Make your cat happier in 3 minutes | Nicky Trevorrow | TEDxCardiff

In this talk, cat behaviourist Nicky Trevorrow explains the huge impact that one simple change can have on your cat's life: playing smarter. Nicky is passionate about cats and is Cats Protection’s Behaviour Manager, promoting feline behaviour and welfare.
She holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Animal Behaviour and a Postgraduate Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling. Nicky is a registered veterinary nurse. She represents CP on the Animal Behaviour and Training Council. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@hhKJgf1M8a0rzt8hP]

I took a cat from an animal shelter a year ago and it was the best decision I made in my life. I'm 100% more happy and I have developed such a deep bond with this cat I didn't know I was capable of.

[@Bamboos2011]

My cat has improved my life in so many way. Thats made me become more devoted to her happiness. She is treated like a queen. My only regret is not getting her a buddy to hang out and do cat stuff with. Always always get a pair if you can.

[@hhKJgf1M8a0rzt8hP]

​@@Bamboos2011 I see that, she's a real beauty, very well groomed and quite fierce as Persians usually are🙂 Thank you for the advice.

[@The73rdSecret]

Why am I watching this if I don't even have a cat? 😂

[@davidandriantsilavo1161]

I do need that answer too ...

[@laura_npeace]

It's a sign, adopt a cat and join us in this great crusade for world domination.

[@intuitionz1198]

you're getting prepped because the cat distribution system is probably planning on delivering one to you soon.😂

[@Anthus.]

Because you are a closeted cat lover. Yes, a lover of felines you are. So come out to the world and own it.

[@nikhilPUD01]

​😂​ cats are so cool @@laura_npeace

[@shirasheartbeats]

I'm here for the cat of my neighbours. He visits us daily ❤

[@pikazzor4186]

You are a good neighbor , dear sir

[@the6thelementbeats784]

"What greater gift than the love of a cat"

[@nackjicholson1940]

I love cats... they're so cute 😊🥰

[@jonnymoney1071]

The love of a child? Duh 🙄

[@TheDennys21]

​@@jonnymoney1071 i prefer cats.

[@clairelicciardo6198]

None.

[@mischapiru9514]

@@jonnymoney1071nope!

[@Avalonia87]

10 minutes into the video I grabbed an egg carton and a handful of biskits and we had very much fun for over half an hour. Thank you very much!

[@Mombatramba]

Tough crowd! Well I laughed several times. Thanks for the fun ideas

[@kittydebs]

My 55 years of experience with cats didnt teach me what you did. Simply how to play. Cricket suffers with stress from trauma and medical conditions. She is very frustrated. This Ted popped into my view while I was doing serious research and had zero time to listen. So grateful you popped up. I've been trying to get her to play for 4 years. Finally her quality of life will finally improve. Thank you 🎉❤

[@livinginvancouverbc2247]

The best cat toy is one metre of string on the end of a one metre stick. My cats are addicted to it, even after 12 years my cat never loses interest. She insists that I play with her several times a day.

[@maxt1617]

I watched all of this video despite being a dog-lover, because I wanted to understand just how you bring joy to cats. After all, they can appear so aloof and passive to a dog person. So thank you very much for this video- it literally helped me empathise with cats and think "ah! so that's how you give them drops of joy!"

[@tishie42]

I like that you say appear to be aloof. They are always just pretending, as they are never more than arms length away, watching, judging and approving everything 😂

[@Ilovebirdgag]

I was gonna say, they're the OPPOSITE of those things. Great pretenders is what they are lmao. I f*ng love them

[@joshcarter-com]

Cats appear aloof and passive to people they don’t know and haven’t built a relationship with them. Cats invest in people who invest in them. Build that relationship and they return the favor.

