How to play with my cats

I know it seems a basic question, but I want to know how long should I play with my cats and when is the best time to play with my cat, I sometimes have problems with them waking me at 5 am and when I try to get to sleep maple attacks my feet, I can't keep myself still I'm a fidgeted and I understand she's only attacking my feet cause there under a blanket and moving, they have plenty of toys although I want to buy more to throw out old ones, they have a 2m scratching tree, and mouse and beads hanging from the stairs aswell as two scratch beds and that what I want though is how do I play together with them I try a stick with like a long elastic string with bits of ribbon and a bell in it but that only keeps them entertained 5 mins and I just want to help use up excess energy an to play with them, they like the bouncy balls a lot, but they get lost quickly they also have a plush doll to roll and tumble with, my main concern this isn't enough cause none of this is regular I'm starting to get into a routine now and home more so I want to spend more time with them, I also have problems with maple bitting me every time she thinks Ive stopped patting her right,

Almost have the same problem here. I have a siamese cat. When she play, she try catching my foot and gave me a bite. The bite is gentle, but still i feel afraid. When she climb my lap, she will then focus on my hands. She will try to catch it and gave me a bite. To prevent her drom biting, i bought cat toys, so she will focus playing on the toys, not on me.. It works a LITTLE...

She has plenty of toys they have a toy box, idk I'll try just taking her plush toy up at night but how do I play a game that they will really enjoy and get active with besides bouncy balls, especially my girl trinity she's abit timid and usually the only times she plays is being lazy lying down and just using her paws only time she's really active is when she's chasing or getting chased by maple

Chasing the red dot of a laser pointer is popular with my cats.   Catmum22 - play with them before going to bed at night. It will tire them out and after some time, they will adjust to your sleeping schedule. 

As for the biting, try hissing, NO, blowing on their faces. These are ways cats understand you do not like what they are doing. 

A toy on a string is a good toy if you want to play  I'm using a mouse or  a simple feather attached to a string and dragging it around. My cat usually gets bored of a string toy in about 2 weeks so I rotate them around. As yayi mentioned a laser pointer can be a good toy though my cat lost interest in about 4 days. I found that my at loves to chase ping-pong balls, but be careful if you have places where they bounce good and be ready to fish them out from places  that your cats can't get to.

For the play time it depends on age somewhat. If they are young I suggest playing multiple times a day, but once really should be before you go to sleep. While my cat was young(till 1 year or so) I had to play with her extensively if I wanted to sleep in the morning. I stopped when she flopped down on the floor tired. Now I just play with her until she goes to the kitchen. Then I know she has lost interest and it's time for food.

About the biting: as yayi said hissing might work and/or say "ouch" or something showing that it hurts and put the cat down and pay now attention to it for a while.

Thank you I will try all that especially red laser and ping pong balls, my cats are both bout 2-3 yrs old so how often should I play with them each day until they got bored and maple doesn't seem to like the new scratching tree any ideas to encourage her, besides treats which will work a lot better when I start timed feeds

I have a routine where I play with my cats twice a day, for at least 15 minutes each time. We do it right after their morning meal, and again before I get ready for bed. These seem to be the times of day when they are naturally most active. I do play with them for a bit here & there at other times when they are interested, but those two specific times are when I get down on the floor and really engage them. They've learned to expect that routine, so I never skip it unless I have to leave very early in the morning or come home very late (rare).

When I play with them, the laser of course is a favorite. But they also adore the Cat Dancer 101. It is basically a bouncy wire with little pressed cardboard tubes at one end. It is very inexpensive, and it really gets the cats going. But I always put away toys with string, ribbon, or wire when I am not supervising.

I find that rotating the toys every single day keeps them more interested. So every night after our formal play session, I put away the toys I can find and put out a different set for them to play with over the next 24 hours. I have three sets, so they go two days without seeing any particular toy.  Favorites for unsupervised toys are ping pong balls of all sorts of colors, little stuffed mice, plastic caps from gallon milk containers (caps from smaller bottles could be dangerous), mylar crinkle balls, kicky bags, and plastic spring toys.

My two are young (6 & 7 months old), so while thankfully it has not been a big problem, every now and then they will nip. When that happens, I squeak really loudly and turn my attention away from them...totally stopping whatever activity we were doing. In a few minutes I will play or pet again, but if they bite, even softly... always immediately give them the loud squeak and stopping the fun activity.  It has made a huge difference, they are learning very quickly.

