.
The first month of life is a new stage of independence
At this age, furry pets are taken from their mother and given to other owners, because they have already opened their eyes and learned to take their first steps. Many people want to learn how to play with a 1 month old kitten.
At 4 weeks of age, little cubs begin to learn how to jump and balance. At this time, they will already try to eat adult food, but in terms of weight and size they are very small animals.
You may notice that the kitten is very curious. Any rustling or sound will be a signal to him that it is time to play. Therefore, place the animal on a flat surface, take a small cord. If you want to know how to play with a kitten of this age, then remember that he does not have any reaction. While running, he will stagger in different directions. It is difficult for him to focus his eyes on fast movements, so move the lace in front of his paws very slowly and carefully.
At first he will warily watch the unknown object, but then he will try to stop the movement of the lace with an attack.
The second month of life - self-confidence
How to play with a kitten at 2 months? 8 weeks is a critical age for an animal, because if you don’t start raising it at this moment, it will begin to grow wild and unapproachable.
You can play full-fledged games with him, but your pet's focus on objects will still be poor. You can give him a small ball made of cloth or paper. Try teasing your kitten with a string or laser pointer. But again, take your time, give the animal the opportunity to track its target and then attack it.
Store ball
The best commercially available toys are rattling balls. Cats can play with this ball on their own, which, however, is not always convenient for the owners themselves. Giving such a ball to a cat is like giving a tin drum to a human baby. The sound of a rattle at night is guaranteed, but what can’t you do for your beloved animal?
What kind of mouse is this?!!!
Cats are nocturnal animals and their period of activity noticeably intensifies in the evening. At this time, you need to “win” the cat properly, otherwise he will come up with something to do with himself at night. If you don't play with your pet in the evening, you will play at night according to his rules.
The fourth and fifth months of life - the formation of an adult
If you want to know how to play with a kitten at 4-5 months, you must remember that at this age animals become socially active. In their natural environment, they would fight with all their might with their fellows, catch flies and show incredible curiosity.
So how to play with a kitten up to six months? Provide him with predatory games such as hunting, stalking, ambush, snatching, running, attacking. In nature, the target is often a small mouse or insect that its mother cat has brought home for practice. But what if the kitten grows up at home? You can purchase a wind-up artificial mouse or make your own bait on a string using feathers, pieces of paper or fabric.
Mechanism of human understanding
People know that cats have the ability to understand them. They easily remember their nickname and come when called to play. But the pet understands no less well when they begin to scold him.
Communication with the owner occurs at the energy level. Cats cannot understand human language, but they are able to detect the slightest change in their human's mood.
Training occurs at the same energy level. The cat owner should remember simple rules:
- You cannot force an animal to do anything;
- it is necessary to reinforce the training with a treat;
- cats require constant praise and petting during training.
Training a cat at home must be supported by small rewards.
You can buy the treat at the store or prepare it yourself. But you need to remember that the pieces must be very small so that the animal does not get full ahead of time and lose interest in the game.
Some cats will agree to play for a piece of dry food. But in most cases, the pet will prefer fish or meat. The most delicious treats that a novice trainer should prepare are:
- salmon;
- tuna;
- beef;
- chicken liver;
- canned meat.
All treats that the animal eats during training must be taken into account in the daily diet and reduced accordingly. Giving fried, salty or fatty foods is prohibited. The ideal treat is one that can be broken up into small pieces, has an attractive scent, and can be thrown on the floor for your cat to catch or pick up.
How to control the game
Of course, if you have several small pets in the house, then cheering them up will not be difficult. If only because kittens often play with each other, every now and then attacking and biting their brothers.
Remember to train your pet is another tip for playing with your kitten at home. Any activity can awaken the predator in your animal. He doesn't understand that you shouldn't scratch or bite hard, but he will do it if you let him. Let your pet understand that you are the boss of the house, and willfully damaging the furniture and your body is not allowed.
Homemade products
Weave a simple braid from a linen cord and tie a knot at the end - your pet will be happy to chase such an impromptu mouse. It’s more likely that the owner will feel dizzy than the cat will stop running in circles. Have you decided to remake an old fur coat or found pieces of faux fur? Fabulous! Tie this flap, having first rolled it with the nap outward, to a string and your pet will rush to hug you.
Although no, all his attention for the next few hours will be given to this new wonderful mouse. And it doesn’t matter that it’s not real, cats understand perfectly well what a toy is and, most importantly, they love and know how to play. You can make beautiful artificial birds by tying a bunch of feathers to an improvised short fishing rod.
When making toys for animals, it is important to follow general safety rules for all objects that a small person or animal plays with. Small parts that could be swallowed during play are excluded; the materials from which the toy is made must not contain toxic substances and be durable so that the animal cannot eat pieces of broken homemade products.