[@rhythmaddict808]

BellaMoon, found her in the park crawling out of bushes, screaming meows, no Mom in sight l scooped her up. What a journey, now 2 yrs old. All of her toys have names and she knows them! Feather feather is her favorite! She also fetches, knows 'get ready' to play! We have full conversations on what she wants to play with! This was a wonderful video, thank you for your work, we need you! Aloha and Mahalo from Maui!

[@stevena105]

Need more CatTalk.

[@AlwaysJuNe]

I thought I am crazy... obviously I am not!!! 8 cats...

[@xotacara]

My cat is so smart that she doesn’t play with the puzzle ball. She rolls it to the opening and knocks all the treats out right quick then just eats them off the floor and ignores the empty ball.

[@JennyT101]

Our cat Princess Zelda does the same thing.

[@szurketaltos2693]

Sounds like she needs the next level of feeding enrichment!

[@erjatikka3029]

That's funny 😂🐱🐹🤣

[@Briael]

Sebastian loves the wand toy. He walks around the house with it in his mouth, meowing, until the other cats chase him. :)

[@wowlookatthathugestringof8s]

My cat enjoyed watching this video.

[@wowlookatthathugestringof8s]

I bought a laser pointer for her and the first time I tried it, she immediately looked at the dot, then looked at me obviously holding a device in my hand and seemed to link the two concepts and therefore wasn't interested.

[@creatuitiveguru]

A *huge* part that was left out, is the importance of timing play with feeding. Especially in the beginning when trying enrichment with snacks - especially if your cat is not particularly food motivated. They need to be hungry, but trying it right before a scheduled meal time can really frustrate them. None of this is hard. But there's no magic one-size-fits-all solution, because all cats are different. Just pay attention to them, and repeat the things they seem to most enjoy. Occasionally try something new or different and see if they like that. If they lose interest in a toy, put it away and find something else that interests them, then rotate the old one back in later and see if they like it again or if they're completely over it. Don't leave all their toys out all the time - some cats go nuts for something only while it's relatively new. Some cats are OCD about routines and times. They want to be fed on time, they want you to go to bed on time, and they like to play at regularly scheduled times. Like, as if they can actually tell time. Others may be more flexible about the exact time, but really latch on to a routine. We have one cat I actually have to be careful about doing new things with, because he thinks it means it's going to be a new routine, and it's clear he gets upset/disappointed if you don't do it at the same time the next day. We've done a pretty good job getting him not so OCD about specific times (he was like an alarm clock), as long as we follow the routine. So now we don't have to feed him at 8am on the dot - he knows that I get up, wash my face, make my bed, scoop the litter boxes, open the blinds, take all the cats out in the backyard yard with me for a bit, and then we come in and get breakfast. If i don't follow the routine, he can get a bit pissy - like literally. He was a feral kitten, and he has some deep seated insecurities, especially around food. So it's important that he can count on certain things happening every day...because that's how he feels assured that he's getting fed again. My cats pretty much "tell" me what they want at this point, because they know I'm paying attention. With my first cat, I had a major surgery, and he seemed to know i couldn't get up, so he would bring me his toy to let me throw it, and then go get it, and bring it back when he wanted me to throw it again. 😹

[@m.maclellan7147]

This video came at a most opportune time ! I just took in a 7 year old cat that was owned by a senior who lived alone. Sadly the senior has gone into the hospital, and is due to go into hospice after. This cat is acting out aggressively, and is overweight. I know more about dog training, but am excited to try these enrichment exercises with this very unhappy cat !

