Do you play games with your cats?

My mother recently expressed her amazement at how I relate to my cats. She was surprised that I not only play with them with interactive toys, but also have little games we play.

With Katie, it's the "Uh-oh game" also known as "Get the cat." This started when she was a kitten and I'd come home from work to find she'd gotten into something. I'd say "uh-oh" and she'd know she was in trouble and run. Somehow she knew I wasn't going to do anything to her because it quickly turned into a game. Twelve years later, she still loves it. I'll say, "uh-oh, I'm going to get to the cat," and she'll run into the next room, then jump on the bed or a chair or something for me to pet and admire her. Then, she'll jump up and run again and expect me to chase her. Often, she initiates the game.

Gracie's game is Scary Cat. She loves it I come into the room, sort of let out a little scream like I'm scared of her, then run and hide. She comes and finds me, then we do it all over again.

Just wondering if any of you have any special games you play with your kitties.

That is such a cute story!

I have lots of little games with Guinness.... but the one that intrigues me the most is the "washing up" game. I will be standing at the kitchen sink washing up and out of the corner of my eye I can see him by the doorway getting ready to pounce on me! As soon as I turn around he tries to make a dash for it but cos I have wooden floors he runs on the spot for a few seconds before he can actually get away. Normally I chase after him and find him either down the side of the bed or at the bottom of the stairs. As soon as he sees me coming he will make another run for it! This can go on for about 15-20 mins or so then either Guin or I will just flop cos it is actually quite exhausting constantly chasing a loopey kitty about!

Our daughter's little kitty Mika (they live with us) follows me to the bedroom every night when I get home from work, where I go almost immediately to change my clothes and shoes. She jumps on the bed and hunches down waiting for me to put my hand under the quilt or extra pillow and then she attacks the fingers. She does this EVERY night and only with me.

Festus plays "fetch" with her crinkle ball. She will bring it back to me repeatedly so I can flick it, sending it flying across the kitchen floor for her to chase. She is the one who initiates the game.

She also drops toys in the water dish so she can fish them out! And if I am folding piles of laundry, she loves to crawl into the laundry to hide. Sometimes its a pain, because she will crawl under folded clothes, messing them up! I try to give her something to crawl under to keep her away from my stacks.

Garfield is playful, but more with Festie than with us. He does like to sit on my lap when I am at the computer, and after sitting for a while he gives himself a full bath, from head to toe. I've never had another cat sit on my lap and bathe himself, and it seemed so odd at first. But he sleeps every night with dd, and I think he is just SO comfortable with us that he thinks nothing of it. He is such a goofy boy!

We used to play "peek-a-boo" with Melichus. We'd hide behind the door, or around the corner of the room he was in and sloooowly edge around to peek at him while he was watching for us to appear. He'd "mrrrrrt?" then we'd quickly duck back out of sight and do it again. Sometimes he'd answe with a "mah-anh?" and a bit of a chatter like cats do when they see a bird.

One day at a local pet shop there was a sweet Maine Coon type female there for adoption that was the spitting image of Melichus. Sunny tried the peek-a-boo thing with her. It's probably a good thing she didn't chirp back at him or she probably would have come home with us!

With Poppett, every so often she'll go scatty and we'll play a sort of... Hunting game. She'll be scratching the computer chair and I'll creep up behind her, spin the cahir a little, and start rubbing her back. She'll turn over and act tough, so I'll throw a mouse for her and then she'll go chase it. Afterwards we have a cuddle just to make sure she's back to her normal non-violent self.

Snowy doesn't really play... though she will attack a toy mouse every now and then.

Originally Posted by Gilly

As soon as I turn around he tries to make a dash for it but cos I have wooden floors he runs on the spot for a few seconds before he can actually get away.

Click to expand...

I know! Isn't it hilarious when they do that? My guys chase each other all the time and get a kick out of watching them. Though cat claws on hardwood at 3am isn't too endearing.

Sakura plays the peek-a-boo game with me. Sometimes a peek at her and she would start chattering then run at me. After i stop then she will go and peek around corners and furniture at me making all sorts of cute noises.

She also plays fetch and when i stop throwing the ball she starts begging. She stands on her behind and pawss the air chattering at me. And of coarse i'll throw the ball again for that!

Mik plays hide and seek. I run to another room, hide around the corner, and when I hear him coming I jump out and he takes off! Then he'll chase me. Lots of fun.

Lex fetches, and I'll throw whatever he brings me until one of us tires. Also, when I'm eating anything, he does this little rolly game where he flops over, rolls and tries to look cute. Then he'll slowly sidle up to me, still acting all cute, and try to check out my food to see if it's anything worthwhile. Little monkey.

Tailer is our big game player. He plays the peek-a-boo game. He also loves to pounce in the middle of the bed when I've just washed the sheets to play the make-the-bed-around-me game. He also loves to have us move our hands or feet around under the bedcovers at night so he can chase them. He'll also play a game where he'll chase me and bat or nip me on the back of my legs until he gets me to chase him. (A game taught to him by our bunny when she was still with us.)

He's taught Forest a couple of the games so far. Forest loves the hands under the sheets game and he's just started to play peek-a-boo.

Harvey is far too mature and distinguished to play games.

how do you teach a cat to fetch?
mine will pick up a toy and bring it into the room sometimes, but they pick it up and run if I reach for it...

Conner and I play tag. He will act like he is going to attack me so I run and hide around a corner and he comes to find me, then when he does, he takes off and hides somewhere until I find him,,, this can go on for quite a while!

All the time, Dunkin likes to play let's see if I can get your fingers But he isn't mean about it, I call him a finger man

Katie likes to play Hide and Seek, also catch the fingers game.