Thank you and yes I need to rotate the toys I'll have a look at getting a laser and a dancer 101. I've also been wanting to get this track for cats with a ball inside any one used them did your cat take to it

Yes we have a racer/track toy. The one we have is called Bergen Turbo Scratcher. It's just a simple circle track, with a cardboard scratcher in the middle. I bought a light up ball for it (sold separately, same brand), that activates only when in motion. The cats play with it frequently, and it is something I can leave out for them unsupervised.  Sometimes I put a ping pong ball in it, too. They don't fit as tightly as the balls meant for it, but the fun is when one pops out unexpectedly and they charge after it.

Awesome cause that's the esact sorta toy I'm wanting to get them, thank you everyone I now have guidelines I can stick to for food and play which will help the cats and me to feel a better mum to them

These are very good suggestions, especially playing with them for fifteen minutes (close to the limit in my experience, but some cats can go on much longer).  You want to wear them out before you all go to bed.  Cat dancers and lasers are great--cheap and good choices for multiple cats because more than one cat can play at the same time.  DaBird is a little more expensive, but most cats go nuts over it.  Switching toys is really important.  Most cats are bored with the same toys, but if you take one away from them and re-introduce it a few days later, the cats will see it as a new toy.  Do your cats play together much?  I had two cats who I played with before retiring, and they both went to sleep about the same time I did.  In the middle of the night, however, I would hear them running around the house.  Balls and mice were all over the place in the morning.  I didn't have much trouble with them in the morning. 

Yes they spend lots of time chasing and wrestling that's what wakes me up at 5 am some mornings, and maple biting and attacking my toes when I'm trying to get to sleep but I will take toys away an bring them back out and how do I get maple to play on there cat tree

There are several things you can try to get Maple interested in the cat tree. First make sure it is in a spot that will interest her, if possible. Near a secure window is ideal, or at least where they can view the outside if even from a bit of a distance. We have ours a few feet from the window where we have birdfeeders outside that they like to watch.  Second, you can try sprinkling some catnip on the different levels, or spraying it with catnip spray, then show Maple the catnip is there. Most cats react to catnip, but there are always a few who just never develop an interest for it, so this may or may not work on her. Third, put some of her favorite toys on the tree, she may go up there to retrieve them. Start by placing them on the lower spots where she might see them as she walks by, and over time you can start placing them higher as she gets familiar with things.  And fourth, when you play with the red laser dot with them, run the dot up the tree! Again, at first just the lower levels, and going higher as they get used to it.

Trinity loves it and it's esactly where there old cat tree was that she used it's under the stairs I can try move it closer to the window downstairs when I move some stuff, there is cat nip on it I've tried toys when I go to to timed feeds so I hope they will be more interested treats and I encourage maple to the cat tree with treats

It has worked placing her fav toys up there she always seems to retrieve them, although I don't see her I just see the toys at the end of my bed and like she must of got them I heard tinsel is dangerous for cats I have 2 tinsel decos up in there area for them they enjoy to play with should I remove it I also have garlands they like to play with

Anything "stringy" can be dangerous to them.  If they eat it; it can cause a blockage.  Blockages can require surgery and even be fatal.  I wouldn't risk it and take them down.

Noodles goes for strings, ribbons and things like that; so I know I have to keep things put away.  Any toys on strings need to be used for supervised play only in our house.  Noodles has also regurgitated ribbon (a wide one too!) and tulle that she chewed off of one of my DD's dress up dresses!  I've learned to be really careful and do a visual check for things she may get into before I go to bed or before leaving the house especially.  But I can't have my eyes on her all day; so really I'm always on the lookout to some extent.

My cats have never had problems, with swallowing something although it's one of my concerns, so I really wouldn't want to take all there dangly things down, although I may consider as it might get the more intrested although finding a place to store stuff will be tricky

I think i will get a laser pointer for my cats, i usually play with them every now and then with strings ropes and toys i also got a small bird toy that leo chases around the garden then ''kills'' it by biting it then carry's it to his hideout but i have a problem i got him as a gift from a friend and neither of us know his age how can i determine his age

You have to take good care of your cat. Show her that you really care and you are harmless. Give her something to play. That's my question before. Then I found cat toy for her in Amazon. My cat really loves her Bird Catcher PRO cat wand toy. We both play it so it's a serve as our bonding..It's really efficient. Give it a try.