[@akc1739]

Thank you for taking in the senior kitty. Without her familiar person, she’s going to be going through it for a while. Please be patient. Her life’s upside down right now, but she’ll adjust in due time. 🙏

[@davinasquirrel7672]

Weight issues are generally kibble in the diet. Phase it out (be prepared, this takes many months). Cats are obligate carnivores, and cannot process carbohydrates very well, leading to weight gain, which in turn leads to health issues like diabetes and kidney issues. Kibble is a high-carb "food". My recent 6.5yo rescue was quite the 'chunky monkey', weighing in at 5.6kg at adoption. It seems she had only ever been fed kibble (the dry processed junk they call food), just the first six weeks she was down to 5.2kg, and the kibble was not fully phased out at that point, just cut down to a snack level. There was a lot of wasted wet foods until I found one that she liked, and I eventually replaced kibble with air-dried meat (as in, real meat). She also likes canned tuna (the stuff meant for humans). At about 3 months in, I slowly started to introduce raw meat (a cheaper cut called gravy beef, cut into cubes). I had to squeeze a tube of the creamy treat over the meat (still doing that, but she will eat it without it). She is now preferring the raw meat to the wet food, and I think in the future I will be phasing out the wet food, and we will end up with a raw meat, plus the air-dried meat, diet. We are now at six months after adoption. Jackson Galaxy has videos on changing diets for cats, as mentioned, it is a very slow process, but it will happen eventually. She is happier overall. Part is probably diet and feeling better in herself, but also settling in to a safe secure and loving home. She was suffering from cat ptsd. Her 8 months before I adopted her, she was several months in the pound (trauma on its own), then in the rescue system with two carers, two failed adoptions, and back and forth to the rescue centre in between all that. She was a big ball of stressed cat. I also suspect she was in a domestic violence household, she does not like yelling, loud noises, and a few other things that indicate she would have to hide away when the threat was about. Her self esteem is getting better, she is learning to be a cat and not a stressball. Not an entry-level cat, but have had cats all my life, including a few trauma cats. It takes time, but they get there in the end, they go at their own pace. I would point you again to Jackson Galaxy's videos on cat 'aggression'. Most of the time it is because they are scared (of something, a situation, feeling anxious in a new environment), and not 'aggressive' because they are mean, think of it more as a defence mechanism. Also, biting if gentle is a thing called 'love bites', but hard bites are from fear. Cats are a bit different from dogs. As a 'cat person', the best way to befriend a cat is to sit down nearby the cat (not too close), reducing your height makes you seem less threatening, speak in a very soft voice, calming tone. Then sit there and wait for the cat to approach you (not all cats will). Wait until their invitation to pat them (generally rubbing their cheek to your hand, after a good sniff), and first patting, stick to around the head and under the chin. I still had to wait for the invitation to pat with my rescue for several months, and that was as much about knowing she could trust me to respect her boundaries. I can pat her now without invitation, but I still like to give her the opportunity to sniff my hand (she is big on the sniffing). I would guess that the senior's cat's 'aggression' is just fear, after all, in the cat's mind, has been taken away from its human, and its familiar home territory, and is probably wondering why their life has suddenly been turned upside down. Cats need to feel confident and secure in their 'territory'. If you have other pets like dogs, make sure the cat has a place where it is safe from the dog (even just a friendly boisterous dog wanting to 'play' could be considered too much for a cat in a new territory). Jackson has videos on all of these things, go binge watch! Good luck, you may even find out you are a cat person as well.

[@m.maclellan7147]

@davinasquirrel7672 I worked as a veterinary tech. in a cat hospital, so I am aware of most of the things you mentioned. Apparently, the original owner gave the cat high calorie treats constantly! That I quit immediately. I am giving him a small amount of dry food in a treat dispenser, so he has to "work" for it ! Plus, wet food morning and night. I am taking things very slow and keeping the dog completely away from the cat. The cat HAS had dog friends that it played with in the past, and my dog is friendly (but, dog will be on leash when I do introduce them. ) I know the cat is scared, and I am taking things super slow !

[@davinasquirrel7672]

@@m.maclellan7147 No worries. Most people don't know how bad kibble is for them, or even how a scared cat can come off as 'aggressive'. So consider the comment for newbie cat owners.

[@joshcarter-com]

I can’t offer much but encouragement. Cats bond strongly with their home and their people so it’s a huge shock to re-home one. You’re starting a new bond from square one and it’ll take time. It will happen, though! Cats invest in the people who invest in them, and your investment will be rewarded.