A simple skein of thread is unbridled fun for kitty
Hide and seek
Few people have thought about how to play hide and seek with a cat at home. But this is the fun that animals like the most, because they can show the skills of their inner predator.
To engage your kitten in this game, you need to make eye contact. Wait until the animal is in a part of the room where you can see it. Hide behind a door or other object, and then stick your head out so your kitten can see it. If your pet is passionate about something, then call him with some sound. As soon as he looks at you, you need to hide. Repeat the action several times, but with the condition that you always look your pet straight in the eyes.
This way you can interest him. The kitten will see you playing with it and will begin to move in your direction to discover the place where you are hiding. As soon as the pet runs up to you, it can meow characteristically, as if urging you to continue the game.
Don't stop there. Quickly change the place where you will hide. And from there again establish eye contact, periodically looking out from the ambush.
Why doesn't the cat want to play?
You can make such a toy yourself by using old gloves and putting a treat in one of your fingers. A sufficiently trained cat can not only quickly find treats, but also find the toy itself hidden in the house.
Exercise is very important for your cat's health because it helps relieve stress, avoid boredom, improve circulation, maintain muscle tone, and prevent or reduce behavioral problems.
With that said, you want to give your cat plenty of room to move around, and there's no better way to do this than by using toys that satisfy their natural instincts to chase and catch prey.
Does your cat or kitten refuse to play every time? With the exception of illness, there are not many reasons: either she is tired of old toys, or you have previously made mistakes while playing with her. But saving the situation is easy. If your cat is tired of the toy, try putting it away for a while. Then the animal will forget about it, and after a couple of weeks, perhaps, it will happily attack the same mouse again.
Sometimes, if a cat doesn’t like a toy, it won’t even play with similar ones. For example, your pet loves wind-up mice, but phlegmatically moves her antennae on the pillow when a ball bounces on the floor. If you want to entertain your cat, just suck it up and accept the cat's preferences! It is best to diversify the game with something else, for example, a scratching post toy.
Adult cats are calmer than kittens. If earlier the smell of unattainable litter or catnip aroused her frantic interest, now your pet has decided not to succumb to such tricks anymore. To keep your cat entertained at home, try introducing a reward system to encourage your cat to be physically active. It won't take much time, but it will create interest!
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Do not worry! Remember: a cat loves and wants to play, but sometimes she needs variety, or needs a different time and place to play. Perhaps now your cat or kitten just wants to relax and soak up the litter, and is not at all bored and is waiting for you to somehow entertain it.
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You won’t believe it, but cats also love to run after a ball and bring it in their teeth to their owner. It will not be possible to accustom them to this the first time, because you need to interest the pet. Let's find out how to play “Fetch!” with a kitten.
- First, prepare a comfortable ball for the animal. Since they always bring it in their teeth, it should be made of comfortable material. Some people prefer crumpled paper, while other pets love a fabric ball. Making your first toy is not that difficult, the main thing is to take a landscape sheet, as it is denser and safer. Do not use a newspaper or magazine, because the kitten will take the ball in its teeth and slobber on it, which means that toxic substances from the printing ink will enter its body, albeit in small quantities. Making a fabric ball is much more difficult. It is best to take an old cotton T-shirt or T-shirt, then cut a long strip 1-2 centimeters wide from it, and then roll it into a tight ball.
- Secondly, don't make the toy too big. It will be extremely difficult for a small kitten to hold a large ball in its teeth.
- Thirdly, when you have prepared the attribute for the game, it’s time to start having fun. Draw the kitten's attention to the ball by moving it across the surface of the sofa. When the animal becomes interested in the toy, throw it at a distance of 3-5 meters. If your living space allows, you can throw the ball much further - it will even be more interesting for the kitten.
When the pet catches up with the ball, in most cases it will begin to kick it on the floor, as if playing football. Give him the opportunity to frolic, and when you notice that he is tired or bored with this game, then take the ball, return to the starting position, and then throw it again in the same place. By repeating this procedure, you will see how the kitten gradually gets acquainted with new possibilities. One day he will realize that you always throw him a ball, so he will take it in his teeth and put it at your feet.
When to start raising a kitten, how and what to teach it
The optimal age for parenting occurs immediately after the adaptation period. Be attentive to the kitten's habits if it is more than 3 months old. It is extremely important to correct your pet’s behavior gently, in a playful or rewarding way. Don’t even think about hitting a kitten for training purposes; this will make your pet more nervous and timid, but not at all obedient. Avoid stressful situations until the kitten is 6 months old:
- Frequent arrivals of guests, noisy parties or celebrations. Yes, it is a sacrifice, but it is made to strengthen your pet's psyche.
- Walking on a leash is of no use to the baby; he needs to fully explore the home, every cabinet and every shelf. In addition, a pet that has not received vaccination should not come into contact with street animals, as this is fraught with viral diseases, sometimes fatal.
