Playing With An Older Cat

Is your kitty starting to slow down? Our feline friends start out as tiny balls of friskiness and energy, but they gradually lose steam over time. Once Fluffy reaches her senior years, she’ll be more interested in napping than wreaking havoc with your plants and shoelaces. However, she’ll still both enjoy and benefit from regular play sessions. A Wheat Ridge, CO vet offers some advice on this below.

Understand The Benefits

Playing is great for kitties, both physically and mentally. All that running, jumping, and pouncing really helps keep cats fit and healthy. That becomes very important as they age! Senior cats spend most of their time snoozing, napping, or sleeping. This is cute, but it makes it quite easy for them to get out of shape. Your furry pal will also benefit from the mental stimulation playing offers. Timing those tricky pounces is wonderful for Fluffy’s brain, rather like doing a crossword puzzle is for humans.

Do It Daily

Cats are very much creatures of habit. You may find that your little buddy follows pretty much the same daily kitty routine for her 23 naps, 5 meals, 2 beauty sessions, and mediations. Try to play with Fluffy every night, at roughly the same time. You may be surprised at how quickly she learns to expect it!

Choose A Safe Spot

Play with Fluffy on a soft rug or carpet. Keep it at floor level: you don’t want your little buddy falling off a bed or sofa! You’ll also want to stay away from stairs, fireplaces, and other potential hazards.

Don’t Worry About Overdoing It

When playing with older pooches, you need to take care not to overexert them. Dogs will really push themselves to please their humans. Cats? Not so much. Most of our feline buddies couldn’t care less about pleasing us. If Fluffy gets tired, she’ll just quit and take a nap.

Enjoy It

Don’t think of kitty playtime as work. It should be fun for you both! Treasure this special time with your feline pal. Don’t be surprised if Fluffy jumps onto your lap afterward for purrs and cuddles. This is her adorable way of thanking you and showing her appreciation for the effort you made to keep her happy.

Please contact us with questions about your pet’s health or care. As your Wheat Ridge, CO pet clinic, we’re here to help!