[@margathapai4010]

Taking notes so I can cause chaos at the local cafe

[@TheDennys21]

Cat cafe?

[@jessieb.7188]

One of the easiest and most fun ways I play and feed my cat simultaneously is to toss a treat for him so he can run and pounce on it, and then I toss another and another. He has so much fun, gets treats and is literally running and jumping around while totally focused and engaged with me.

[@TheDennys21]

If you are lonely and need a companion, get a cat, even if you are not a cat person (for some reason) just get a cat, they can transform your life. I'm a huge cat fan, i have 3 at the moment, they mean the world to me.

[@MiffoKarin]

I had a feeding tower for my cats just like the one on the table! Then the older cat realised he could just grab the top edge with his claws and tip it over to get all of the food at once... 😅

[@NachaBeez]

One of mine does that too!

[@karldubhe8619]

Mine does it with a water tower. Ehh, helps me mop the floor... @@NachaBeez

[@bambinaforever1402]

I bet he figured it out after 5 minutes

[@richardwilhorst4589]

My beta does loops around his decorations; and he LOVES "jazz hands" he gets pouty if you don't interact with him every few hours. When the cats play with the laser pointer it ends with them taking the actual pointer; they know it makes the dot and they "kill" the pointer (and my hand lol)

[@mbfrezon]

i happened to have a couple of tubes in the recycle bin so I rescued them and built a little pyramid. Picked up the dinner bowls and loaded up the short pieces with a couple bonus treats as well as mostly food from their dinner. Soon my little Frankie (1 yr old) was nudging with his nose and then - PAW goes in! Thank you so much - we both had some moments of joy and play and will continue on. also great tip about ending the red dot on something "killable".

[@mspears_bobobuddytheseniorcat]

My senior cat still loves to play with me multiple times a day, often times at 4am! 😹 He loves doing tricks for treats! 😻❤️

[@siggyvdz8213]

One of the best lesson i hear (rythm of voices, construction etc), but the public is a bunch of dead mouse x)

[@nnonotnow]

My cat Zane sent me this video. Guess I should watch it Okay, I did learn something from this video. We have a playtime every morning that includes some laser, some toy tossing and his favorite round hair tie bouncing on a string. But I haven't tried the food play and I'm definitely going to do that. Thanks so much!

[@LisaNirell]

I appreciate your ideas here. My smart boy Mooji has 4 play options: a long fabric tube, cardboard hidden biscuit puzzle, ball/food puzzle and a fluffy wand (which he can chase and hunt). It’s time to advance him to a more complex pet puzzle! 🐈‍⬛

[@AnthonyPatrick01]

Hello 🌹 👋 how are you doing today hope you're doing great?

[@ggcheri]

I taught my “pretty Paint” how to high five when she was 17 yrs old. It was sooooo much fun! I miss her, she was my bff.

[@captainsmoke1612]

My outdoor cats are so complicated when it comes to playing. One only wants to play with my hand. And the other one only plays when you turn your back on her so she can surprise attack you.

[@davemac1648]

It's simply a matter of paying attention to them & working out what they like, rather than dismiss them for not being the cat you want. A friend of mine doesn't like their cat because the cat doesn't play, won't sit on laps & doesn't like being picked up or stroked more than 3 times in a row. She just isn't the cat my friend wanted.. cuddly, loving belly kisses, loving cuddles etc. However, my friend keeps stroking until blood's drawn & keeps picking her up which just infuriates her. To make matters worse, my friend get's annoyed when I visit because me and the cat play, I can pick her up & stroke her as much as I want (after we've played) & she has also slept above my head on the pillow when I've slept over & even got under the covers with me, purring & pawing on her back. My friend is not impressed as you can imagine but still thinks it's the cat, not them! Same can be said for most cat's I know through their owners that are simply misunderstood. For some people, a cat can be like an object, a possession that must be exactly what they want them to be. Having said all that & boasted about my amazing feline telepathy superpower🤭, I haven't heard of Feed Enrichment before so will be giving it a try tomorrow.

