The soft and agile body©λ>, the flexible claws, σ∞₩the large and strong fangs and excellent vision §​$and hearing, these characteristics of the£•φ cats make them natural hunte∞←>£rs. They are smart and alert, ₹₩♥&they yearn for freedom. But now cats as a domes↓<αφtic animal have had a h‌☆ard time having the opportunitγ™y to show their hunter attributes.≥© They can only spend time sleeping and≤✔☆ dazing.

With the deepening of people's understanding γ↕δof cats, some owners started to prepar¶±♠e some toys for their own masters ←‌♦to help them release their instincts a♥≥nd instincts, but found that th≠✔★e toys bought back rarely attracted the inter‍‍est of cats. Many toy cats also played for ≈"Ωa day or two Will not touch it.

Only prey, no toys

As we have mentioned befo₽×re, cats are born hunters, so in the wor ↑λld of cats, there is no concept of play∏ , and no such thing as•∞€≥ toys exists. All behaviors that we h→σσumans see as entertainment are actuall¶£y cats doing hunting training. Because cats ar±≤¶e solitary animals and t≤φ≤Ωhey are smaller, their hunting success rate inφ'​ nature is very low. Only by continuously >•σpracticing your own hunting skiβ$Ωγlls can you increase the success rate∏φ of hunting to survive in natuφδ¥re. Studies have shown tha±©$t most cats spend at least eight <÷↓hours a day practicing hun≥∞©ting skills.

Although most cats do not h∞≈≈βave the pressure to survi₽ ve, this blood instinct has↔≈ been passed down from generation to'γ" generation. Therefore,♠✔ when choosing toys for cats, ☆ you must pay attention to their instinc•"γts. That is, the toys you choose f"£‍ or them must be more like prey that they can ₽§↕hunt in nature.

This toy generally has the£♣ following three chara≠π≠cteristics:

First, the toys must be moveable so that the ca® ≠t treats them as prey.

Second, the surface of the toy i↑ §s covered with feathers or fur. Thi✘× ​s appearance is closer to the prey that the ∑α♣​cat can kill in nature, and it can attract☆∑ the cat's attention.

Third, the smell that cats like. Felα ines are very sensitive to φβ smell, so when choosing​<✘≤ a toy, the owner can consider prα¥≠≤oducts that incorporate the cat's favorite odor↓☆☆ into the toy, such as catni'¥>∞p or alfalfa.

At present, there are ma→≤★​ny types of cat toys on thβ♠e market, but there are →≥not many products that can integrate these tππ±hree characteristics into toys. Most δ↔of them have only one or two. Therefor€$e, the owner can try toys w↑★" ith different combinations ☆✘♠"of characteristics according to t±πhe characteristics of his cat.Such as leather mi∏‌ce (will move + the surface is ≥‍≥covered with fur), stuffing toys (will☆₽‌♦ move + the smell of cats) and so♣♣¶ on.

In addition, it shoφ£uld be noted that cat toys must be sturd∞✔δ♦y and can withstand the cat's gra♣α₩sp, bite, slap, and pounce. Those ☆πtoys that are easy to fall of₹× f are easily ingested by cats→★≠ and accidents occur.

How to play with cat toys?

Although there are thousβ♠ands of types of cat to♠α∞♦ys, they can be roughly divided →≤‍÷into three types in terms of usage:

The first is interactive, that is, t∞<§φoys that require the owner to play with t↔∏>he cat, such as funny cat s↑₹ticks and handheld laser lig‌₹ hts, are more typical interactive cat toysβ'.

The second is a self-enter♣←σtainment type, which is a toy that cats ca♣<n play without the help of ot☆÷&hers, such as leather mice, cat t‌×ables, electric balls, an±‍¥<d so on. This toy is more suitable  ★for office workers or owne‌​÷λrs who don't have much time to play with cats.

The third type is an automatic op>ΩΩ&eration type. This type of t€✔oy is a toy that can attract t‍♠he cat's attention through Ω∞•its own movement. The electric funny cat st&♠®↕ick and trackball we usually see arδ•e this type of toy.

The three types of toys ha↔®♠ve their own advantages, an∏$d each owner can choose different toys accordi<&ng to the situation of h®♣is family and the characteristics of the cat. The£±β‌ first type of inter≈π♠¶active toys is suitable for fa∞'‌→milies who are not very busy and have time to ¶&♥play with cats. The second ‍ and third types of toys are suitable f♦ε♠∑or office workers or families who doεπn't have time to spend with cats.

In addition, when using interactiv↔•e toys, the owner needs to pay at$±♥tention to the metho♣β≥d of using the toy, because λ♣&¶the toy may be different &£♦in the eyes of the owner and the ca♦←t. Therefore, it is necessary for the ownerλ​α© to learn to adopt a method suitable for ♦∞≤✘his own cat and correctly guide the cat to us​"e toys. Depending on the nature of the toy and th ↓e cat's usual habits, measures can be taken  δ↓₽to attract the cat's$• attention. For example, we can use cat sticks t€σ o imitate the movements of an↕&×∏imals such as snakes a₽≈​€nd rats to stimulate the hu‌& πnting nature of cats.

The new cat and the old cat

A cat is a very cur<→‌ious animal. It likes£σ→ freshness and loves o&"♣ld and new. He Jun, a well-‍λknown domestic pet tra♥λ ₹iner, once mentioned i₽&¶αn a lecture that cats need 21 differen>•λεt toys throughout thei₹>γ♥r lives, which is based on this characterisα$ tic of cats. If only one toy is prepared, tβ♣here is no way to sa©>tisfy the cat.

Dudu's suggestion is to give the cat at le ‍ast three different toy↓★×s every day to practice "hunting", an✘•≠ d at least to ensure that the types >♣♦of toys are not the same every week. And each kin↕ε←→d of toy can't let the cat play for too long at aγ→γ time, it is best to let the cat play a toy for >♦no more than ten minutes, so as to keep the c®★₩at's interest in toys.

In fact, it is not just cats. Many domestic a®¥‌→nimals that have become pets after h₩← uman domestication actuγ♣ally retain some of their former in↕≈₹stincts, but the living enσΩvironment suppresses ™≈£>this part of their instincts.∑↔ Therefore, pet owners ∑±‌♦should consider issues from thei€&≤σr perspective in daily>€ life, and release the₽&™ir instincts when conditions allow, so th​‌at they can enjoy life more freely a"™¥nd more comfortably.