Play With Your Cat!

The expert guide to a happier and healthier feline

Mikel Maria Delgado

• Publisher: Souvenir Press
• eBook ISBN:
  9781800815148
• Year: 2024

'Cats love to play: here is THE book that shows you how to join in! And your cat will thank you for it' John Bradshaw, Sunday Times bestselling author of In Defence of Dogs and Cat Sense

'Trust me, Play With Your Cat is an indispensable addition to any cat lover's library!' Jackson Galaxy, New York Times bestselling author and star of My Cat from Hell

What does a cat need besides food, a comfortable home and access to a good vet? PLAY!

This practical guide from leading cat behaviour scientist Dr Mikel Maria Delgado explains how interactive play is at the centre of your cat's overall health. Revealing how it mimics the hunting experience that shaped cats' evolution, Play With Your Cat! includes:

- Advice on selecting toys and setting up your home environment for the perfect play session
- Guidance on specific play techniques to exercise your cat's body and mind
- Tips on engaging nonchalant, anxious and uninterested kitties
- How to use play to address behavioural issues like aggression and litter-box avoidance

With charming illustrations to demonstrate different techniques and evidence-based advice to help you deepen your relationship with your furry friend, this is an essential handbook for cat owners everywhere.

Table of contents

• Praise for Play with Your Cat!
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• CHAPTER 1: Why Play?
• CHAPTER 2: Cats Play Because They Hunt!
• CHAPTER 3: From Prey to Play: Hunting in the Safety of Your Own Home
• CHAPTER 4: The Right Toy for the Job
• CHAPTER 5: Setting the Scene
• CHAPTER 6: Playing for Good Health
• CHAPTER 7: From Kitten to Seasoned Adult: How Play Develops in Cats
• CHAPTER 8: Between Friends? Social Play in Cats
• CHAPTER 9: Know Your Cat: What Kind of Player Are They?
• CHAPTER 10: Four Important Lessons about Cat Play from Science
• CHAPTER 11: Play As Therapy: Helping Complicated Cats
• CHAPTER 12: Playing with Cats When They Don’t Fit the Mold
• CHAPTER 13: Other Ways to Inspire Your Cat’s Inner Hunter
• Epilogue
• Acknowledgments
• Bibliography
• About the Author
• Copyright