[@PerspectiveEngineer]

My good boy attacks me every day. Once or twice trys to take me down... seven pound cat 160 man. We love it and both laugh! Oh you got me! Again!

[@uniquegeek2708]

Our male cat races us up the stairs and tags us when he passes

[@LordNementon]

She said; you have to let cats kill the toy 🐧😅

[@NonEuclideanTacoCannon]

One of my cats plays like a normal cat. But my other cat demands I help him with advanced ambush tactics. He doesn't play, he *trains*. He picks a hiding spot and makes me throw or drag something past his hiding spot so he can jump out at it. Over, and over, and over. They're weird little creatures. My energetic high-strung cat will harass his sister when he's bored. So I'll grab a toy and get him to play to leave her alone, then she'll come running in and take the toy from him.

[@conscious_choice]

I've an ambush cat too 😂❤

[@yellowzora]

Mine loves a good ambush as well, and since I bought the new feather toy she keeps jumping higher and higher to retrieve it when she wants to play 😅 I'll have to try the feeding enrichment as well

[@patt5085]

for my future cats. I love you and I dont even have you yet

[@mysterywriter888]

I adopted a kitten in July, and I have never been happier. She brightens my day every day!!

[@pennyatcheson8787]

One of the best play activity I’ve discovered is having two cats🎉! Luckily for me they entertain each other far longer and better than I can!

[@jessejules2092]

I swear by fluffy tennis balls. Our cats love to chase these down the hall way. Also, my male cat knows the words 'Im gonna getchu.' He runs and hides while I chase after him, then I hide and he comes looking for me.' It's hilarious because he freaks me out when he comes hunting for me and scares me with his creeping up on me around corners etc. I find it great exercise, no need too go to the gym when I'm running around after him, plus he's great company when I'm down and suffering my disability.

[@db88821]

Fantastic talk ❤ Cats Protection are the best

[@saulemaroussault6343]

One thing you can do to play : instead of giving dry food in a bowl, throw it around ! My cats like it and it’a a fun interaction.

[@bambinaforever1402]

One thing u can do NOT to FEED YOUR CAT DRY FOOD.

[@FMNsocial]

A great toy is a paper towel or toilet paper roll. Fold in the ends, cut a couple small holes in the tube just barely bigger than the size of their kibble, and roll the tubes around until the kibble falls out. My cat has become an expert at this - I put several of these tubes into a box, which she immediately turns over to knock them all out, then pushes them all around until she gets all her treats. She loves it - she purrs so loudly while doing it!

[@SharePaah]

Cat are the perfect Comedians needed in your Life!

[@toni2606]

Sharing this with my daughter who has a cat in her life, first time, after many years of canine pets. Thank you for the video!

[@erjatikka3029]

I have a 9 yrs old ginger tabby. He was playful as a kitten but since then he hardly ever plays. So I did some research and found that it's in the ginger tabbies DNA not to be very playful. With me he plays about 3 minutes at a time and it's me who gets a bit frustrated. So, from you I learned that I've played with him totally wrong. Thank you for teaching me the right way to play!

[@SofSof.]

Playtime with my cat is one of the things that make me laugh from pure joy the most. I love it so much (and so does she)!

[@jazzk4072]

My cat figured out pretty quickly where the laser was coming from. Then just chased the dot x I know he knew it was play. 😂

[@HeronCoyote1234]

Thank you for this. I know about a few of these: make wands/mice act like prey; use egg cartons for food puzzles (I also place dental treats on his cat tree, leading up to, and across the fireplace mantle); I’ll kick or toss rings, cat springs, small balls of foil away from him so he chases the object. One of those tri-tunnels with a wand toy moving in and out of the center hole is another fun game. I was aware of the frustration of laser pointers, but having it stop specifically at a toy is brilliant!

