| Playtime!!! A Critical Activity For Your Siberian |
| As I mentioned on the Siberian Characteristics page, Sibs love to play - and LIVE to play. "Life is game, and we, its players" (Wm Shakespere) Play is important for physical exercise for your Siberian, as well as mental exercise, so that they don't become bored (altho', Siberians make up their own games to keep themselves occupied, so I rarely think of them as bored). Play is also important to make sure that your Sib companion does not pack on unwanted weight. They will be big enough as it is at maturity! |
1. Cat Tree 2. Wand with feathers (da bird or similar) 3. A toy box or basket 4. A sisal scratching post (this is play as well as grooming) 5. Interactive toy for while you are gone (can just be a sibling) 6. Some fuzzy little toys they can carry in their mouth that won't fall apart |
| 1. Stalk & "kill" the prey (can be another pet; or the belt on your robe; or pretend with the stuffed mouse from the playbox; or a live bug! Or YOU are the prey, and they will chase after your legs and try to grab them - this becomes a game of tag then) 2. Work a Puzzle (water, running, with or without ice cubes!!), an interactive activity 3. Soccer (or some prefer to call it hockey) - a soft toy or ball to bat around on the floor - hardwood or laminate floors work the best. Of course, this is also why at least monthly you have to check under your furniture for usually a 'glut' of 'lost' toys 4. Wrestling - Sibs wrestle very aggressively with other cats - it looks and sounds like they are really fighting and going to hurt each other, but this is all a part of 'playtime'. NOTE: A SERIOUS cat fight is a much more frightening experience for those watching - the growls turn into screams, the hisses turn into aggressive 'spitting', and the two can be almost impossible to separate (if you are worried when they are wrestling, clapping your hands, or yelling 'hey' at them is likely to make them stop. If it is REAL cat fight, the only thing that will separate the cats is likely to be a wet towel. NEVER EVER pick up a cat or put your hands near a cat during a REAL cat fight. You will become the victim of possibly a nasty cat bite, and in the least, multiple scratches. Cat bites become infected nearly 100% of the time (ok, so it is about 85% of the time - but if you have a fairly deep puncture wound, you need to have it taken care of at the doctor's office or an urgent care center within a couple of hours - the infection spreads fast and you can end up hospitalized within 12 hours or less and on Intravenous antibiotics, instead of just getting pill antibiotics from the doctor and treating yourself at home!) 5. Racing 6. High Jump 7. Tree climbing 8. Chase your human's toes 9. Untie your human's shoelaces 10. (Gently) Attack your human's head at 4:30 a.m. while they are still sleeping 11. Play fetch with your human - some Sibs are BETTER at fetch than their canine counterparts 12. Tag (your it!) 13. Catch that long fuzzy thing that is stuck on my hind end (tail-chase) |
| Catnip: Glorious 'Weed' for your Feline |
| Critical toys & play items to purchase (or make) for your Sib |
| What Playtime games are important to your Sib? |
| Some interactive toys that can be purchased, and have the Siberian Cat Seal of Approval (2 Dew Claws Up) |
| The Great (?) Outdoors |
| Cat Tree - Sibs love climbing and heights - the taller, the better, and maybe more than one |
| Feather wand - draws out the hunting instincts in your 'beast', and is fun and games for them and for you - watch kitty JUMP! |
| Toy box or basket - obviously, they will not pick up their toys when you ask them to. But, when you put all their toys in one spot, they then can go and choose what to play with - it becomes a thinking exercise and interactive for them |
| Sisal scratching post - can be part of the cat tree. Why sisal? This rope/twine quality is a natural temptation to scratch for kitty - carpet covered trees teach kitty it is o.k. to scratch on carpeting or the furniture. |
| Interactive Toys - kittens love playmates - so another kitten is the BEST interactive toy. But Siberians, unlike some other breeds, find ways to entertain themselves. You just have to give them the right tools [see next topic] |
| Fuzzy toys - actually small toys of any texture that they can carry in their mouths and bat around on the floor - balls, mousies, crinkle toys, soft pom poms with bells inside |
| - a weed from the mint genus - easy growing for making your own catnip - non-harmful to your cat - great exercise for kitty - great entertainment for moms & dads! |
| This kitten is enjoying his 'nip on a 'Boogie Mat'. Has a zipper enclosure to put the catnip so it does not get all over the place. Washable. Photo courtesy Drs. Fosters & Smith |
| Nearly all pet stores carry catnip - cats may lick and eat this, which actually can aid in digestion. The BEST quality of catnip we have found to date is from an online store called Only Natural Pet. The product is called 'From the Field' - spray is not recommended, but the catnip components are fresh and drive your kitty crazy! |
| The outdoors is NOT so great for your kitty. Unless you harness train your cat (it can be done), or are outside with them, monitoring where they are, you cat should be INDOORS. Outdoor felines easily catch viral diseases and parasitic disorders, not to say the dangers of cars, dogs, cruel kids, wild animals (raccoon, badger, wolves, skunk to name a few which can carry and spread rabies). An enclosed porch, or a specially built outdoor containment area is the best of both worlds. Otherwise, a cat tree near a window where kitty can watch and dream about their big hunts, works just as well. |
| November 4, 2011 |
| This mousy, dubbed appropriately "Frankenmouse' is just an example of how rough your Siberian kitten/cat can be on toys. Budget for replacement toys - especially the smaller cloth ones...and throw away cat toys that have had their 'guts' ripped out (or some folks like to fix them and sew them back up!) |
| Don't Forget to REST... |
| rest is essential not just sleep/naps, but breaks in play Sibs pant when tired, like a dog, and like a dog will not stop play, so you have to stop them and give them time to rest and reenergize cat sleeps x hrs/day |
| CATNIP RESPONSE is an autosomal dominant gene that affects most cat breeds (except some that originate from the Asian region) ~~~ 50% - 60% of cats originating from areas where catnip is indigenous have the gene enabling them to detect nepetalactone, the active ingredient in catnip. Breeds whose ancestors originated from areas where catnip is not indigenous typically lack the required gene and won't react to catnip...The catnip response includes face-rubbing, drooling and temporary euphoria due to stimulation of pheromone receptors. The effect lasts around 10 minutes and it is normally about 2 hours before the cat becomes receptive to nepetalactone again. |
| Catnip is native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern Himalayas. It grows well in many regions of the world and has been extensively introduced to North America. Different climates achieve different strengths and cultivation. |
| Our recommended BEST catnip comes from the following vendor (we are not an affiliate at this time, but the stuff is GREAT!) |
| -From the Field All Natural Organic Catnip -Silly Kitty Hemp Catnip Toy -Chase the Hemp Cat Tails |
| Toys that roll around in a round or custom 'runway'. Inside are balls, or mice, or other toys equipped to paw at, push, and chase after. |
| You can never go wrong with a laser light. This will give your kitty plenty of hours of exercise. They are starting to develop toys that automatically activate when your cat comes close, and will start to randomly flash the laser - a little easier on the human hand, and the kitty can play with it while you are away at work (CAUTION - never shine a laser light directly into a human or animal's eye - it can damage the retina and cause temporary or permanent blindness) |
| Keitta Customers are saying: "I have the smartest, sweetest kitty ever! She plays 'fetch' better than any dog I've ever seen" |
| Keitta Customers are saying: "Thanks again for such a great little kitten. He's a non-stop play machine!" |
| Keitta Customers are saying... "I'll have to say we have never had a cat as acrobatic/graceful as Isa... She is also so great with her claws and teeth. I'm always worried about new cats and my little girls they don't understand that play includes claws and teeth sometimes but she seems to have perfect control over them." |
