Playtime is an important part of a cat’s daily routine, just like sleeping and grooming. When you play with your kitty, you can help them stay healthy, physically and mentally. Your cat will also learn to interact with you and other pets more successfully if they get used to the activity from a young age.
There are 45.3 million households in the USA with cats today, and it is important everyone knows how to productively engage them to prevent any accidents.
But the best way to avoid any accidents with your cat is to play responsibly and keep an eye on your feline friend at all times. Here are our top five tips for ensuring a safe playtime with your kitty.
1. Keep an Eye on Your Cat
Don’t let your cat be in the presence of very young children or other animals in an unsupervised environment. According to Psychology Today, cats need the house set up for them in an appropriate manner. Contrary to popular belief, cats do need a lot of attention from their human parents, but on their terms.
Don’t let your cats play with other pets or dogs who could hurt them unintentionally while playing together. Cats often want to chase after small rodents and birds outside, so make sure they’re secure inside if you have such pests around the house.
While playing, if your cat gets a cut or scratch on their skin, treat it immediately using an antibiotic ointment. Make sure the wound is cleaned, rinsed, and dried before putting on the ointment. If the wound is deep, consider checking with your vet.
For handling emergencies, you should stock your first-aid box with Triple Antibiotic Ointment for cats to prevent any infection at the site of the wound. You can check reliable online resources for buying such ointments to ensure you never run out of stock.
2. Give Your Cat Space
Cats are known for being independent and self-sufficient, so it’s important to give them space to do their own thing. Cats need a safe place of their own where they can feel secure. Provide a bed or blanket in a quiet corner to ensure they are not stressed.
If your cat is used to having his litter box, food and water bowl, and toys, it can be frustrating when someone else tries to change these things.
Cats love scratching posts because they like having a place where they can stretch out their muscles and scratch away those dead skin cells.
3. Provide Toys for Engagement
Cats love to play with toys. The right toys can help your cat exercise and release energy when you’re not able to give them the attention they need.
Choose the right toys for your kitty’s personality type. Make sure that whatever toys you select are appropriate for their age, size, and level of activity. In 2021, cat owners spent around $41 on toys on average, reports the APPA National Pet Owner’s Survey. APPA is short for American Pet Products Association.
Don’t leave any potential choking hazards lying around. Don’t let them play with anything dangerous, like string or yarn, which can get wrapped around their neck and choke them.
There are tons of different types of cat toys available today, from simple catnip mice that will have your furry friend chasing after them all day long to more complex puzzles that require some problem-solving skills on your cat’s part. Ensure all toys are made of non-toxic materials.
4. Clean Toys Regularly
Be aware of what materials are in the toy. Clean and wash toys to prevent germs from infecting your cat.
If your cat has ingested any part of a toy in the past and has been fine, then you should probably just leave well enough alone and continue trusting their ability to tell when something’s off.
If you have doubts about whether certain parts are safe for your kitty (and you should), make sure all parts of the toy get soaked with cleaner before rinsing thoroughly and letting it dry completely before giving it back to your furry friend.
5. Adopt Precautions While Outdoors
Now that you know how to navigate the indoors safely, it’s time to tackle the outdoors.
If you do decide to let your furry friend go out without supervision, make sure they’re wearing a harness so they won’t get lost while exploring their surroundings.
While most cats enjoy being outside, there are some risks involved. For one thing, your cat can escape from your yard and become lost or injured. You can avoid this by installing a fence around your yard, make sure it’s high enough so that the cat can’t climb over.
You can also set up an outdoor enclosure for them to play in. Don’t forget to close any doors leading into the area.
The bottom line is that you should take care to ensure safe playtime for your cat. This can be done by keeping an eye on your kitty, giving it space, having permanent storage for toys, cleaning them before and after playtime, with special attention paid to loose threads, and not allowing your cat to go too high up.
With these tips in mind, we hope that you’re ready to start playing with your feline friend.
