Today we are going to talk about toys, specifically about the benefits of intelligence games for cats. Do you know what they are?
If you have a cat at home, you already know that they are independent, intelligent, curious and very energetic animals that enjoy playing. However, you should know that, beyond entertainment, cat toys provide our beloved kitties with multiple benefits. Playing is one of the best tools for them to learn how to relate, to know the limits and to keep their senses active.
When our cats play, they learn and practice behaviours that will become part of their character when they reach adulthood. In addition, they encourage their natural predatory instinct, which, in addition to requiring a lot of physical activity, also requires great mental concentration.
However, if we do not encourage the development of this type of behaviour, not only will we have an inactive, bored and frustrated cat, but it may also end up developing excessive stress and aggressive behaviour. Therefore, whether you live in a small apartment or have a large house with a garden, your cat will need to be busy to feel satisfied. Therefore, it is essential to encourage play by providing it with the appropriate feline toys for its healthy development.
What types of intelligence toys for cats are most recommended?
Interactive toys for cats are ideal for promoting the development of their intelligence. It should be noted that cats are very curious and restless animals, so these games, in addition to stimulating their predatory instincts, also force them to work their minds.
These types of games usually consist of moving pieces that arouse their curiosity and that they try to move themselves. For example, we can find plastic balls to put inside some type of food that our cat likes. But we can also opt for mobile structures with balls that move using levers and holes, with textures that are very attractive to them.
But smart food dispensers are also a fantastic option to encourage cats’ curiosity. Some of them are shaped like a maze to hide the treats and force our feline to be creative in order to get them.
Sensory stimulation to promote cats’ intelligence
Sensory stimulation is essential to enriching our felines’ environment. Therefore, in addition to providing them with toys to keep them active, we also have to include elements in our home that promote their acuity.
Visual and sound stimuli
A cat can spend the whole day looking out the window, but if it spends the day longing for unattainable prey, it can cause a lot of frustration. You can also show it videos of other cats on an electronic device , but it is important to select the content and sounds well to spark its interest. Don’t forget that cats have their own way of feeling and understanding the world.
Olfactory stimuli
Smell plays a fundamental role in cats’ understanding of the world. For this reason, encouraging the development of their olfactory abilities is also key to their intelligence. In this sense, catnip is one of the best elements to awaken their curiosity. You can find more information in our article “ What are the best herbs for cats? ”