[@MelindadelosSantos]

I’m going to try the magazine thing. Thanks!

[@timsmith1894]

Rescued two 5 week old feral kittens and time with me playing is what they seem to enjoy the most. They're 3 years old now. I don't feed them during this time but encourage them when eating.

[@danielsykes7558]

I love the food tricks

[@melicality]

My boys love the puzzle ball. And they have a huge box filled with paper where I sometimes hide snacks in. We do clicker training every day and before I go to bed, I hide freeze dried pieces of chicken in the living room. I still feel like they need more entertainment. :( They drive me crazy at night and won't let me sleep.

[@ktlea911]

One of my cats would play what I called kibble hockey. I'd just use cat kibble and toss them across the laminate floor, and my cat would chase it and bat it around and then eat it. It was so much fun. He used to scoop up the kibble with his paw and toss it.

[@toverenmetnaaldendraad]

I love this Ted talk. A lot of it we do already, but there is always room for improvement. And now I want to know the name of the difficult catfeeder she shows in 11:14, I think this would be perfect for one of my cats.

[@kenmccormick8059]

'Trixie cat activity turn around'.

[@toverenmetnaaldendraad]

@@kenmccormick8059 thank you!

[@PerspectiveEngineer]

First ted in eight years

[@uttaalwine4096]

Great video! My cat Lorenzo found me for some years, while I went to our animal shelter- just only for looking! … and I came back with him at home! We make together clicker training, he gives me high five, he sit up and beg or goes with his nose on a sick over barrieres- and when we play in this way his eyes light up😻

[@franceslynch8815]

Terrific tips. Thank you very much.

[@tylermitchell1990]

Thanks, Pam from The Office!

[@ezmix]

I bought that food puzzle but my cat quickly outsmarted it. I'm now building a new one, much more clever, because my cat learns just too guickly.

[@JenniferKastelic]

Thank you! The games you showed that cost no extra money are great!!!

[@janebishop5885]

Well, when I used a line like his leash to pull a toy mouse over the floor, I unhappily discovered that he became attracted to any electrical cord plugged in where he never had been before. And, no matter how I've hidden it he digs it out from under furniture.

[@OnTheRiver66]

Excellent video! Good suggestions and great information. I’m both a cat and dog person, and can appreciate the difference in interaction of the two animals with their owner. You own a dog and it serves you, but you are a friend of your cat. And they are so different. I had a cat who constantly lay on my lap and legs, even all night long. I have a cat now that sometimes sleeps between my ankles, but most often does her own thing but plays constantly when not sleeping (she even plays fetch like a dog). I love her and she loves me just as much as my dog does but in a different way. I admire a cat’s independence as much as I admire any friend’s independence.

[@brookels66]

Loved this TedTalk+I can't wait to try things out with my cat!🥰

[@AnthonyPatrick01]

Hello 🌹 👋 how are you doing today hope you're doing great?

[@aledmb]

thank you!

[@Dave-gf3kd]

Thank you for the education! I will adjust accordingly!

[@dan.w.hoover2556]

Fantastic - thank you!

[@Quest4Tube]

Very wholesome

[@marcmelvin3010]

Thank you!

[@chrislandgraf1926]

Thank you

[@Wang_Monkey]

Fantastic! There's a lot of helpful info here. I sometimes have trouble keeping mine entertained over the winter months. Bought the puzzle board shown there (medium skill) but haven't had much luck with it, so will make some easy level ones for her to build on. She was sick with FIV and cat corona when a kitten so her relationship with food is a bit different to other cats. She would never drink water and only recently has begun to eat biscuit treats. However the dry food soon caused her dehydration & constipation issues so I started adding some Purina hydra care to her food... and low and behold she started to drink water regularly on her own accord about a week later (only seen her drink once in 14 years on a hot day! Been through various water fountains and filters to no avail. If you have a cat that wont drink try this!) So now armed with this new knowledge about food enrichment, easier cat puzzles and the fact I can feed her biscuits now without having to worry about hydration, hopefully play time will become more enjoyable. Over winter she gets boarded of the same old games after a month or so, maybe now I can keep her mind active until spring and she's out in the garden again. Thankyou Nicky, great advice xxx

[@chuuninoob5366]

I see cat I click. That's how simple I am.

