Tips For Playing With Kittens

Have you recently adopted a kitten? Congratulations! It’s amazing how much love and joy a little bundle of fur and claws can bring into your life. Fluffy’s adorable toddler phase goes by pretty fast, but for now, you may have your hands full keeping your frisky little buddy out of mischief. Read on as an Omaha, NE vet offers some ‘purrfect’ advice on playing with your pint-sized pet.

Do It Often

Playing with your feline friend is a great way to make her feel loved and safe. It’s also good for her both mentally and physically. Try to work at least a few minutes of kitty playtime into your schedule every day.

Don’t Encourage Rough Play

We know, it’s cute when kittens pounce on your fingers or toes. It’s best to nip that bad habit in the bud, though. You’ll have a much easier time instilling good habits in a kitten than you would breaking bad habits in a full-grown adult cat. If your feisty feline tries to attack you, tell her ‘No’ in a firm, disapproving tone. You can also say ‘Play nice’ or ‘Don’t bite’ or ‘Put your claws away.’ The main thing is to use the same phrasing every time. If little Fluffy doesn’t get the hint, blow in her face and then ignore her for a while. She’ll figure it out eventually!

Put Wand Toys Aside After Use Wand toys are both fun and challenging for little Fluffy. It’s also a good way to teach her to attack her toys, and not you. Just remember to put these away after each use. Your kitten could get tangled up if she tries to use them by herself!

Take Away Unsafe Toys

Cats are hunters by nature. Little Fluffy will be very involved and interested in mastering all those claws and teeth, and she’ll want to practice on, well, everything. This can be pretty dangerous! Don’t let your furry friend play with anything that might be unsafe. This includes small or sharp objects, wires and cords, toxic plants, medications, and plastic bags and ties.

Get Lots Of Pictures

You can never have too many photos of a kitten hard at play. Take lots of pics of your furry little friend!

As your local Omaha, NE animal hospital, we’re dedicated to helping your tiny furball grow into a happy, healthy adult. Call us anytime!