- Punishment - at this age, the kitten is very pliable and its behavior must be corrected exclusively with positive motivation.
Cats are very receptive to training up to a year, this period is quite enough to master basic skills. The first priority is litter box training. On the very first day, keep an eye on the baby, as soon as he starts to “fumble” in search of the toilet, transfer him to the tray. If you don't have time, quickly blot up the puddle with a paper napkin and place it in the tray. Even 2-month-old kittens have a keen sense of smell and rely on it when searching for a litter box.
Try to take the kitten to the toilet 15–20 minutes after feeding and stay with the baby until he relieves himself. It is worth refraining from frequent cleaning of the tray, since fresh litter does not have a characteristic odor. Keep the trophy napkin (or replace it with a piece of cloth), praise your ward every time until the habit of going to the litter box is established.
Every free minute should be spent communicating with your pet. Stroke the kitten, comb it unobtrusively, scratch behind the ears (in the future, you will accustom the cat to cleaning its ears and it should trust you). Many owners report that the kitten scratches, bites, or displays playful aggression. From the first days, avoid the kitten playing with your hands, use toys!
At the age of 4–5 months, kittens are actively exploring the world around them; this process should not be hindered. The acquisition of survival skills in the outside world is referred to by a very broad term - socialization. Do not forbid your child to explore different surfaces; he must understand that he can fall from a height, and that he can slip on plastic.
During the socialization process, your pet must learn to communicate with other people and animals. Whenever possible, but not too often, invite guests into your home who know how to handle cats. Encourage your kitten's curiosity and desire to make contact. If the baby got scared and hid, acquaintance with “strangers” should be postponed until a later age.
At about 5-6 months, the kitten will begin to sharpen its claws and this is the time to get used to the scratching post. According to the recommendation of animal psychologists, there should be several scratching posts, at least one of them is located at the front door, the rest in places convenient for the cat. In practice, adult cats make do with just one scratching post.
After receiving vaccination, if you wish, the kitten can be accustomed to a leash and walks. It is better to postpone the start of training to the warm season, when there is tall grass on the lawns. At first, the cat will feel insecure and should not be let off the hook. An indicator of readiness to come down to earth is a calm meal in your arms (when you are outside). Walking carries the risk of ticks, fleas and other parasites, so do not forget about prevention.
If you have the opportunity, introduce your ward to other cats at the age of 6–7 months. Perhaps your neighbors have a friendly four-legged animal and the cats can become friends for periodic games. The only way to be sure that your pet needs friends is to try. Some cat breeds are very jealous; such pets do not want to meet other animals or walk outside.
Over the age of six months, a kitten needs to be accustomed to unexpected things, for example, loud noises or unusual surroundings in the house. Your cat will be with you for 10–15 years, which means that she will have to go through more than one renovation, possibly having children or moving. Of course, you shouldn’t organize courses for a young fighter, but your ward should know that you are always ready to protect and reassure him.
Do you like to play with your cat? No surprise! Games help not only to have fun, but also to establish more friendly and warm relationships with your pet, and also teach the cat to communicate with other animals and people. However, this is not all the benefits of games! If you wish, you can teach your cat to perform various tricks and commands and unleash its creative potential to the fullest!
Remember at least 10 simple games that you can play with your kitten, delighting your pet with your unusual inventions!
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The kitten begins to get involved in play from the first month of life. At the same time, he develops habits, character and attitude towards the owner. At this time, a mouse on a string or a small wind-up toy is perfect for playing. The main rule is to stop playing if the kitten attacks you with its claws extended. The animal must feel the boundaries of permitted behavior from an early age, otherwise all subsequent games will turn into a battle with serious consequences.
From about the 35th day of life, the kitten learns to stand on its hind legs. At this time, his muscles strengthen and flexibility develops. Let your baby climb over obstacles and “box” objects - a tree house and tumbler toys are perfect for this. At the same time, he develops a hunting instinct, when the baby begins to show greater activity and becomes restless. At this time, pay him a little more attention - play with a laser pointer and balls, turn on “catch games” on the tablet.
Experts recommend adopting a kitten at least 7 weeks old. Until this time, babies next to their mother learn to play with each other, hunt and show character. If you do end up with a baby, try to pay attention to her and play more often. This is necessary to establish contact, trust, and affection with the owner.
You can take a walk
Did you know that cats are extremely curious creatures? They get to know the world throughout their lives, using their powerful sense of smell. If you introduce your pet to new objects, then believe me, it will become something like a game for him. When buying new goods, processing foods during cooking, show them to your kitten - he will happily sniff everything, but only once. When he gets acquainted with any smell, it becomes uninteresting to him at a certain moment.
You can accustom your pet to the street from a young age. To do this, it is best to use a comfortable harness that will prevent the kitten from escaping. Try to walk your animal away from noisy highways, large numbers of people and away from dogs.