[@thesjkexperience]

I get a 3 foot by 1/4” dowel from the hardware store, 6’ of hemp string and tie a toy to the end. Total cost is about $6 and they last a long time. I also make my cats food. Human quality meat.

[@davinasquirrel7672]

Indeed, the best thing you can feed them (food that is meant for humans). I mainly feed her a cut called gravy beef, but she also likes canned tuna (meant for humans). I had several months of getting her off kibble (she was a rescue cat, 6.5yo) then onto canned tuna and reasonable quality wet cat food, before eventually getting her onto the raw meat. She was grossly overweight when I got her, but now after six months, quite a good weight. She is now starting to lose interest in the wet cat food and prefer the raw diet. She has air-dried meat as free-feed between meals. Kibble is a killer, albeit a very slow one.

[@user-ks3sq6hj6j]

8:42the egg box & toilet roll

[@birgiollo9229]

Damn tough audience

[@ULTRAOutdoorsman]

Probably because this is Reddit-level advice delivered in about 10 times the words

[@birgiollo9229]

@@ULTRAOutdoorsman Doesn't mean that the audience wasn't tough though: even if she was clearly filling in time with not really useful information, the audience literally never reacredn

[@lisaburnage]

Yes I thought the same. Not a peep.

[@tiptapkey]

I've figured most of this out through trial and error and really just caring how my cat was reacting, but this is AWESOME for new cat owners and people who aren't ridiculously scientific about everything like me lol

[@Tubesmaney]

Thank you.

[@FM-yk1yr]

This is great!

[@angelfriend5211]

I loved this, thanks!

[@mephistro]

Great video! Thanks!

[@Rkok94]

I roll up a dishcloth with the dry food spread out in it. It is fun to watch :D Our cats inhale food so they really need something to slow down and this works so well. I will build the suggested ones in the video they look awesome.

[@simonbhill]

Love this! 😻

[@PianoRouge55]

Ever since she came to my place, she never had kibbles from a bowl. I make puzzle feeders or something fun thing in order for her to think how to get food. She figured out how to open an egg box to get kibbles from it!

[@davinasquirrel7672]

Kibble is a highly processed junk food. If you want dry treats, their are air-dried meats that will be better for its long term health. That is why so many cats are now overweight, kibble. High in carbohydrates, cats cannot easily process carbohydrates. They are obligate carnivores.

[@PianoRouge55]

​​@@davinasquirrel7672Yes, that's right. My cat eats wet food as well and her kibbles contain no grain. I don't give her any snack.

[@davinasquirrel7672]

@@PianoRouge55 I find that hard to believe, that any kibble is grain-free. The problem is, you will not find out for years whether it is true or not.

[@mygirl1129]

Very cute! Sharp thinking. 🐱👧👍

[@Narutogirly7]

I stopped the video and immediately tried out the egg carton trick, they absolutely loved it ❤ and it was really fun for me too

[@gwenstein5517]

Love this❤❤❤❤ will do all your creative feeding tips . We have five adoptees🐱🐱🐱🐱🐱

[@DoDayDem]

My cat does not play. He is 17 or 18 and i have him 3 years almost. He was never socialised and only now is beginning to come into my house but just to walk round and out again. When i present him with a toy he recoils. He is a very nervous cat despite all my efforts to calm him. He has needed the vet a number of times which hasn’t helped him trust me. When he first came and I had to take him to the vet I had to trap him. Now I can pick him up provided he is in his bed. Once out of the bed I can’t pick him up or pet him. Believe me I have spent a lot of time on him but he’s a tough case

[@arcticgoddess]

Thank you for taking a senior kitty. ❤ Food enrichment by himself sounds like the way to start. Do you have a quiet home? Is he indoor/outdoor?

