The soft and agile bod∞☆¥∑y, the flexible claws, the la≥φ∞rge and strong fangs and excellent v  ≤₹ision and hearing, these characteri‍βstics of the cats make them natural hunteππ$rs. They are smart and alert, they yearn for fr∑πeedom. But now cats a ε≤s a domestic animal hav✘©✘™e had a hard time having th♥ε→£e opportunity to show their→β☆ hunter attributes. They can o§₩nly spend time sleeping and ™>↑'dazing.

With the deepening of people's understand§€>αing of cats, some owne≈₽§rs started to prepare soσ÷>me toys for their own mas↔↓♣'ters to help them releas§→e their instincts and i§δ" nstincts, but found t¶ hat the toys bought back rarely attrac€∞ted the interest of cats. Many toy  ≈ ☆cats also played for a day or two Will nσα♣ot touch it.

Only prey, no toys

As we have mentioned before, ca↓↑'•ts are born hunters, so in the w ÷δorld of cats, there is no conce©¶↓​pt of play, and no such thing as←™™♣ toys exists. All behaviors that we humans seeΩ ♣ as entertainment are actually cats ±πdoing hunting training. Because cats are solitar↑¥y animals and they are smaller, the∞®☆ir hunting success rate in nature is very low. O≥÷nly by continuously pracφ≤ticing your own hunting skills can you increase‌'≈ the success rate of hunting to survive in n<λature. Studies have ♣÷shown that most cats <♣spend at least eight hours a day×π¶ practicing hunting skills.

Although most cats do not have the pressure ↕¶φ₽to survive, this blood instinct ≥₹±has been passed down from generation t§β÷o generation. Therefore, when cho€β∞osing toys for cats, you must×☆ pay attention to thei≤ββr instincts. That is, the toys εφ×$you choose for them must be more like prey t×←₹≈hat they can hunt in nature.

This toy generally has the following ±βthree characteristics:

First, the toys must be m§®≠±oveable so that the cat ←  treats them as prey.

Second, the surface of the toy is covered withεπ♦γ feathers or fur. This appearance is closer t↕₩↓o the prey that the cat can kill in nature,γ¥>← and it can attract the cat's attenti≠¥←on.

Third, the smell that cats like. Felines a‌ €re very sensitive to smell, so when chooβ∑₽↔sing a toy, the owner can consider produγ✘∏cts that incorporate the cat' σ's favorite odor into the to δ'y, such as catnip or al&πδ₽falfa.

At present, there are many types of c αat toys on the market, but there ar♥λ↕e not many products th "✔at can integrate these three &§☆‍characteristics into toys. Most ÷ ©of them have only one or two. Ther∑♣efore, the owner can try toys with differ↔ ¥Ωent combinations of characteristics accor✔λ"ding to the characteri§ ♦stics of his cat.Such as leather mice (will move  π ♦+ the surface is covered with fur), stu§★¶≥ffing toys (will mov<​₽e + the smell of cats) and so on.

In addition, it should be noted that cat toys mα♥ust be sturdy and can withstand the cat's∏" grasp, bite, slap, andΩ•♦ pounce. Those toys that are  ®easy to fall off are easily ingested by catδγs and accidents occur.

How to play with cat t®×↕•oys?

Although there are thousandsλ↕∑  of types of cat toys, they can be roughly div♦♦ided into three types in ¶✔terms of usage:

The first is interactive, that is, toys that req★Ω‍εuire the owner to play with the ca ↓t, such as funny cat s ✘ticks and handheld laser lights, are more typi€₽cal interactive cat toys.

The second is a self-entertainment type, whi'≈±ch is a toy that cats c♣™λan play without the help of others, such as le∑Ωπather mice, cat tables, electric balls, and s≥σo on. This toy is more suitable for office worε≈∏<kers or owners who don't have much↔₩™γ time to play with cats.

The third type is an automatic operation t&α★÷ype. This type of toy is a toy tha★π£÷t can attract the cat's attent≤₹ion through its own movement. Thββe electric funny cat stick and trac≤'®kball we usually see are this type♣¶α of toy.

The three types of toys have their own advantage<δs, and each owner can choose different toys ©♠↔>according to the situa©₽< tion of his family and the characteristics of t∑ ¥₩he cat. The first ty‍ ☆pe of interactive toys is suitable fo&≥∑r families who are not ver₹₽y busy and have time to play α≤€with cats. The second a↕₽nd third types of toys are suitable ↔'​for office workers or families who d∏≠ ∏on't have time to spe≠∑☆nd with cats.

In addition, when using interactive≤≤εΩ toys, the owner nee☆∏ ds to pay attention t ¥€♠o the method of using the toy, because the ≈§× toy may be different in the eyes ofγ&λ₹ the owner and the cat. Therefore, it i™←π∑s necessary for the owner to le✘εarn to adopt a method suitable for h÷€♥is own cat and correctly guide the cat to ∑♥ use toys. Depending on the nature of the γδ↔&toy and the cat's usual habits,♥≥ measures can be take  ​αn to attract the cat's ©↕♥attention. For example, ♥ we can use cat sticks to imitate the mπ≠ovements of animals such as snakes and rats¶<≥ to stimulate the hunting nature of cat™£☆λs.

The new cat and the old¥β cat

A cat is a very curious animal'​. It likes freshness and loves old and÷‌ new. He Jun, a well-known d↕ε≤omestic pet trainer, ∏γ•©once mentioned in a lecture that cats need 21 α∏€∏different toys throughout their lives, whi$≈πch is based on this characteristic of cats. If o ∞ πnly one toy is prepared, there is no way t•¥o satisfy the cat.

Dudu's suggestion is to give the cat at l© east three different toys everΩσ←±y day to practice "hΩ✔unting", and at least to ensure that theγ↔✔ types of toys are not the same everλ÷y week. And each kind of toy can't let≥♣φ• the cat play for too long at a time, it is b&δ•est to let the cat pla≠© y a toy for no more than ten minutes, so as to≠★£☆ keep the cat's interest in toys.↔≥¶

In fact, it is not ‌π≥just cats. Many domestic animals that have becom≠​π✘e pets after human dδ☆<omestication actually retain some oλ ¶↑f their former instincts, but th✔↔✔®e living environment suppresses this par§‌$t of their instincts♣α♠↓. Therefore, pet owners&φ± should consider issΩ§×ues from their perspective in daily life, and rβ✔‌♦elease their instincts when co€☆nditions allow, so that they can enjoy life m↕εore freely and more comfortably.