The soft and agile body, the f•≈₹lexible claws, the large and st₩≥rong fangs and excellent ¶≤Ω•vision and hearing, these×¥β₹ characteristics of the cats ma₩ ©ke them natural hunters. They are sm✘¥£εart and alert, they yearn for freedom.  σ‍ But now cats as a domestic animal have had a hε≠ard time having the opportunity to sho✔↓w their hunter attributes. They c≈>an only spend time sleeping a₹$©&nd dazing.

With the deepening of people's understandi‌σng of cats, some owners sta•σ>rted to prepare some toys for thei→¥★r own masters to help them release $♣✘their instincts and instincts, but found t≥∑↓hat the toys bought back rarelΩ>y attracted the interest of cats. Man¥✘ y toy cats also play♥∏ ed for a day or two Will not touch ×¥φ¶it.

Only prey, no toys

As we have mentioned beπ fore, cats are born hu  ±nters, so in the world of c↑≠♣↑ats, there is no concept↓§ of play, and no such thing as toys exi€₩≥sts. All behaviors that we humans see as entertai×★nment are actually cats doing↕₩ hunting training. Because cats are solita¶γ £ry animals and they are small↕♦∏​er, their hunting success rγ∞€‌ate in nature is very l< ow. Only by continuously pβ​ ♣racticing your own hunting skills can you incre☆₽ase the success rate of hunting to s✔γurvive in nature. Studies have shown that mo☆✘¥¶st cats spend at least eight hours a day practiciδ§‍ng hunting skills.

Although most cats do not have∑&★≤ the pressure to survive, this ≥€&blood instinct has been passed down from generat¥"ion to generation. Therefore, wh•αen choosing toys for cats, you must pay attentio&δn to their instincts. That is, t φ✔he toys you choose for them"∏♦  must be more like prey that they canα★ hunt in nature.

This toy generally ha€ ÷★s the following three characteristics:

First, the toys must be moveable so that t©∑$∑he cat treats them as prey.

Second, the surface of the to£™§↑y is covered with feathers or fur. This ≈‍↕‍appearance is closer to the prey★ε>α that the cat can kill i↓♦δπn nature, and it can attract₽×φ the cat's attention.

Third, the smell that cats like. Feline≈™↑s are very sensitive to smel★∞l, so when choosing a toy, t£×>≤he owner can consider pro♦✔ ducts that incorporat§✘π¥e the cat's favorite odorφ↑  into the toy, such as catnβ∏§λip or alfalfa.

At present, there are many t∞™¶ypes of cat toys on the market, but there are ‍∞α‍not many products that ±∏can integrate these three characteristφ₩←€ics into toys. Most of them ↑"have only one or two. Therefore, the owner can ∑≥try toys with different combinations of c£₩•haracteristics according to the characte↔☆ristics of his cat.Such as leather mice &≤(will move + the surface is covered with fu‌γ∏r), stuffing toys (will move + the smell of &γ cats) and so on.

In addition, it should b<≈★'e noted that cat toys must$γφ  be sturdy and can withstand the cat's grasp, bΩδ€♠ite, slap, and pounce. Those toys that are §∏easy to fall off are easily ingested by cats↓¥€ and accidents occur.

How to play with cat toys?

Although there are thousands of types of cat toαβys, they can be roughly divided into t ↑hree types in terms of usage:

The first is interactive, that is, toys t÷×αεhat require the owner to play with the cat, such₹< as funny cat sticks and handheld laser li$‍ghts, are more typical int→←¶eractive cat toys.

The second is a self-entertainment type, whiδ★≤ch is a toy that cats can play w™≤‍ithout the help of others, such as™∏• leather mice, cat tables, electric balls, and s↕✔>∑o on. This toy is more suitable ‌←‍∏for office workers or™&→ owners who don't hav✘ e much time to play wit☆‌¥h cats.

The third type is an automatic operation∞© type. This type of toy is a toy that can attr®​★☆act the cat's attention through its own m♠±ovement. The electric funny cat stick ‌ σand trackball we usually see ar₹‍Ωe this type of toy.

The three types of toys have their own advantage♥φ®δs, and each owner can choose differenεβΩδt toys according to the situation oΩ☆ f his family and the chara★♠cteristics of the cat. Th∏↓​e first type of interactive toys is suit♣•€able for families who are not very busy and ≤✘<§have time to play with cats. The¶™₽• second and third types of toys are suitaαπφ♥ble for office workers or families¶•♣ who don't have time to spend with cats​₹ Ω.

In addition, when usin←₩<"g interactive toys, the owner needs to pay attentφλσion to the method of using the tε≤&βoy, because the toy may be different in the e÷Ω≈≠yes of the owner and the cat. Therefore, it↑γ is necessary for the owner to learn to adoptδδ a method suitable for his©<↔∏ own cat and correctly guide ↑π¥™the cat to use toys. Depending on the naγ  ture of the toy and the≥≥ ₹ cat's usual habits, measu​σ res can be taken to attract the™₽ cat's attention. For ←≠example, we can use cat sticks to imitate theΩ₽₩™ movements of animals such as≈₹π snakes and rats to stimu₩∞δlate the hunting nature of  ♦cats.

The new cat and the old cat

A cat is a very curious animal.δ©€ It likes freshness and loves☆"↓♥ old and new. He Jun, a wel±​₩l-known domestic pet tra☆βαiner, once mentioned in a ↑π&lecture that cats need 21 different toys th¶Ωσroughout their lives, which is based o♣¥×↓n this characteristic of cat♦♦∑€s. If only one toy is pr•♦epared, there is no way✔'π to satisfy the cat.

Dudu's suggestion is to give the cat at leas•☆t three different toys $≥every day to practice "hunti σ£€ng", and at least to ensure that πγthe types of toys are not the same every week☆γ™. And each kind of toy can't let the cat play f₽→or too long at a tim✘‍λ<e, it is best to let the cat play a ε¶toy for no more than ten minutes, s♦≠×o as to keep the cat's interest in toys.™€φΩ

In fact, it is not just cats. Many ↔™domestic animals that have™® become pets after hu→αman domestication actually retain some o✔₩f their former instincts, but the ππ​living environment suppresses this part‌ Ω™ of their instincts. Therefore, pe€εt owners should consider issues from their perspeε÷↓ctive in daily life, and r∑φelease their instincts when condβ✘★σitions allow, so that they ca∏‌n enjoy life more freely and ≥>←✘more comfortably.