[@yunes7305]

My cat sent to me this video 😺

[@amorynora319]

that tip on the laser pen was brilliant

[@joyl7842]

My dog loves to play with his snacks/reward after a walk. Just the noise I make when I go and get one gets him riled up. He truly does treat them as prey, throwing them around and biting them before actually eating them. When I forget after a walk he gets frustrated. His favorite non-food toy is a rolled-up sock. He loves throwing them around until they are un-rolled.

[@Dee8Bee]

Great video! I send it to my friend too.

[@JemszZz]

My cat likes to play tag, I run after her around the house, then she hides (always in the same place), and then when I "find" her she runs after me haha

[@JemszZz]

She also loves throwball, even if she prefers me going after the ball to throw it again lol, she only brings back the ball herself if I stop playing

[@user-yd6yq7hr6p]

I think I've discovered those ways intuitively with my two feline friends :) one of them likes to play fetch and chasing a wand (he actually brings it to me and meows demandingly), and the other likes fishing in water. So I give him snacks in a bowl of water and he retrieves them with his paws. And they both love chasing something that hides under a cover or around the corner. And all the toys are free. They play better with a paper ball or a chestnut than expensive toys from a pet shop.

[@HellfireGFX]

I never considered puzzle feeders much, I'll certainly do so in the future. I've found a great way to get cats to play is to stimulate their natural prey drives however possible - placing toys underneath objects or obscured from view stimulates their natural prey drive - a barn cat would find rodents underneath objects using their senses and I think hiding the toy but making the presence of it known scratches that natural itch. One thing I've found that works almost always is to use a real bird feather (either found in the wild or bought online), fake feathers are fine play toys but real ones smell like an actual bird and greatly add to that prey hunting stimulation, every cat I've tried this with ends up destroying the feather as they will bite, lick and chew bits of the feather off like they would with an actual bird. For people with cats who don't play that often try using a real feather underneath a door frame - this allows you to keep your hands away from the toy directly because their claws will be OUT and murder mode will be engaged. I get guinea fowl feathers from Etsy and they love the natural pattern (visual stimulation) but the natural feel and smell of the feather makes them amazing toys.

[@h7opolo]

love my cat

[@danielsykes7558]

5:40 so far, I'm very glad i do all of these

[@neilmacmusic]

great talk- a pity that there is no audience audio at all- makes all her comments seem to fall on a non-responsive room (where clearly the audience were)-we just can't hear them

[@basilrose]

It absolutely will change the world when you replace "cat" with "child" in your mind and actions. Thank you for a beautifully presented and inspirational video.

[@Teh-Penguin]

Tough crowd. Good talk.

[@SMALLDANE]

Thank you for this 🙂

[@AnthonyPatrick01]

Hello 🌹 👋 how are you doing today hope you're doing great?

[@lila2028]

Verry good!

[@holymackerel]

Years ago, I took a plastic Easter egg and drilled a hole at the bottom. She has to hit the egg around to get the food out. Sometimes she gets 1 or 2 pieces, sometimes none. It slows down her eating and makes her work for her food.

[@OneaeBlack]

Couldn't this same concept of good fun play be used to relieve aggression violence in human culture? Loving Peaceful kindness. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@LordNementon]

5:40 "It is really important than Cats catch and KILL the toys":🐧

[@OneaeBlack]

@@LordNementon Savages.

[@joyl7842]

I've found that moving a toy very rapidly gets cats very interested. Their pupils dilate immediately.

[@Lennymoss]

My rabbits are going to love those diy treat toys

[@lcotee]

Horse whip chasing outside is a huge hit with the kitties!!!❤