I get this question all the time: are cats and laser pointers a good combination? Is it okay to play with cats using a laser pointer? These are great questions because when you understand a few things about cats, you\u2019ll know the answer. And it\u2019s always good to understand more about the tiny, adorable, carnivorous, semi-wild, predatory beastie that\u2019s living in your home, right? So let\u2019s find out: does The Red Dot make a good prey item for your kitty?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cats and Laser Pointers: The Good Stuff
As with many things cat-related, the issue of cats and laser pointers is not always black and white. Many cats LOVE to chase The Red Dot because it\u2019s quick, moves randomly, and resembles one of felines\u2019 favorite prey items: flying and crawling insects. Laser pointers can get your cat running, jumping, and leaping into the air and provides them with a great form of exercise\u2026plus, it\u2019s FUN for them and the humans who take joy in watching them. Especially for indoor cats who may not get enough exercise, laser pointers can provide cats with much-needed work-outs. Additionally, hunting The Red Dot can be a form of mental enrichment that cats miss out on if they aren\u2019t given the opportunity to \u201chunt\u201d on a regular basis. Where did the dot go? Oh, it\u2019s under the chair! No, wait, it just went behind the sofa\u2026maybe I\u2019ll stalk it here\u2026and, you get the idea. Hunting The Red Dot is all about mental strategy, and that keeps your kitty\u2019s mind active and healthy, too. So, there are many positive reasons for incorporating the laser pointer into your cat\u2019s play routine, if she enjoys chasing (or even watching) it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Prey Sequence: How well does The Red Dot measure up as prey?
To answer the question regarding whether or not cats and laser pointers make a good team, it\u2019s important to understand something about the prey sequence. This is the sequence of actions every cat takes when they hunt for a prey item. Cats who live outdoors spend about 30% of their time hunting, and eat about 8-10 small meals per day, so they hunt A LOT! They are among nature\u2019s most efficient predators, but feral \u201cdomestic\u201d cats still only catch (on average) about 32% of the prey that they go after. The prey sequence consists of four steps: 1) staring, 2) stalking\/chasing, 3) pouncing\/grabbing, and 4) performing a kill bite. When cats hunt, they go back and forth among the steps in the prey sequence until the prey escapes, or it dies and they decide that it\u2019s lunchtime (or that their guardian would like a gift).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I get this question all the time: are cats and laser pointers a good combination? Is it okay to play with cats using a laser pointer? These are great questions because when you understand a few things about cats, you\u2019ll know the answer. And it\u2019s always good to understand more about the tiny, adorable, carnivorous, … Continue reading Cat Article 2<\/span>